Color Run 2014

 had skipped this last year because i was a bit worried about all the powder and breathing, but nobody seemed negatively impacted last year and speedy was creating a group so i signed up.

 Blossom dutifully woke me at 5 am even though my alarm was set for 6am.  when it did go off the radio station was playing "happy". which seemed like the right choice.  it is a happy run.  i wasn't sure getting up so early was really required for a happy run, but i made it to "touchdown jesus" by 7 am...this is speedy's name for the statue out front of our hospital.  above is our before shot.

 i wore an old white sweatshirt over the official shirt. both looked pretty cool when all was done. i soaked them in vinegar as told as i showered off all the cornstarch powder.  sadly, i tossed them in the wash with the shout colour catcher given to us in our swag bag thinking there was a reason they put the thing in there...that thing works really great and my clothes came out almost white.  clearly i screwed up!! oh well, thankfully, lots of photo's were taken.  as the saying goes...don't cry over spilled milk...nothing i can do about it now.

 took a bit to actually get started on this 5K run/walk.  more fun to walk it i think, though matt actually ran it twice and i think he had fun.  it's totally a fun thing, no winners, no times taken.  i like that about it.  they do good at making it fun.  i think there were just 4 color stations along the route and the rest of the color you toss all over each other with little packets they hand out generously afterwards.

 above, speedy, alicia, michelle, connie, tanya and maddie, below matt joins in.

 we were still virgins here...no color.  the return group was already coming through. we were towards the back of the back.

 there were many tutu's out there.  who knew people loved wearing tutu's..i always avoided them growing up. ballet was not for me.

 i got generously coated with blue.  the music helps and attempted to twerk towards the people with the powder also probably helps. basically if you act a bit nuts they have more fun and you get more powder...at least i think that seems to be how it works.

 the folks with the barrels of powder were all quite coated with their color.

 i think that would actually be fun.  i brought along swim goggles and a bandana but i found the sunglasses were enough. a few times at the after party with so many bags of powder i did lift my t-shirt up to breath through, but i never felt like i was having any difficulty.

 picture taking was a bit of a challenge.  the screen was coated most of the time and you were coated so tough to clear it off.  just aim and snap and see what happens.

 when i got home i stripped, but first blossom rubbed her face on me and so her face turned blue/green.  i didn't notice too much but when i later took the dogs to University Lake someone there noticed her colour.  there were a few dogs out there.  they looked pretty cool, but i'm happy i didn't bring mine, what a huge mess that would be.  i can just see blossom shaking all that powder everywhere before i could stop her.  eek!!

 Tanya got a great blue face coating.  could be tough to see out of those sunglasses as well

 you do learn fast to shut your mouth.  the stuff tastes not the best and doesn't feel good in your throat.  i know my spit and snot were purple/blue for a few hours after the run.

 plenty of police out there to keep the peace, but the peace was pretty easy to keep since it was like a hippie love in festival without the drugs or alcohol.  everyone was happy and the police and their cars got color coated. hugs and pictures with the local police department were not uncommon.

 we can see the pink section coming up across the park strip.

 my shower water was multicolored.  after i showered i took a much needed nap before heading out to walk the dogs.

 we got a little bit crazy with the pink.  we were veterans at this point.

 some were rolling on the ground there was like an inch of powder on the ground.

 very pink crew.

 great shot of Alicia in her pinkness!!

 lots of smiles and happy people...never anything wrong with that!

 we were laughing though as that song "happy" never seemed to be played.  seems like a song that should be played over and over at a run like this.

 here was the best colored dog out there.  very calm about his run.

 the walkers!! michelle, maddie, tanya, speedy and alicia.

 i think maddie had a blast.  they scored tons of leftover packets that maddie plans on using for next years birthday party.  we thought they could work in a pinata.

 we got a few temp tatoos in our swag bag.  it's lasting more than my shirt color...haha.  i guess last year speedy's shirt just turned out all brown looking after her wash.  so we are still looking for the best way to preserve the thing.  if there is a run next year, perhaps we will have it down.  you get the most color during the after party. worth hanging out for.

 this policeman has gotten a lot of hugs from the locals..i hope he has one of those shout color sheets...his uniform is a mess. haha...love it!!

 on to yellow.

 powder shooters having a good time

 love this one of speedy.  fun to see everyone's pictures.  i'll probably post a few of everyone elses tomorrow with the rest of mine.  everyone got some cool shots.

 Serrano's for dinner tonight.  always nummy!!

 i think we just had purple left.

 this guy smiled more after we left.  he just had a great purple coating on.

 Maddie and speedy got into a battle royal in purple with all the powder on the ground.

 we all got a little crazy. it's good to let your crazy out every so often.  too many people hold back too much and i think being silly is great mentally.  the color run won't let you be too serious...

 this afternoon i sat out in my chair and totally chilled watching a rainbow forming.  it was funny.  it kept fading and returning. super fast.  eventually a lovely double rainbow formed and it rained while that was out.

 we totally got lucky with the weather for the color run as you can see.  beautiful blue skies.

 the only thing we complained about was the early hour.  we car pooled to a pick up spot and took buses out.  we got dropped off at  "touchdown Jesus" and took an after shot.  of course, Jesus got a bit green...michelle went back and cleaned him off.  she said her catholic root and guilt made her clean up the mess.  better than having security come after us..i highly doubt the sisters of providence would appreciate us giving the statue colors.

 maddie and tanya above, me with speedy below.

 she does look happy!!

 matt rejoined us for the after festivities and powder tossing.  he seemed to be able to restock his powder supply endlessly.  i was given a bag of white powder which seemed wrong..since when is white a color?

 post powder shots...Alicia

 and matt

 more to follow. i may settle in with a movie and really work on those bylaws tomorrow.  have all my templates here, have new ink and i think i'm set up.  just need to figure out the details.

good night.  thankful for 1.  no respiratory failure secondary to powder 2.  fun times with fun friends 3.  that we live in a place where we are safe and just goof off sometimes rather than be fighting for our lives at every turn.