As the weather warms, Murray State students are taking part in the recent 5K phenomenon, the Color Run. Known as the happiest 5K on the planet, the color run is a unique take on getting active and running.
The race is untimed and centers around participants stopping at color stations where they are covered from head to toe in colored powder throughout the race. All race participants wear white at the starting line and finish covered in every color- happy and healthy.
Murray State student Nikki Lee, sophomore from Paris, Tenn., will be attending the upcoming Color Run in St. Louis on April 27 with her teammates, Samantha Flamm, sophomore from Cobdon, Ill., and Amber Covert, sophomore from St. Louis.
“Amber is from St. Louis and found out about it when she went home one weekend,” Lee said. “She thought we should all do it so she Facebooked it to us and we all just decided we wanted to do it. We went online and signed up for it after Amber made our team and we are really excited about.”
As the object of the Color Run is not to be the fastest, but to have the most fun, Lee said though she has not been training for the run she will do just fine.
“We all are going to go and just kind of enjoy it as a run,” Lee said. “We’re not really pressing for a time to be competitive, but more to just have a good time and get rid of some stress especially as we near the end of the semester. It’s just going to be a fun weekend with friends and since the summer is coming soon it’ll just be like a last hurrah of the semester. We’re really planning to make the most of the weekend by exploring St. Louis and everything.”
The teammates, all Murray State students, met while travelling abroad to Greece and Italy and have remained the most eccentric of friends ever since. The team admits to having a few unusual strategies when it comes to getting as colorful as possible and making the run one to remember.
“We’re going to get as colorful on possible even if it means rolling on the ground,” Lee said. “That we can then buy this thing online that will preserve the color so we can keep them our shirts as mementos to go with the tons of pictures we’re going to take.”
As the Color Run has gained popularity more and more “fun runs” like it have come out of the woodwork. With 5 and 10Ks like the Dirty Girl Run that is a female-only race to support breast cancer consisting of 3.1 miles of running through mud pits, mud fights and obstacles and the Superhero 5K that allows all participants to dress as their favorite hero to raise awareness for domestic abuse, being active has never been so fun. As 5Ks change the game to appeal to a whole new populous, there is now a 5K for everyone willing to take the challenge.
“I don’t run, like ever, but the Color Run is just going to be a lot of fun,” Lee said. “I know other 5K runners and they said that the Color Run is sometimes their fastest time because the color and fun environment keep you going and motivate you to make it to the next color station and color festival at the end. I can’t wait.”
Story by Shannon MacAllister, Staff writer.