The Color Run Is FUN!

This morning, my friends Tiffanie, Megan, and I went to National Harbor in Washington, D.C., for The Color Run 5K. Oh my goodness...if you've been thinking about doing The Color Run... do it! The Color Run says it's the "Happiest 5K," and it really is. All the volunteers were happy, positive, and fun. Everyone there to race was in a great mood and ready to have a fun time. The Color Run is definitely a race for all ages - kids to young at heart - and we saw all ages represented.

We knew it was about to be a ridiculously awesome experience when a unicorn emerged from the crowd. I could have died with excitement. I heart unicorns.

Be prepared for a ridiculous mass of people. The earlier you get there, the better. We managed to get in the second wave and they started things a little early since there were so many people. There was an emcee at the front of the line, music was pumping, volunteers were randomly raining The Color Run bracelets and magnets into the crowd, so it really made the wait at the start line seem minimal.

Along the race route are "color zones." When you run through a color zone, volunteers squirt you with colored food-grade cornstarch. I wore a pair of sunglasses to protect my eyes from the powder and found myself pulling my shirt up over my nose because it made it easier to breathe through some of the zones. Staying in the middle of the color zone meant that we didn't get as much color on us as we wanted, so we made sure to get close to the edge where volunteers were "colorizing" participants.

This isn't a timed race - it's all about fun! Lots of people were taking pictures of themselves after each color zone, rolling around in the color at each zone - think FUN. Make sure to put your phone in a plastic baggy to protect it. Also, if you love your phone's case, consider swapping it out for a cheap one or going without the case. The color will seep into the case. I went cover free on my phone and it got a bit dusty, but it's completely fine. I also brought a plastic baggy for it just in case and didn't use it at all. 

Isn't this sweet?? These two ladies (mom and daughter, maybe?) made these signs to encourage the runners/walker.

Lots of people piled near the finish line to high five and cheer everyone on in the final stretch.

We were handed bottles of water, free Slurpees, and bars from KIND. But The Color Run kept the party going by having a "color toss" party. Everyone was given a packet of color in their race packet (included in the race packet was also a shirt, bib number and safety pins, The Color Run tattoo, and entry wristband), and we tossed our color in the air at the same time...and got covered in even more color. SOOOO MUCH FUN!!!

 

My friends and I had a GREAT experience at the The Color Run and would totally do it again! Big kudos to the workers and volunteer crews who made it such a fun experience. It really is the "happiest 5K!"

Trying to figure out how in the world to wash all the color off after The Color Run and not be stained for days? Click here and I'll tell you what I used and how I got 100% clean in less than an hour in the shower using one bath item to make it happen.