The Color Run: A Party You Don't Want To Miss Out On

By Victoria Robertson on October 1, 2014

Nicknamed the “happiest 5K on the planet,” The Color Run is making its way through the United States and sparking interest in college students particularly.

According to the website, The Color Run was initially meant to “promote healthiness and happiness by bringing the community together,” and it has more than achieved this mission.

The website claims that The Color Run is now “the single largest event series in the United States,” which means it has more than tripled in growth since its initial founding in March of 2011.

Photo Via: http://city-sentinel.com

So why has this race grown so much in such a short amount of time?

The fun factor.

The Color Run is an untimed race in which participants are encouraged to get outside and be active in a fun and innovative way rather than to improve their mile times or compete with other members of the community.

Everyone participating in the race is expected to wear white, and to make sure that they aren’t too attached to their clothes, because throughout the race, they will be doused from head to toe in paint.

Many college students take part in this race in groups, as there is a special group rate so that students can involve their roommates, friends, etc. in order to help not only spread the word, but also make sure that a good time is had by all.

As if that wasn’t enough to peak the interest of college students, the race ends in a party that is referred to as the “Finish Festival.”

The Finish Festival is described by the website:

“The fun continues after Color Runners complete the race with an unforgettable Finish Festival. This larger than life party is equipped with music, dancing and massive color throws, which create millions of vivid color combinations.”

The Color Run is currently undergoing its 2014 Kaleidoscope Tour, which is rolling through college campuses and big cities across the country. On August 27, the tour hit my campus town of Champaign, Illinois.

Photo Via: http://www.uwishunu.com

Of course, while it may all be fun and games, if you’re one of those people that need to work for a cause, The Color Run has you covered. They are willing to work with local charities in the cities they visit, and have donated $3 million to charity since their founding.

If you would like to learn more about The Color Run’s work with charities, visit their website here.

The only downside to this race? Costs.

The Color Run is a for-profit organization, so it costs about $45 for an individual to run and $40 per person registering as a team (which involves a minimum of four members).

But hey, I guess all fun comes at some sort of cost, right?

While this may seem a bit pricey, this price includes a shirt, bag, tattoo, bag of color (to throw), race bib, sweatband and whatever else the sponsors have to offer on top of the opportunity to get out, be active and have fun.

Plus, you can’t really put a price on being happy and healthy, right?

So why college students?

Photo Via: https://reg.dojiggy.com

I don’t think I’m reaching here when I say college goes by almost within the blink of an eye. Time passes so quickly, and sometimes eating healthy and exercising come second to school and partying.

So what if you could combine health and parties?

The Color Run provides college students with a lowered rate for the more people they involve, a fun and unique way to exercise and promote healthiness and an after-party well worth their time.

Really, it’s a win-win situation, and more college students should take advantage of it.

The Color Run has a strong media presence, covered by publications such as National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, O (The Oprah Magazine), Seventeen, Cosmopolitan and Forbes and TV presences such as ESPN and CNN, just to name a few.

And it deserves this coverage.

While The Color Run has grown largely due to fun, it is important to remember the positive message it is spreading to the world:

“While our 5K event is all about having fun, we also focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle. More than half of our participants are first-time 5K runners and the event is making headway on the national focus of improving health and wellness.”

With such a positive message to spread, I’m calling for all college students to take part in the run next time it’s in your area, and to spread the word across campus to help continue the growth of the organization.

In the words of the organization, “we hope that The Color Run 5K event will be able to act as a catalyst for our participants to live an active, healthy lifestyle.”

Amen to that.

Photo Via: http://glenrock.tipsfromtown.com

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