Run or Dye 5k - Dallas 2013 | Anna's Escapades

"Run or Dye is a color-blasted celebration of life, friendship, fitness, and fun.
It's the world's most colorful 5K."

*Click on photos to enlarge*

Groupon awhile back, probably five or six months back, offered a Groupon for a Run or Dye event that would be hosted in Dallas, Texas. I had seen photos of this event on multiple social sites and was determined to attend one of day. My plan to attend was put into action. I sat down, did all my research, and waited for my parental unit to get home. Once they arrived I would cook dinner, offer them a bottle of wine, and slowly coax them into agreeing to pay and attend the Run or Dye 5k with me.

Did any of that happen? Abosutely not. I went up to SM and was like, "Hey will you do this 5k with me?" She looked up at me and said, "Sure. Sounds good. Here's my card, pay for it." AND that ladies and gentlemen is how my Run or Dye journey began!

Anyways... Day of event.

SM and I on our way to the event - passing Dallas @ 6:30 a.m.

So we finally arrived at our destination after SM and I went around it three times, ha-ha. What can we say? It was mad early and she wasn't that awake yet. When we finally parked we followed the small group of people that were already there and went and got registered. We received an official run or dye bag, a bracelet, two dye packs (both yellow which seemed to be the really rare dye because no one else seem to really have it) and our shirts. We then walked pack to the car to put up our swag. Did I mention we had a beast of a parking spot? It was awesome. On our way back to our card there was A LOT more people showing up. Like by the hundred and our once empty parking lot seemed to be completely filled at this point it was only 7:30 now.

I changed shirts and started getting ready to place my number on.

SM managed to somehow get a picture in with all of the chaos going on.

We're walking back going to go find the start line when SM said she had to go to the bathroom. When we got closer to where the bathrooms were there was this massive GIGANTIC line of women wanting to pee. I mean... this line could easily have been half a mile long. It was longer than the registration line before SM and I had left to go back to the car.

Well now people were here. A LOT of people were here. We had people dressed up, wearing tutu's (which I wish I had done at the time), little kids, big kids, families, and friends were all here now. Most of the participants were female. Anyways SM and I made our way over to the starting line where luckily we managed to get into the first tier and would be out on the run or dye track before anyone else! Bonus! Because I didn't want to wait thirty minutes just to run in Texas heat.

Well the race was suppose to begin at 8:30. It didn't. It started closer to nine to in the mean time I pulled out my phone and started snapping some pictures. I thought I should get a clean picture of my shirt and stuff before I began the run - so I did. Plus, I took a picture of my cool rare yellow dye packet that we got in both of our Run or Dye "swag" bags.

SM's number!

My sexy number

The countdown had begun and BANG - we were off!

During the run SM ran up ahead, turned around, and took our her phone to snap a picture of me in the race. As you can see I'm the only one seeming to be running at the Run or Dye, and you can't really make out that's it's me either, but it's me - I assure you!

So during the race they had dye sections where volunteers working for Run or Dye were set up and when you went through this section you got pelted with dye. It was a lot of fun. I learned to just walk through them and ask to get pelted to get the most dye. During this time I used the sunglasses that were on my head so I didn't get any in my eyes. It was a smart choice.

We were coming up to the end (to be honest this didn't really feel like 3 miles, but my GPS tracking us told me it was) and SM told me once I got through the last dye section (which was yellow) that we had to run all the way down through the finish line. I laughed, but when I hit that last section I bolted for the end. I didn't think I was going to make it. I thought I would have to stop and start walking, but all these people were there and I didn't want to be that "fat kid" that stopped. So I ran through it all and OH MY GOD - it was amazing! I completed my first ever race and got high fived by a few people at the finish line. I took out my phone and stopped my Nike+ app that had been tracking our run and time. It was exactly three miles on the dot from start to finish!

Needless I lost SM has a ran through the finish line. I waited for her to reappear and she finally did! We then headed over to a booth and got a free towel, then to the Run or Dye store to pick up my extra packets of Dye that we had already paid for (they were purple). We then stopped and caught our breath, and took some pictures!

This was the little party they had at the end, right off of the finish line.
This is where you could throw your dye packs up into the air at a certain time.

SM and I were hot and ready to leave, so we did. It was about 9:40 when we started back for the car which seemed to be a full mile away. Anyways on our way back there were people still standing in line to register. I didn't believe it when I read the email that the last wave to run in the race would be at 10:15, but as the time was getting closer people were still in line trying to get into the race. Neither SM nor I could believe it.

It was almost 90 degrees at 10 a.m.

Well by this time SM really needed to go to the bathroom and luckily there wasn't a massive line anymore. She went in and I went over and sat on grass that was wet. Didn't realize it was wet until it was too late, but I didn't care. I started taking pictures as I waited for SM.

SM finally made it out of the bathroom as another line had descended upon the tiny little woman's room. We began walking and finally made it to our car! We were both pretty exhausted, but I told her we had to stop at Wal-Mart before we could go home. I needed more water. She agreed and we began our journey to the Wal-Mart closest to our house. We almost died getting home, but that's another story. I ate my third meal for Medifast at about 10:30.

OM NOM NOM!

We make it to Wal-Mart and I jump out where my full Run or Dye outfit. I got a lot of strange looks, and I did even have an older lady come up and ask me if I was alright. Apparently the dye on my face looked like I was bleeding or something? Anyways I got my water and went home!

When we made it home both SM and I just took a deep breath. We both agreed it was a lot of fun and would do it next year if they stopped in Dallas again. My father started laughing when he looked up and saw my face. I made my way upstairs after some time and started a shower. As I was removing my articles of clothing I noticed the dye had seeped through the shirt and onto my sports bra. Then I noticed I had dye on places that were covered by clothing. I must have been sweating like a pig because I didn't even realize it. Here at the last of my photos from the Run or Dye event before I became somewhat sparkly clean!