By Tomorrow hundreds of people, myself included, will gather at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee for what has been dubbed the Happiest 5k on the Planet. The Color Run.
While this will be my third venture into the world of color, many will be partaking for the first time ever! This includes some of my co-workers from the restaurant.
So, in an effort to help those newcomers along, I’ve compiled some handy pointers to get you ready for The Color Run!
If you’re not sure you’re ready to give it a go, check out my previous post about why you should totally be signing up for The Color Run when it comes to your town!
All Are Welcome and That Means You!
As I’m mentioned in my previous post about The Color Run, this 5k is less about your pace and more about your smile! Every time I mention to people that they should join the fun, their first reaction is usually, “I’m not a runner.” That’s fine! You don’t need to be! Many people are out there walking the course, others run when they feel like it. Totally up to you.
Last year, I didn’t run at all. I walked the distance with my friends and their kids and we had a blast. We really only ran through the color zones because that makes it more fun. Otherwise, it was just a fun time spent with fun people!
Protect Your Electronics
First and foremost, go ahead and leave your fitness tracker at home. Sure you’ll lose out on 3 miles worth of steps but it’s better than potentially ruining it. If you must wear it, I suggest covering it with a sweatband.
A sandwich bag will be your phone’s best friend. Zip it up tight and keep your phone safe!
Keep Your Mouth Closed
I know I just got through saying this is all about having a good time but there will be some parts where you might want to keep a tight lock on your mouth. Mostly in the color zones. It’s tempting to smile and laugh your way through it all but I can tell you first hand that a mouthful of color corn-starch isn’t all that grand.
Think cinnamon challenge.
The color is non-toxic, as mentioned, it’s just colored corn starch but a mouth full of Technicolor teeth and hacking up a lungful of colored dust isn’t my favorite part of the run.
I suggest taking a deep breath and keeping your mouth closed through the color zones.
Sunglasses Are Your Best Friend
If you think a mouthful of cornstarch is bad, getting in your eyes is far worse. I suggest rocking a pair of sunglasses for your run to help protect you against color-blindness. Literally.
Tuck Away Some Tissues
Fact: Corn starch will end up in your nose. You will have pink boogers.
Tucking away some tissues is never a bad idea to help clear out your multi-color snot rockets.
Dress the Part
Typically I don’t wear the shirt for the race I’m running because I think it’s bad luck. I’m weird.
The Color Run is my exception to this rule!
The vibrate white shirt provided in your packet it the perfect match for this race as the colors will shine the brightest as you make your way through each of the color zones.
This is the time to go crazy and have fun with your outfit so go for it!
Think hard about what shoes you want to wear. I typically use The Color Run as something as a retirement party for my running shoes. For example, I’ve had my Steamboat Willie RunDisney shoes for about a year and it’s become sadly obvious it’s time to say goodbye. As a result, I will be running with them for the last time tomorrow morning.
Plan on your shoes getting pretty mucky over the course of the race.
Bring A Change Of Clothes
I always bring a shirt to change into after every race and The Color Run is no exception. I suggest packing a plastic shopping bag with a change of clothes in it. Then you have something to store your colorful duds in for the trip home.
Pack Some Towels
Another must-have post race will be a beach towel. This is more to protect your car than anything. You’ll want something big enough to cover your seats. While the color does wash off, better safe than sorry!
Plan A Hearty Shower
While the colors are pretty easy to get off your skin, do plan on taking a pretty intense shower once you get home. You’ll have to scrub pretty hard depending on the color. I find that blue is the absolute WORST and tends to stick around longer than most of the other colors. Honestly, try to go easy around the blue color zone if you need to be somewhere important in the next 24 hours.
Create An Awesome Souvenir
Obviously you’ll be taking tons of pictures during race day but if you want to hold on to the memories of colorful madness there is a way!
You can turn your Color Run shirt into a last memory of the day by saving the color onto it! Yep, there is a way!
Preserve your shirts color as much as possible until you get home. Spray it down with vinegar, front and back, ensure a complete soaking of the front and back and allow it to dry in the sun. Tumble dry it in your dryer in order to set the color and BOOM perfect reminder of your colorful day!
Avoiding Neverland 