Many months back, CootieGirl asked if we could participate in a Color Run. For those that don’t know, a Color Run is when you run a 5K and let people throw paint on you as you go through the course. Why anyone would WANT tempura paint thrown at them is beyond me, but apparently it’s a very popular race. And so I signed us up for the Charlotte race when Living Social had entry fees on sale. The last 5K we did together was the Electric Run back in August. The Electric Run was a fun although it was so hot and humid that our pace was ridiculously slow (we walked) and we finished it in the worst time I’ve ever done, just over 1 hour and 11 minutes. Atrocious. The course was awful – all hills. And no amount of neon and black lights and fun music and goofy inflatables could salvage how miserable the course was. But I’ll admit that the atmosphere was infectious and a good time (very ravey).
Unfortunately, the Color Run was in the exact same location. *sigh* But hey, you are thinking, at least it’s not hot and humid, right?
I don’t know what’s worse. Hot and humid or cold and rainy. I think they are about even in awfulness.
CootieGirl and I were up and out of the house at 7 a.m. yesterday, driving up to the Charlotte Motor Speedway for our 8:30 a.m. start time. As we walked to the check-in line we lamented the fact that the wind was biting and frigid. Not only that, but the rain was at the mercy of the wind and, as a result, hurt when it hit your face. Good times.
After we checked in, we took solace next to an 18-wheeler that was blocking the wind and waited for our start time, which was another 30 minutes away. There was no place to hide from the cold and rain, and so we just stood there, trying to figure out ways to stay warm. CG put on the t-shirt she got from the race promoters so she’d have an extra layer under her jacket, and opted to use the headband as a chin warmer since she already had a hat to cover her ears. The mistake we made was not bringing gloves to wear, but as long as we kept moving, and hid behind the truck, it wasn’t that bad.
Finally we headed to the starting line for the race. After a few remarks from the race MC, and the singing of the National Anthem, we were off. And despite the cold, and despite the wind, once we got moving it wasn’t too bad. The main reason was the fact that we bought some cheap leggings at Wal-Mart several weeks ago, and they are WARM. We both had them on and my legs were warm and toasty through the whole race. That helped keep our core warm so that the only parts of us that felt the cold were our face and hands. Had our legs been exposed to the wind and rain (which we saw was the case for MANY racers), we’d have been frozen and I know for a fact we’d have bowed out early and gone home.
But we stuck it out. I told CG that my goal was to finish the 5K in a shorter time than we completed the Electric Run. We were able to reach my goal – finishing in 59 minutes and 50 seconds. Huzzah! We raced to the car when we passed the finish line and began the drive to a nearby Starbucks to reward ourselves with some peppermint hot cocoa and a pastry. So worth it.
Will I do the Color Run again? Sure. But not if it’s in November. May or June, I’m there.
We’re not signed up for any more 5Ks this year, although I may sign us up for the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. We did that last year with my sister when she was in town for the holiday with her family. I still have the completion medal hanging from the rearview mirror in my car. Might as well try to get a second one, right?
