Color Me United 5K Tips and Tricks

As you may have gathered, the Color Me United 5K is a color run. For those of you who aren't familiar with color runs, they are very similar to any other fun run, but throughout the race runners have colored paint powder thrown on them. By the time participants reach the end of the route, they are thoroughly covered in color.

Color runs have become increasingly popular since their debut, so we thought we'd try it out. Since it's our first time and I'm sure many of your's as well, we thought we'd share some tips and tricks to make your experience the best it can be.

Be a Blank Canvas

When you check in on the day of the Color Me United 5K, you'll receive a FREE white LIVE UNITED t-shirt. It's the perfect canvas to soak up all the color you'll collect along the way. The rest of your outfit is entirely up to you!

The color powder we use is 100% washable, however since we don't do your laundry, we recommend wearing clothing that you don't mind getting a little... well, colorful. For your shirt at least, this is the whole point, but if your goal is head-to-toe color, grab anything white or light colored for the best effect.

Be Creative and Have Fun

Your white LIVE UNITED t-shirt might be the main staple of your 5K outfit, but there are so many fun ways to make a statement. Try dressing up with friends with colorful tutus, socks, and headbands. The brightest white or light grey are the best way to show off ALL the colors, but if you want to go all out - wear the brightest colors you have!

Bring Sunglasses

Our color powder is non-toxic, but it will sting a little if you get it in your eyes. Your Color Me United journey will be much more fantastic if you can avoid this. If you forget to bring a pair, don't worry - we got you. We'll be handing out a free pair to the first 100 runners at the check-in/registration booth!

Protect Your Electronics

To keep electronics, like your phone or camera, totally safe from tiny colored powder particles, we recommend a protective dust wrap, or simply a good old Zip-lock baggie!

Prepare Your Hair

Just like lighter clothing, blonde or light colored hair is more prone to being temporarily stained by the color powder. To avoid this, we suggest adding some leave-in conditioner or coconut oil to hair before the run. This makes it easier to clean up afterwards.

Clean Up As much as you'll love getting covered in color, at the end of the day, you'll probably want to clean up. After the race, be sure to visit the volunteers with blowers to help get any loose powder off before entering the PAC. Unless you are walking home from the run, you'll probably have to put your colored self back in the car at some point. A towel or sheet over the seat should ensure that all the color stays on you and off your car.

Plan for a thorough scrubbing when you get home. Some colors may be "stickier" than others, but all are 100% washable. A good hot shower, and a loofah will remove most of the color.