The Color Run 2012

On August 25th, I woke up at 4 am, put on my new white beater and sports bra, and drove to Albuquerque to run in The Color Run: "the happiest 5k in the world." I got my packet right away and waited around. for 2 hrs. Since I got there so early, there was opportunity to get to the front of the race and start first. I thought..."hmmm...this will never happen again." (open seating), but then I was even more comforted when I noticed the obese people and children at the front with me. There were some "elite runners" to the left, so I stayed to the middle. The announcer threw frisbees and t-shirts at us while we waited and I admired the ocean of white shirts around me.

Around every kilometer mark, people stood ready with squirt bottles of corn starch color powder to throw at you. I put my arms up and danced and twirled and "woo"ed through the patches of color dust. I ran most of it, walked briskly a little. At the end there's a big color party where everyone gets a packet of color and we throw it into the air at the same time. Fun shit.

A few things to know before you do the color run:

1. White shirt dress code. But also make sure you wear a giant tutu or a fake mustache.

2. If you have a baby, put your temporary tattoo on his or her forehead and run the 5k with the baby in the stroller.

3. If you don't run thru the colors, you're lame. Just don't come.

4. If you're lame, you can cut across to the returning side before running all the way to halfway point. Then you don't have to run a whole 5k (what? just don't come).

5. This run is so noncompetitive that when you get the drink of water at the halfway point, you actually put your cup in a trash bag - you don't just keep running.

6. It's not a timed race because emphasis is on fun, so if you're going for a PR or you want to know, bring a watch.

7. If you see a girl sitting by herself drinking a water bottle after the race, go ask her to take a picture of you and your significant other. She has nothing better to do and really wants to take a picture of how you did this fun thing together.

Awesome.