Whether participants walked or ran across the finish line Saturday morning, they had one thing in common: no one finished clean.
The Ole Miss Color My College runners left in waves of white T-shirts and enthusiasm at 10 a.m. from the Grove. The event brought together experienced and novice participants to join in the fun.
Although it wasn’t graduate student Nancy Tedford’s first 5K, it was her first color run. Tedford said the active side of the event is what draws her to run, but she is not concerned with crossing the finish line first. Along with her friend, Kristin Sparks, she danced with other participants beforehand. Sparks said she was excited about starting the run, but also about being involved in her first 5K. She used the app Runtime to kick-start her stamina of the run.
“We’re ready to get started and get some color,” Sparks said.
The route wound around campus from All-American Drive, around the Robert C. Khayat Law Center, Rebel Drive and back to the Grove. Volunteers were placed along the route to pelt runners with red and blue. Even when runners managed to complete the route with minimal paint, they were given packets to throw on each other or on themselves.
One of the first runners to cross the finish line was graduate student and triathlete Samantha Mitchell.
“I’m a little different because I run all the time anyway,” Mitchell said. “I stay pretty active, but it’s good to get some hills in on campus.”
Mitchell, who has been running for more than 12 years, said she signed up for a fun way to prepare for Oxford’s Double Decker Art Festival 10k this Saturday.
“I was just happy to get a run in,” she said.
Mitchell said if the color run continues to be held on campus, she’ll continue to be a part of it.
Most participants finished around lunchtime, just in time to grab a cold bottle of water and a slice of Domino’s pizza.
However exhausting, junior Jessica Moore said the run was definitely worth it.
“I really wanted to fall out in the Grove grass,” Moore said. “When I had friends running with me, going through the finish line made me feel that much stronger.”
-
- (Photo by: Evan Turner) Participants hold their hands up after throwing powder in the air after the Color My College 5K run on Saturday.
-
- (Photo by: Evan Turner) Runners throw their hands up as they get red powder thrown on them during the Color My College 5K run.
-
- (Photo by: Evan Turner) Runners from the Color My College 5K run throw Red and Blue powder in the air at the After-Party to celebrate the event.
-
- (Photo by: Evan Turner) Participants smile after being hit with powder during the Color My College 5K run.
-
- (Photo by: Evan Turner) Dillon Hall gets red powder thrown on him during the Color My College 5K run Saturday.
-
- (Photo by: Evan Turner) Color My College 5K run participants starting their race on Saturday. Ole Miss Campus Recreation partnered with the Color My College 5K run to benefit Special Olympics Mississippi.
-
- (Photo by: Evan Turner) Kids smile in response to the After-Party at the end of the Color My College 5K event.
