High Hopes & Heartbreak: Color Me Crazy!

Well, folks... I may not have gone about my first 5k the way I originally planned (considering that plan involved a training process and actually running a 5k), but I still did it, and I'm pretty darn proud of myself! :) As I mentioned in a previous entry, I decided to take part in an event this past weekend called The Color Run, aka: "The Happiest 5k on the Planet." Given the fact that I don't do much in the way of exercise, I was a little bit nervous, because to go from pretty much no exercise to 3.2 miles certainly isn't the easiest feat. Two days before the run, I decided to map out a walk that was approximately that distance just to at least get out for a bit. Turns out my walk was slightly shorter, only 2.5 miles, and sadly, even that took a little bit of energy out of me. (Note to self: Keep exercising and going for walks even though the race is over.) Fortunately, I wasn't too worried because as I mentioned, this run was much less pressure than your average 5k (or longer) race. Anyway, I geared up for the big day and had to deal with a little anxiousness simply because the run didn't start until 5:00pm on Saturday. Amanda (the girl who invited me) and her two friends came to pick me up around 3:15 and we headed on our way. They have all participated in various athletic events and races before, the two friends being avid runners, so I was a little terrified that they'd expect me to magically be able to run the whole time. Yeah, wasn't gonna happen. ;) Once we lined up and got going in the run, Amanda and I took a little more of a leisurely time through the course, which was nice. In case you're wondering, I DID actually run some of it, but probably not enough worth mentioning. Ha! There were 4 color zones throughout the race, and as you probably guessed, those zones were where they threw color at us. I'll admit, I was a little disappointed with the first zone (yellow). I was barely touched with color in that one, so I was definitely hoping to get more color throughout the race. Green was decent, pink was a little better, and purple was by far the best! Once we got close to the end, Amanda and I ran one more time so that we could do that whole cliché thing of running across the finish line. Yeah. We're cool like that. ;) After the race was the Color Party, which was a bunch of people listening to music, jumping around, and throwing packets of color in the air every so often. Doesn't really sound that awesome, but it most definitely was! We eventually got some food and headed home, and then the real work began: the clean up. I was a disaster, and the shower was quite multicolored. Think washing hairdye out, magnified by like 10, and with some crazy colors involved. Surprisingly, I got most of the color out, with the exception of the the bright pink stain in and around my right armpit. Ha! Anyway...... I've already done enough talking, so I'll get to the pictures. I will say one last thing, though. If you get the chance, do this run! I had a blast! (There's one in Milwaukee in September if you're interested!). Enjoy the MANY photos!!

The standard pre-race photo. My first one EVER! :)
Just a side note... I posted this picture on Facebook before I went for my run, and when I got back, I had so many "likes" and supportive comments that it made me want to cry. I have such awesome people in my life, and I'm so thrilled that they all wished me well for the big day. :)