5k Complete | Color Run Des Moines

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It's checked off my list!  Be prepared for a long post - lots of snapshots!  The Color Run was a whole big bunch of fun.  This 5k was my reward for my Ease into 5k training, which started 10 weeks ago on July 28th.  It was a wonderful reward.  Did I run the entire thing?  No.  Did I intend to?  Yes.  Did I walk part of it because I could run no more?  Absolutely not.  Did I slow up to soak up color?  Absolutely.  Did I finish?  YES, YES, YES!  That feeling was amazing!

We all started the (untimed) race together.  Ayla and Levi darted off quickly.  I couldn't believe how excited Ayla was to participate - and to think I wanted her to stay with Grandma & Grandpa while the rest of us ran it.  Ayden took off and I didn't see him again until the race was finished.  Ayv finished the race along side me.  And best of all, I had a couple of friends who joined in the fun - even though we didn't end up running side-by-side.  The weather was a bit too cool, but not as cold as we've trained in.  The air isn't always warm at 5am.  Cool weather or not, it was a great beginning to the fall of 2012.

Here is our pre-race (clean) pic.  Dressed in layers and sunglasses (color-barriers), we were ready to go.

Here are my great friends and supporters - Jen, me, Rocky, and Heather.

Braids and fun earrings to make me feel like a star.  Ayv had green and blue ones to match.

With me was my biggest supporter in training and in life...so happy we could do this together!

According to reports, we heard that this race was a record-breaking sellout with 30,000 participants between the 1:00 and 4:00 waves.  This is the view behind us - heading back to E 14th Street in Des Moines.

This is in front of us - waiting for the race to begin.  (There is part of a fellow C-N family ahead of us.)

I made Ayv stop for a photo op along the route while there was a break in the crowd.  You can see the blue color station on the bridge to the left, and the pink color station straight ahead.  We ran most of the time, but took our time getting through the color stations in hopes of getting doused with massive amounts of color.  I'm honestly surprised Ayv didn't try to roll through the stations.

Ayla held Levi's hand the entire way.  As we'd approach, she would decide they should run again - but it was more like a sprint.  Really.  Levi's long strides kept them both ahead of us.  I can't believe I let a 5-year-old (almost 6-year-old) beat me!  She was thrilled.

See her strides against Levi's?  Pretty sure she has a pulled groin today and is denying it.  :)

Here is our approach up the hill, nearing the end of the race.  There were a good amount of walkers and runners.  The wave that was released heading the opposite was was #20.  Yikes!  So many color runners!

And I finished!!!!

The following images were from the dance party at the end of the race.  Color was thrust into the air every 15 minutes by fellow color runners.  The kids were in search of purple powder, but were happy with any color they were able to soak up.

Ayv had the best glasses.  They were meant to be worn down when going through the plumes of color and raised when running so she could see again.

I told the kids that this was the only time they could throw things at each other and not get into trouble.

Color clouds.

I got dirty...and I didn't care.

My official race bib.

The finish.

We are geared up to do this again next year.  Thanks to my family and friends who joined me in training, words of encouragement, or participating in this event.  If you want to join our team, "Hue Make Me Happy", give me a shout!  I want to make team shirts for the next event!

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