COLOR ME RAD!

Finally! The race that started it all! I had wanted to run this race for about a year now...I figured this year, I would go for it and actually run it. So the running started. 

Zumba Party!

The race was held on 5/11/13 at the Detroit Riverwalk. The temperatures had dropped considerably the day before, so again, time to run a race in the cold! We got there nice and early to pickup my Bib and shirt. The actual packet pickup times were held on Thursday and Friday, but I was unable to make it. -This was my only issue I had with the race. I had emailed and messaged on facebook well in advance and only got an answer to my question about pickup 3 days before the race. Asking if I could pickup the day of was a simple question, but I suppose since it's a such a big, national thing, that they were swamped with other emails. Everything worked out fine in the end, I suppose!- The pickup was simple and there was no line (they said there would be...). I got my shirt and sunglasses and went to purchase a bandanna (I couldn't find my white one). Then we wandered around and watched people start to throw color on each other. The MC took the stage and threw stuff in the crowd and held "chugging" competitions and a hula hoop competition with swag and color packets as prizes. It was entertaining to watch. :) There was also a zumba demo that was very instrumental in warming the shivering crowd up! 

Before...

When it was time to start (9:00a) everyone headed over to the starting line and they announced that if you had a later start time, that you were more than welcome to go earlier if you wanted. I was signed up for 9:40 so I was quite happy to hear this! I handed over my warm things and got ready for take off.
The MC was on a riser at the start throwing more free stuff and color packets into the crowd and told everyone that if they were going to walk, to stay on the right and if they were going to run, to stay to the left. They sent us off every 3 minutes or so to spread everyone out.  The course was really nice. Probably my favorite one so far. Down around some nice buildings (looked like UAW-GM owned) and up by the water front. The weekend fishermen were taking photos and videos of everyone! We looped around and when we got back to the start, had to climb a huge hill to be sprayed with green and slowly make our way back down for a final loop before the finish. I had already been hit with Purple powder, managed to avoid the yellow liquid, and then hit with Pink powder before the green. Then there was an orange powder station right before the finish. I only had a mildly unpleasant experience with the green liquid as it was sprayed right in my face. I was glad for the sunglasses at that point!  
Besides the course being really great, the people were generally awesome. as we passed the people coming back from the loop, lots of high fives were being given out, and people were generally friendly to each other. The only issue I had with people was the walkers not staying to the right and at one point, I had to weave around a line of girls holding hands. They took up the whole road. Not cool. The run itself was pretty good. Nice and relaxed and non competitive (it wasn't timed). My only issue, personally, was some pain I had while running. I had done something a few days before to my hip and because I started to favor my other leg, my knee started to hurt. I managed to run through it, but now I'm on a resting period, because I'm falling apart.

After!

I made it across the finish line and my Nike app told me that I took about 29:10...but that it wasn't a true 5k. it was something like 2.64 miles. I don't know if this is accurate or if it had some GPS issues.
At the end, everyone joined in a big color throw, which was awesome, because you couldn't see a foot in front of your face and everyone was dancing. 











All in all I really enjoyed this race and would totally do it again. Just in warmer weather with less injuries. There is another taking place in Lansing in September, so I may or may not sign up for that!  We'll see!
Check out www.colormerad.com for more info and to see if there will be a race near you! It's really fun, I promise! (There is also "The Color Run", which I believe is the original one of these races. I can't say which is better because I've only done this one, but i'm sure either way you'll have a good time!)