17 done ... 35 to go...

What: #94 Participate in a Color Run

When: June 27th
Where: Ypsilanti

Our "before" picture at the start

Why: For years, I've seen friends post pictures on Facebook about the Color Run, and more recently, it seems I've been in places where a Color Run has just happened and I see the participants wandering around the streets or into sporting events just as covered in colorful dust as can be! This intrigued me because they really seemed to be enjoying it, and usually after a run, my first instinct is to go home and shower as soon as possible.

This year, my friend Shannon invited me to join her at this run, and I was eager to sign-up to do my first Color Run! She and I had done another run earlier in the year and I was glad to find a running partner; it makes it much more enjoyable if you can chat and giggle along the route!

The day before, as most runners will know, was packet pick-up. I headed out into the warm summer sunshine on a beautiful day to get my t-shirt, headband, tattoos, and bib number. I was getting so excited! I went home and figured out what I was going to wear the next day, choosing shoes that I knew would be covered in colors by the end of it, and then waited patiently for the morning.

The morning, as it turns out, was barely in the 50s and pouring rain. POURING. I thought for sure Shannon would back out. In fact, I even considered it, but I have a very weird thing (stubbornness) about not skipping something if I've paid for it, so I decided I'd suffer for the 30-40 minutes it would take me to run, and then I'd come home to warm up and dry off. As I was pulling into my parking spot near the event, Shannon called to say she was just getting into town and that she was ready to suffer through it with me! I was so happy!! Luckily, the Color Run has wave after wave of starts, and it is not timed, so the fact that I ran with an umbrella and long leggings that kept falling down didn't deter me from having a blast!

The "after" picture at the finish line