A COLORful end to Week 10…
I arrive home after 2 and a half hours driving, blue stained and chalky.
My entire being is powdery, and as I peel away my clothes I hold my breath for fear that I may inhale the day through my nostrils.
Week 10 ended with the ColorRun Event, the happiest 5k on the planet!
This week was a recovery week, and that I did, with a little bit of lighthearted enjoyment thrown in.
The morning started early.
We are about 2 and a half hours drive from Pukekohe – Auckland, where the event was to be held so I rounded up the BOP (Bay of Plenty) troops and we got on the road.
5k out from reaching the event we were halted by a hidieous amount of backed up traffic. With just 40 minutes to get there bang on the 10 o’clock start, thoughts were still hopeful.
It was a dragging time getting there, but once we did, it was a quick potty stop at the local BK restaurant and then onwards to meet the rest of the gang.
Arron txt a wee bit earlier to say that he was waiting at the blue bin by the entry. There were about 3 or 4 blue bins just on our way walking toward the entry…
Finally found him, big ‘Nice to meet you” hug, and off to find Janey.
Once the gang was complete, we get a quick ‘CLEAN’ snap together and headed toward the starting Chute.
We actually arrived at the Chute seconds after they had just had a lot of people start. It wasn’t a timed event so we pushed on with the group who had already gone ahead.
We unlike everyone else jogged almost the entire way. I understand that people wanted to get their moneys worth by taking it a little slower, but for a runner, half of the thrill is in the race.
For such a supposedly ‘Happy’ event, it didn’t appear that the majority were having the fun promised by such a motto. My friend Melissa was right – it was more about ‘what you make of it’.
Henceforth we would make it our mission to clumsily weave our way through the masses ‘Photobombing’ every photo opportunity we could as we ran past.
There were many!
It actually made for the best game! And we all got in on it! – so if you see us in your pic, make sure to get your tag on #becomingbeast. YEOW!
As we approach the first Colour stop “Green”, we excitedly shriek little girl giggles and boost on up.
The keepers of the colour were not giving off the vibe I wouldve expected. It almost seemed as if those volunteers had had enough of it by then. We were barely touched by it. A bit shit really. We formed a new game plan when approaching each colour zone.
Get our roll on!
A short run later, Pink.
A quick bevey at the water stop…
On our way to the next zone – Blue.
Photobombing the entire way. Cause we are badass like that! ha!
We were met with the last zone – Yellow.
I was really disappointed in the ColorRun staff/volunteers by this point.
The Yellow color throwers were literally just standing there not even attempting to do their thing. We had to stand right in front of them and actually ask to be coloured…..?
I was calling bullshit on that one!
I didn’t pay Fifty something bucks and drive 2 and a half hours to have someone not do their job, especially when I had been looking forward to this for months now.
Hardly Happy!
We moved on trying to stay optimistic about it. I said to the team that it was time to run it in.
We crossed the finished line slightly underwhelmed, but still enjoyed the company, the self-created mess, the laughs and the self-made missions to keep up our spirits.
A big hug for Becks another Badass MFP runner, you may know her from Pics on this post – Ekiden. She had opted to Volunteer at the Finish line, congratulating everyone.
We grabbed our ColorPacks and moved on to the ColorThrow.
We missed this one also by seconds, but had a party on it anyway. It seems there was more of an ‘after-party’ than an actual ‘run party’. I wouldve preferred more emphasis on the run and kind of less on the ‘throwing of shit’ after. But that’s just me.
A few post-run snaps, a bit of Grafitti and it was homeward bound.
I would have to say I had higher expectations of such an event, but the main thing is I had fun with those who joined me. I met a new Buddy who is also becoming a ‘Beast’, I ran with the Queen of tutu’s again, and I had a couple of buddies with me along the way.
What I was most impressed with today, was the efforts of a guy who has not been running for too long, but knocked it out in a good time. Arron. A beast in the making. I hope this experience has reaffirmed all the good thoughts you have about the world of Running, and I hope you push on to achieve everything you wish for out of it. It is a High like no other, it is the sport where ordinary men and women become extraordinary!
Anywho,
A nice way to end the week, we push on now through to Week 11 – Build.
We make the best out of an average situation and we get the job done.
It was fun to act like children for a day.
Picking it up,
Becoming the Beast,
Jay 🙂
On a Jam Hunt 