Thousands of Color Runners will participate in “The Color Run Dream Tour” at Calder Plaza tomorrow. The Color Run creates a world where anything is possible… unicorns are real and foam clouds make everything better.
“We call ourselves the happiest 5 k on the planet. So it’s really more about getting out and being active, having fun with family and friends and getting good exercise in there, but what we find a lot of time is that people don’t even realizing they’re exercising, cause’ it’s that kind of fun.”
That’s John Connors, Event Coordinator for the Color Run Dream Tour, which kicks off tomorrow at Calder Plaza at 9 a.m. More than 8000 will take part in that happiest 5 K, which Connors says for 60 percent of participants, this will be their first 5K run:
“And a lot of times a 5 K can seem like a daunting amount, if you don’t run a lot or even if you run a lot but haven’t run in a while. So we’re trying to make running fun for people.”
And according to Connors they’ve got a patent on fun… because this is definitely not your average 5 K.
“The idea is you start the race in a white T-shirt and as you run across these five kilometers and at every kilometer, there’s what we call a color zone, volunteers, music, really 5 party zones. They’re throw colored powder at you, foam, it’s really spectacular.”
The Color Run Dream Tour takes place in 60 cities in the U.S. and another 50-60 cities outside the U.S so this is actually the largest 5 K in the World.
The Grand Rapids run benefits The West Michigan Sports Commission and the Van Andel Institute. Connors says it’s the sixth year they’ve partnered together. The event is sponsored by Lay’s.
“They liked the idea of partnering with the color run because it sort of taps into this idea of healthy-happy living, finding the things you want to do, but do them a little bit better.”
