Tips for Your First Color Run

Over the weekend, I participated in what really was the funnest 5k around. I was so excited that I was wide awake at 4am putting on my snazzy new running pants, and trying to find a cute pair of matching socks.

Now lets get one thing straight, I don't run. I may be wearing running shoes, running pants, and the appropriate hair attire, but there is no way my short stubby legs will allow me to do a pace that is acceptable at the moment. I mean I tried, but by all means it did not last.

More or less, the point of a run like this is not to just run, but to have fun at the same time! So I paired up with my bestie and we hit the color run trail for the first time together. As we did so, I made a mental list of everything you would need to know for your first Color Run.

Cover your phone! I noticed a bunch of people with saran wrap or clear cases over their phone and was slightly confused; until after the first station and my phone was covered in pink dust. So cover your phone, or you will get color all over your face for the next two days.

Get Close! The closer you are to the people throwing the dust, the more color you get. But don't get too close or you only get one or two splotches. Some of them also appreciate horrible dance moves to T.Swifts Shake it Off, so have fun with it.

(What's not fun is having hair in your face for everything!)

Get there early! The bestie and I were a little late to the race area, so we had to stand in obnoxious lines to get checked in and get our shirts. The earlier you get there the better so that you can get ready and settled at the starting line. They release people in waves, so if you are looking to run then go in the earlier waves. If you are slower and want to walk do a later wave.

Always go to the Color Pit at the end! It was loads of fun and we even got to have a mini dance party after. Plus this is truly where you will get the most color because everyone around you will toss up their free packets and coat you in it.

Bring a Towel! This is mainly for your car seats. Because let me tell you that dust gets everywhere! I mean even places you don't think that it can get in, it's there! So if you have fabric seats definitely bring a towel to place on your seat after.

 

(or when you go to breakfast after and get the table and chairs coated.) 

Clean the color OFF when you get home! I know it is tons of fun seeing all of that color, but take a few selfies and then wash the color off of your body as soon as possible. Or you will have to take 4 showers like I did to get the color off. Not to mention the glitter, because those of us who are crafters know that glitter is the herpes of the crafting world, and it stays with you till the end of time. I am still finding glitter from Halloween.

There is more than one Color Run! They are labeled under different names and all go to different charities. The biggest thing that I look for is if the money is going to a local charity rather than a big name charity. If you still aren't sure double check to see if the name of the run has reviews on Yelp, because yes people do review them. They are all around the same price, but I want to make sure that I am not being scammed so I do a little research.

What are your tips on doing fun 5k runs like The Color Run?

Kylea Standard Time...

Hi! Everyone this is Debbee from Debs Photo Zoo aka Mom, mommy, momma.... Kylea asked me to tell her due date/birthday story. This story could explain why she likes country music and that she has procrastinated things all her life. I have always said she does things according to Kylea standard time.

Kylea's due date was April 30,1989. On April 29th the local country radio station was having an all day outside concert with multiple artists. My absolute favorite band Alabama was the headliner for this concert. However, I wasn't planning on going because it had been 100+ degrees most of the week. Even though I felt fine and Kylea was showing no signs she was ready to leave her comfy snugly womb.  I had accepted the fact I was going to miss my first Alabama concert since I was 14, but my best friend and concert buddy Debbie was in Germany so it wouldn't be the same anyway.

Then, as I was talking about wanting to go and how I was missing it Kylea's birth father said those words "YOU WILL NOT GO" oh yes he did.... Well you can see where this story is going can't you?  Yep a little while later I said I'll be back I'm going with Allison to the mall.  I got to Allison's and said lets go we are going to the concert. There were no cells phones then so no one could track us down, off we went.

We got to Estrella mountain park found a parking spot.. It was a 20 min walk to where the show was, which translates to a 30-40 min preggo walk. But no biggie since I walked 2-3 miles daily for most of the pregnancy. I was having light contractions at this point but not enough to worry about,  Kylea was still relaxed and comfy in her little womb. Once we got to the show area, we found a spot to stand that we could see the stage but had easy access to escape if needed. Everyone standing and sitting around us would ask "when are you due?" I would say "tomorrow" and freak them out. Many of them offered me their seats but I would say no I cant see then. About halfway through the show a cute cowboy who was trying to hit on Allison asked where we were parked, when she told him he told her that he was parked right by where we were standing because he worked for the company that provided the fencing for the event.  Now I don't remember if she ever went on a date with him or not, but in the long run it doesn't matter. It was midnight when I got home, Kylea safe and sound. Her birth father highly pissed off and not speaking to me. But that wasn't the first time and it definitely would not be the last time he didn't speak to me.

Well her due date came and went, she was making no effort to move out of her womb either.  Can you see the procrastination happening here? I should have known then what she was going to be like or that she would never want to move out.  On May 2nd, she was moving around more, but was still not ready to leave. At around 8:00 pm she had moved around enough that my water broke. The contractions were still not strong enough to dilate but because the water broke I needed to go to the hospital. This was a bummer because I was watching a TV miniseries and it was the final night. But I went anyway. When I got to the hospital, they checked me and decided it wasn't time yet, but they hooked up all the monitors anyway, I was in for a long night.... As I mentioned her birth father did not speak to me for a week, well he also did not go to the hospital either, Allison went with me. He was mad, and was scared of hospitals.

Here is where I should tell you that I did not receive an epidural, my insurance would not cover the cost unless a "C" section was needed. Although that would have interrupted her procrastination, it was not medically necessary.  The insurance also would only cover one ultra sound, so because she was being modest during the ultra sound I did not know whether the baby was a girl or boy, even though my gut told me it would be a girl. The only medication I received was a mild dose of Demerol. I say mild because I am a weakling when it comes to pain killers, if it says may cause drowsiness it translates to will knock Debbee on her ass...  About 11 the next morning, things had gotten stronger and she decided she was ready.  This was good, but she was interrupting yet another TV show. The Young and the Restless, don't judge. Some really good looking men have starred on daytime shows. Shemar Moore and Paul Walker, starred on the Young and the Restless in 1990's. But at that time, it was Michael Damian and Stephen Gregory.  But after 30  minutes of hard labor, Kylea decided to make her debut.  A healthy tiny 6lb 4oz baby girl with 10 tiny fingers and 10 tiny toes, Kylea Michelle Johnson  Once they determined that we were both ok, they handed her to me and asked if I needed anything else. Of course my answer was food because I hadn't eaten since the previous day dinner.  

Kylea got her name and spelling because that was the first name we could agree on, her father wanted to name her Christine which in itself is a fine name however he wanted it because of the Stephen King book/movie about the car. I was not having that so when he saw Kylie Minogue on MTV and said he liked that name I agreed. Because I did not like the spelling with "ie"  but her father would not let me use "ee" I decided on "ea".  "Lea" or "Leigh" is the feminine form of Lee, plus I had met a very nice lady at work who had Muscular Dystrophy whose name was Ova Lea and I just thought it was a pretty spelling.  Thus when it came time for the birth certificate, and her father still had not come to the hospital, I spelled it Kylea.  I am sorry Kylea that you have not ever been able to find personalized stuff.. But you are unique and so is your name.  

There is the story of Kylea's birth, ever since that day she has operated at her own pace. I think she will always operate on Kylea Standard Time, but I love her and am so proud of the beautiful, funny, creative, and independent woman she has become. I am proud to say she is my daughter, baby girl, favorite concert buddy, and now one of my best friends.  

I Love You, Mom