The Graffiti Run

I ran my first 5K of the year over the weekend, the Graffiti Run. You can check out their website here in case you want to see if it is coming to your town. I found a GroupOn for the race so I got a discount on the race, which is always awesome. This is the first run like this that I have ever done, previously I mainly ran races in St. Louis that were either benefits or for St. Pat's day. I was pretty excited about the race and I just new it was going to be wonderful.

Pre-Race Excitement... also we are pretty cold

My friend Lindsay and I got up early to drive over to Ft. Worth for the race, the morning dawned pretty cool but by the time the race was about to start it was warm enough to pull off a few layers. So we both strip down to our white shirts and running tights. I wasn't too sure about running in my good pants but I really didn't want to wear shorts and then I realized they are running clothes so I just did it. We then move over to the cattle call area where they have lined people up to run the race, heats took off about every 5-7 minutes so we waited about 25 minutes before we were allowed to take off.

As we reach the first color area we are pretty excited but I was a little frustrated because I am used to running on streets or in more organized races but the first color was pink and I love pink. I didn't get too much pink on me, mostly my ankles looked bright pink. We then keep running down the narrowest trail that I have ever run on and hit up the blue throw. At this point I am enjoying the run as people are starting to spread out just a little more. However, the second mile did not have any fun stations... that was a little painful. Eventually we get to the end of the run and realize that it was a great time, I don't know that I will do another one but it was a good time.

That cloud of color is the color powder

Now for the color throw: they give us a packet of color I choose yellow and Linds chooses purple. As we watch people jump around there is a part of me that is skeptical about getting really dirty but in the spirit of it we gave it a shot. Here is how it works: everyone packs in really close and then they throw their color powder in the air and then it falls on you.

We survived... also we look hideous, and to think we went to breakfast like this...

After the color throw we decided to head out, we then decided that some breakfast sounded good, it was after 1030 so McDonalds was out. I realize that a bagel sounded wonderful, we then headed out to a bagel place. I look at her and don't realize that we are both super dirty, like pretty gross. We stopped to wash our hands and then realized that we looked a mess, but we were committed. I think that was the longest I have ever waited for a bagel. But it was worth it.

This is what my shirt looked like as I tossed it in the washer... too bad most of it came out

We had a wonderful time, have you ever run one of these type of runs? Do you like to get dirty? Here are my helpful hints should you do one: bring extra clothes (shoes included), bring wet washcloths, a beach towel to sit on after, bags for your clothes. We only had the towels... oh well at least we had those right.