How to Rock The Color Run!

Last July I ran my first 5K, which just so happened to be The Color Run. Doing a "fun run" helped calm my nerves about how I would perform during my first 5K. I realized with these races, it's not about who will have the fastest time, it's about having as much fun as you can.

People of all ages participated in the run- I even spotted some moms pushing their kids in strollers! People walked, ran, or did interval running (which was what I did, since I wasn't quite used to running at the time).

And although I had fun and had done interval training for my race, I was still unprepared for that whirlwind of color. Colored corn starch remained on my car seats until September.

This Saturday, I am running my second Color Run (but fourth 5K!) and I am more than prepared. Here are my tips for rocking The Color Run. These tips are useful for any fun run that you may get dirty on, like Muderrella or Spartan!

1. Make a team. The best part of these races is sharing the fun with others. Gather a few friends and cross the finish line together! You'll have each other to cheer on and party with each other during the wild after party! Yes, there's a crazy after party! You also save money for registration when you sign up as a team :)

2. Wear white. As much white as you can. Or any light color. Leave that black workout gear at home! You want to be COVERED in color! :) Keep in mind they will give you a Color Run shirt, if you don't mind getting covered in color. I wore The Color Run shirt last year, and most of the color came out of it when I washed it. Don't go out of your way to buy white though. Everything is getting dirty!

3. Wear sunglasses or goggles. You will want to protect your pretty eyes while running :) I wore a pair of plastic sunglasses last year. I call them my "Boardy Barn" sunglasses because I don't care about what happens to them (all the Long Island folk get what I mean).

4. Bring Ziploc baggies. And a fanny pack. I brought several baggies to put my phone, money, keys, etc. in. I also borrowed my friend's fannypack to use while running and it was the best idea ever. This year The Color Run banned backpacks, but fanny packs are allowed, so I purchased my own on Amazon to use while running. (This fanny pack is also for Boardy Barn. I really like Boardy Barn and running?)

5. Hold onto the packet of color in your registration pack! A couple of people opened their packets before the race began, but I held onto mine and burst it open during the after party. It was much better that way and it was at the after party where people got really covered in color. Save the packet!

6. Bring a towel. Maybe even two. If you're driving and have people riding in your car, make sure everyone brings a towel to sit on! You may want to pack an extra in your trunk just to wipe yourself off.

7. Clean properly. Bring a tub of baby wipes to help yourself get cleaned off a little before your ride home. There will be people with leaf blowers though to help get all that colored cornstarch off you though. Be prepared to take about 2-3 showers before all the color comes out. Last year I had to wash my body about 3 times, but I learned my usual, moisturizing body wash wouldn't cut it for getting out all the color. I had to use Dawn antibacterial dish soap. Hey- if they can use it to clean the grease off cute penguins, you can use it on your body. I still felt like I had some color deep into my pores, so I also used a face mask after my shower!


If you've never ran a race, I recommend The Color Run as a place to start. Or even if you're a pro at running marathons, The Color Run is a great time for good and not-so-clean fun!

Until next time :) xoxo