Words: Claire Watt
The mother of all paint races, The Color Run™, is heading to Cape Town on Saturday, 19 October to give Capetonians the time of their lives, as they transform the Sea Point Promenade into a five kilometre canvas of colour.
Capetonians will have the chance to find out what all the fun is about, as they get their turn to colour their world. Internationally renowned as a fun, family-friendly race, The Color Run™ celebrates healthiness, happiness, individuality and giving back, as it brings Capetonians together to create a five-kilometre-long canvas of colour.
Official race registration will be held at the Green Point Salesian Football Club, Fritz Sonnenburg Rd on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 October between 12pm and 9pm. Color Runners will be able to collect their race packs full of goodies such as paint, t-shirt, headband, tattoos and stickers. Entries are filling up fast for The Color Run™ so enter now at www.thecolorrun.co.za before the race sells out. Kids under ten years old are free, provided they are accompanied by an adult.
The fun will start at 8am on the Sea Point Promenade along Beach Road, in front of the Winchester Mansions Hotel. The start will be staged in waves, 3 minutes apart, to ensure that Color Runners have enough room to move along the five kilometre loop. The finish line is located in close proximity to the start, and Color Runners are invited, along with their families, to enjoy music, giveaways and fun in the festival zone afterwards.
Color Runners need to arrive at the start wearing something white – anything from white T-shirts to white tutus – and when the starting gun fires, the festival of colour begins. The first four kilometres of the event are each associated with a colour: yellow, red, blue and green. In each colour zone, volunteers shower participants with clouds of brightly coloured powder. The race ends with a colour-throwing party where Color Runners and spectators get to make the world a more vibrant place.
Don’t let the term ‘Color Runners’ stop you from entering. Even those who’d ordinarily choose the Cableway up the mountain over hiking up can participate with ease. The Color Run™ is non-timed, so it’s all about having fun, not about flaunting your fitness. In fact, 60% of Color Runners are first-time runners, participating for the sheer joy of doing something unique, healthy and fun, with family and friends.
So run, jog, walk, rollerblade, get pushed in a pram ... anything goes at The Color Run™. There’s only one rule: have the most colourful fun of your life. After all, it’s not called “the Happiest 5k on the Planet” for nothing.
Some might suspect that “the messiest 5k” is an apt name for the event, but you needn’t worry about going to work on Monday morning with hair like Nicki Minaj. The Color Run™ powder washes off easily from hair and skin, and with a bit of Omo power, it also comes out of clothes (just don’t wear your best dress shirt). Being food grade, coloured cornstarch, the powder is also 100% non-toxic, making it safe for your family and for the environment.
Once the fun’s all over, air-blowing cleaning stations will spruce up the Color Runners, while an environmental cleaning specialist will remove all coloured-powder sachets and wash away any stray colour from the Sea Point Promenade.
Fortunately though, there’s a lot that stays behind after The Color Run™, even after the cleaners have passed through ... and not just great memories and technicolour photos. The Color Run™ has always been about giving back. Despite being a global initiative, The Color Run™ sources and supports local suppliers for each event. The Color Run™ Cape Town will also be donating part of the proceeds of the race to the University of Cape Town’s SHAWCO education and health initiatives.
To find out more about The Color Run™ 5k event, click here or visit www.thecolorrun.co.za, www.1049.fm, or stay tuned to Heart 104.9fm, The Color Run™ Cape Town’s official media partner.
