I was excited to run the base Pride Color Run 5k. I ran last year, and it was a lot of fun. They give you free T-shirts and numbers. All of the races on the base are free, and occasionally you get a shirt or something. They remind me a lot of Parkruns, plus they are basically the only races I don’t need a hotel for. The Pride Color Run 5k started at 7:15.
The night before was fairly uneventful. I didn’t do too much after work and fell asleep early. I jogged to the start, and it ended up being about two miles. The Pride Color Run 5k used the same course as most other 5ks on Edwards, which is fine; it’s a paved trail I run often.
We put on our free T-shirts to be colored and our numbers. Plus, there was face paint, and I got that too.
Pride Color Run 5k:
There were about 20 people running and walking, and we all left with a go. I wasn’t really at the start, and it funnels into a narrow paved running path. These sorts of races are fun and a bonus throughout the workweek. Not anything I would lose sleep over for not starting at the front. Plus, it was a color run, and I wanted maximum color.
During the first mile of the Pride Color Run 5k, there were a few people in front of me. Someone started around a 5-minute pace. I was surprised. But around half a mile, they decided they were done sprinting and pretty much walked the rest. From there, I found myself in first overall. I jogged through the color stations, making sure to get sprayed as much as possible.
I ran the first mile in 6:50, and it didn’t feel bad at all. I reached the halfway point and saw my friend, who is a 16-minute 5ker, about a minute behind (he had started late). I said, “If you don’t catch me, I’ll be disappointed.” I knew from there it would be a game of cat and mouse, but I didn’t have a ton of energy after a workout the day before. Plus, it was about 80 degrees.
I ran the second mile in 6:58 and then just focused on the last mile, but also on getting as much color as possible. My friend caught me around 2.8, and I ran the last mile in 7:04.
I crossed in 21:28 and was surprised I ran that fast. Last year, I had some rough 5ks, and I ran around that time when not feeling good.
Pride Color Run 5k Thoughts:
I had a lot of fun, and it’s always nice to have a sense of community at Edwards with running. I love these 5ks on the weekdays because it’s a fun, bonus workout during the week.
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Question for you: Have you done a color run?