First St. Louis Color Run makes a big splash
St. Louis has now joined 49 other American cities and some in Australia for what is certainly the most colorful 5K run/walk around. We might have said craziest, but the zombie run in Wright City was also Saturday. The St. Louis event, which sold out weeks ago, benefited Autism Speaks
According to the website, "Runner/walkers begin the 5k at the start line like a brand new pristine coloring book. By the end, they look like they fell into a Willy Wonka … tie dyed … vat of colored goodness." Take a look:
More than 15,000 people flooded Market Street with a sea of white T-shirts and tutus, ready to be engulfed in a color storm. Some had been there since 6 a.m. but pumping music and a great master of ceremonies kept everyone excited to see the Start flag go down and begin a 5K of red, yellow, blue, green and purple.
The weather was perfect for running - nice and cool - but The Color Run is more about people gathering to have fun. The excitement and happiness was contagious as runners/walkers of all sizes and ages traveled the downtown to Midtown route through a lovely haze, mingling and encouraging each other. A few brave pets even got in on the action.
At every kilometer, volunteers stood poised to give each runner a good dusting of a different color - some participants even rolling around on the ground to get full coverage. Volunteers also dotted the in-between stretches, handing out water and cheering everyone on. They were vital to the smooth execution of this event.
After crossing the finish line, runners/walkers made their way to the main stage where water, dance contests and a DJ helped celebrate with more music and color.
Every 15 minutes, color packets were tossed into the crowd and after a countdown from 10, were released into the air, creating a beautiful cloud over downtown.
The Color Run calls itself the "The Happiest 5K on the Planet" -- proof was in the smiles, friendships, dancing and joy happening in a gorgeous whirlwind of primary colors.
