Color Run

  • I haven't been on here for a while, but I want to get back into it. A few months ago, my roommate convinced me to sign up for the Color Run at the end of August with her. I have been doing the Couch to 5k, but became discouraged and stopped for a while. I have recently started again and have been making great progress, but I'm worried I'm not going to be able to run a whole 5k in a few weeks. Has anyone done the Color Run before? Will it be alright if I can only run a mile or two straight and just walk for part of it? Thanks!
  • I've never personally done a color run, but from talking with people who have I don't think you should be worried. It seems the color runs are much more social and fun vs a race - people like to get hit with the color, go back for more, go slowly through color areas to get more coverage. Or maybe they're covering their eyes and nose, so they walk through those areas

    Several folks on these boards have done a color run though, so I'm sure they can give you better information

    Personally, I'd be more worried about getting home without getting color all over the place!
  • From what I have heard about most 5ks is everyone goes at their own pace. Some run it all, some walk it all, and some do a bit of each.

    I know with my financial aid dispersement I will be signing up for a couple of 5ks to keep me motivated and I can only run for about 45 seconds at a time before my lungs are KILLING me so I doubt I will be ready to run a full 5k by oct/nov/dec when the ones i want to do are happening.

    Go and have fun and don't worry how much or little you run!
  • It's not a race-race. You'll be fine.
  • You can walk the whole thing if you want! The Color Run is a very social and fun event. I am sure you'll see all sorts of people there (old, young, ect..)

    I recently did a 5k Zombie Run and walked a good chunk of it. I died a horrible death but you could still finish the course even if you were "dead" (you had flags that represented your "life" and if the zombies got them all, you were dead). It was awesome! All sorts of people were there from people who walked the whole thing to people who looked like they were competing in the olympics!
  • Quote: I recently did a 5k Zombie Run and walked a good chunk of it. I died a horrible death but you could still finish the course even if you were "dead" (you had flags that represented your "life" and if the zombies got them all, you were dead). It was awesome! All sorts of people were there from people who walked the whole thing to people who looked like they were competing in the olympics!
    I was a zombie in one of these in june! I want to run in the one in Austin in Dec. I figure I will die a horrible death too lol
  • Thanks everyone! I'm pretty excited about it because I never thought that I could do a 5k. And even if I have to walk some of it, I'm still proud of myself!
  • Not to worry--none of these races "require" that you run the whole thing--you can also walk--and there is never a time limit on any of these organized races. The key is--is to just finish it. It's a very fun race--and everyone I know that has done it has really enjoyed it.
  • I ran/walked the color run last year. It's a huge event with people at all ages and speeds. One of the great things about it is there is really absolutely no emphasis on being fast. It's about the experience. People stop to roll in the color dust!

    Apparently the first guy to finish the one I went to finished so fast that no one noticed him. He stood around awkwardly and put him arms up, like "WTH?" until finally the announcer said something along the lines of "congratulations you're first. What's your time? Oh that's right, we don't time this race because it's supposed to be FUN"

    And as the above poster mentioned, 5Ks in general aren't just for runners. I've never run the full distance in any of the 5Ks I've done. Some I've only walked... and I've never been last!

    ETA- Do pick your clothing wisely though. The color washed out of some items, but not others, so I wouldn't wear anything you're super attached to. Prepare for the color to be EVERYWHERE! Including your undergarments and in between your toes (and of course, up your nose. You'll be blowing out colorful snot for at least a day).
  • Ditto what Aclai said ! I just did one in July, and it was an absolute hoot! I think I probably ran maybe 100 steps of it. It's a delightful mess - we aren't even sure it's truly 5k long.

    Look up the Dirty Girl "races" for other untimed (but likely to be more strenuous) goofy fun - we're going to try this one next year!
  • I did a Color Run in June and had a fabulous time! It's a totally different experience than other 5Ks I've done. It's all about the fun.....not the running. In fact, no one even seems to care if they even get to the finish line. There are official race photographers along the race route so people were stopping to get pics taken. And there are piles of color powder on the ground at the stations where they colorize you, and people were stopping to roll around in it. And people took long breaks to drink at the water stations and to use the port-o-potties. Yeah, not a lot of speed racing going on! Have a blast. It's an experience like no other!
  • I just did my color run yesterday! I had so much fun!!! I ended up looking like a smurf in the end and two showers later, parts of me still do. I managed to run about half of it, which I was proud of. My next step is running a real 5k!
  • good job!!!! congrats!!!
  • I did The Color Run this year. It was a blast and no, not everyone runs it. In fact, there were many walkers. I tried doing a bit of both running and walking, but ended up walking most of it. You tend to slow down to a walk when you hit a color anyways...so if you want to run most of it, know that you'll probably get a bit of a break right as you near a color. Have fun with it!
  • Finally picked one to run, I am doing mine on oct 26th!