As a pseudo-New Years' resolution, I started exercising regularly again. I say pseudo since it started after New Years but I didn't make it an "official" resolution since who honestly sticks to those anyway!? It started because after listening to how much fun J.E.B. had during his Rugged Maniac race when I was pregnant with Alexandria, I've been curious and interested in running one as well. However it IS a race and I have never been a running enthusiast.
So I decided at the beginning of this year to run a Rugged Maniac race. Houston is scheduled to host one in December and I figured 11 or so months was PLENTY of time for my lazy, procrastinating self to get into shape. J.E.B., rightly so, suggested that I pick a goal that was a little closer time wise. So I found a Color Run 5K in Austin on 4 May (last Saturday).
I had about a month to get into shape to run the 3+ miles and actually had a good time doing it. I found, to my utter surprise, that I actually LIKE running. I am still finding my rhythm but its a great release for me to go running without the dog or the stroller and to just enjoy the area we live in. Four miles was my longest run so far, but that'll change soon enough.
So last weekend we drove to Austin, met up with my cousin Nancy and I ran my first ever race. I had only a small idea of what to expect based on a friend's experience doing a Color Run but was excited nonetheless. There were more people than either of us had expected but it was still a fun morning. The race started at 9am with waves leaving every 5 minutes. I heard that announcer mention that there were something like 14,000 or so people there. It was busy! :)
I didn't coordinate very well with J.E.B. so the only picture he has of me was by complete chance as I ran through the first color station (pink). Hindsight, we could have organized it better so he'd try to see me at each station but....oh well. He was going to meet me at the finish line but once we both saw it, we realized there would be no way of finding each other (I wasn't wearing my phone since I didn't want it to get dirty nor did I want to carry anything). So we met up near the color release stage area (check out the video J.E.B. took while I was still running. Very cool!). Every 15 min or so, they had color release parties as people finished the race. Fun! :)
While it was a race it wasn't in the typical sense in that there was no clock nor any winners. It was a race designed to be fun. There were more people walking than running and quite a few people pulling wagons or pushing strollers. And a whole lotta people dressed up. I saw a few groups wearing tutus and colorful knee-high socks. Even Batman was there.....although aside from the mask he was shirtless and wearing pink zebra-stripped pants. Even saw a rather large fellow with bright blue dolphin water-wings. Quite the collection of people!
The race was fun but I had a tough time deciding how to run it. Do I run it to get a good time? It is a race after all. Or do I run it with the sole purpose of getting as colorful and dirty as possible? I tried do to both and while I did run faster than I thought I could, I did not get as colorful as I'd hoped I would. So, lesson learned and next time I run one, I am going with the goal of getting COLORED! Not beating my own score! ;-)
On that note though, Austin has another color run in September if anyone wants to join me! : )
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| Waiting in line to pick up my Runner's Packet the evening prior to the race |
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| Its official. I've got a number an' everything! You can see my black packet of green powder to throw at the color release stage area |
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| Before the run |
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| I'm in the center of the picture, behind the lady in pink spraying someone. You can see my blond ponytail as I run past her |
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| After the run. Not as much color as I had envisioned but I'll change that next time I run one of these! |
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| Elated, tired, dirty, ready to crash as the adrenaline and excitement is wearing off |
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| Passed out little Gingers on the ride home |
