With more color than ever, Student Activities Board’s annual Color Run will take place this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hayden Park.
Assistant Director of SAB Alexandra Whitford said this event has been a classic on campus since the fall of 2015. In October 2018, however, rough weather meant that the race had to be cancelled.
“Last year we had some unfortunate rain — more than rain: it was very stormy beforehand,” SAB Event Coordinator and senior Kelsey Lantis said. “Our volunteers are kind enough to come out and spend their morning throwing paint, so we decided to make that call. But it looks like the weather is cooperating well for this Saturday, which I’m excited for.”
The race, which attracts anywhere from 100 to 250 students each year, is not a full 5K — just under three miles — but just a “fun run,” according to Lantis.
Students who run the race will receive free T-shirts, and there will be snacks afterwards. Those not interested in running can still participate by signing up in teams of three or more to throw colored paint at the runners during the course of the race.
“Kelsey Lantis is helping to coordinate that,” Whitford said, adding that students can reach out to Lantis to sign up. “You can pick your favorite color, and the best-dressed or most decked-out team will win $100 in gift cards to the restaurant of their choice.”
Lantis said that after the student response to the Glow Run last spring, the SAB staff decided to add face paint to the mix this year.
“This year, we’ve tried to make color more of an emphasis with the design of the course. And then adding body paint — we had the Glow Run last spring, and people loved getting all dolled up with paint all over themselves, so we wanted to incorporate that into this too and make it a little more festive,” she said.
SAB coordinated with Hayden Park Fitness Director Bill Lundberg to map out the race course, and students will be hit with the colored powder eight times throughout the course.
“Overall, it’s really fun. We hope ‘run’ doesn’t intimidate people from coming out,” Lantis said.
Students do not need to sign up to run in the Color Run.
“Take the opportunity to get active in the sunshine with your friends,” Whitford said. “It’s nice to get some energy out as the spring arrives.”
