I'd do a color run with Tomas, Dave and FS just because they are are fun people. :-) I think the key is to do it with people you know will be a blast. Not serious people. I wouldn't do one with LTH.  (kidding...)

 

But if anyone tells me that they wouldn't do one if their 5 year child/grandchild asked them to do it with them, I'd say..."Wow". I never thought I'd do one until Carissa asked me to. My retort was immediate "You bet sweetheart! It's gonna be fun!"...She beamed.

Grandparents rule!! =)

I did one last year with friends.  We didn't really run it, but we danced/did cartwheels through the color stations, and laughed a LOT.   We also had blue/green/you name it in various locations for a few days. (My armpits were GREEN!! LOL)

I wouldn't do one again, but it was fun to do once.

I don't have kids, so I personally don't have any interest in a color run. However, I'm not going to criticize people who want to do it. If it gets inactive people off the couch, horray! If it motivates children to want to "run" with Mom and Dad (or Grandpa or Grandma) then all the better! It's a fun run. It's supposed to be FUN.

There's going to be a Color Me Rad in my city on May 19. A lot of my friends are doing it (including my friend who just ran Boston - she's bringing her little ones) and nobody feels tricked or misled about the purpose. They're just doing it to get messy and have a good time.

If you don't want to do it, that's fine. But don't bitch about it.

Diz Diz Diz, as a triathlete myself (like you)  I get really sick of hearing people complain about or make

fun of cyclists, triathletes or just the sport of triathlon in general.

Therefore I keep my mouth shut about any other type of activity/race etc that others might enjoy but that

I could not fathom paying money to participate in.

Seeing as you have only been into an active lifestyle for a few short years and transformed your life

and body  I would think you better than anyone would champion something that promoted physical activity

a fun way that could possibly spark someone to a different outlook on an active lifestyle.

Anything that gets people off the couch or outdoors being active and having fun is better than not

doing anything, IMO.

But they're so pretty and colorful.

Dizzy, I don't understand why you're getting your panties in a wad over it.  Nobody's forcing you to participate.

I started doing a lame middle-aged guy type of gymnastics/parkour about 2 years ago for various physical and philosophical reasons. As part of it (athletic conditioning), i began running short distances that became longer distances as time went on. Eventually i became interested in doing obstacle races.

Obstacle races are considered (wrongly, imho) by some to be "gimmick races" and I've heard people say negative things about them (real runners don't do them).  Whatever. The obstacle race i ran was a little short of 11 miles, required training for long distance and led me to RW and where i am today in running (nowhere, but it's all relative).

Anyway the point is (finally for anyone still reading this) that what ever leads people to do things is just fine. A certain number of kids or adults will find the color runs fun and get into the sport of running, like i did. Or not, and they'll just have fun. Either way, it's all good.