Color Me Happy

Despite little sleep, Carter and I got up and were pretty psyched about our Kolor Run for Kids 5K today at the nearby Grand Rapids Lions Club Park.

This new event replaces the hot air balloon rally they used to hold in August each year in Rapids to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network. I miss the balloon rally but this was pretty fun.

The way it works is simple. You start out with a plain white shirt on, then as you run or walk the course, you go through various "color stations" where they shower you with colored powder to decorate your shirt as you go. When you are done, you have a funky shirt -- and plenty of color in your hair and skin and shoes, too!

We created a team with the next-door neighbors, Niki, Mya and Madison. Since I signed up during the Olympics, I called us the "Fab Five." Not that a team means anything -- this was a non-timed event -- but it gave us a chance to wear groovy glasses (yes, mine are 20 years old) and matching headbands to protect our eyes and hair! This is obviously the BEFORE picture!

Mom and Carter looking cool and ready in our BEFORE photo! (And yes, I am looking short, too!)

Carter finished first among the Fab Five. He had planned to run it all and get a good time just for his own personal reference. But because it was so hot out, all of us ended up running and walking to get through it. Here he is going through the last color station! (My wonderful husband served as photographer!)

"Bring it on!" Yes, I'm having a BLAST... of yellow, that is! It was a lot of fun!

Mom and Carter looking groovy in our AFTER picture!

Next-door neighbor Madison finishing with a smile!

Some more of our neighbors who dressed in tutus. Love it! We had 9 runners and 1 photographer from Blue Jay Drive. We were well colored and well represented.

The Fab Five AFTER photo! Looking like a rockin' rainbow!

The only post-race challenging part is getting all the color out -- of clothes, shoes, hair and skin. My hair is fine but I have blotches of various colors on my legs, arms and neck. Carter's hair is clear, too, but he's got a purple right ear, inside and out!

We don't care. If people ask, it will be fun to explain what we did. For fun and a good cause, of course!