If you’ve kept up with my previous posts, I hope that you
have taken advantage of the many amazing running applications and gym classes
to form an exercise habit. Perhaps you have truly satisfied your craving for a
distraction when completing your coursework through exercising. Or maybe you
have defined your exercise cue – the completion of an assignment, perhaps– to
determine when to head out for your next jog. Throughout this next post, I hope
to educate you on the special opportunity to obtain an even greater reward than
the typical satisfaction of completing a run or taking a class. Instead, I hope
to educate you on the reward of exercising and benefiting charity
simultaneously through an event called The Color Run.
Having participated in the event this past summer, I have
become increasingly excited to share with you the many great benefits of
attending.
The event plays out as follows:
First, you create a team. The fun starts
here, as you have the opportunity to train for the run in advance with your friends and coordinate
matching attire. The Color Run committee will also provide you
with matching tops, headlamps, and glow in the dark tattoos to increase the
event’s hype.
Next, you enter the pre-event, where you gain exposure to
the many charities and festivities associated with the run. Then finally, you
enter the line up. As lights flash and music blasts, you have the ability to
dance with friends and excite yourself for the 5K running race to come. And as
soon as the whistle blows, you are able to take off.
As you approach the first
checkpoint, you find volunteers angling paint towards your bodies…. And the
trend continues. As you arrive at the following checkpoints, you are rewarded
with a new color of paint. This way, when you approach the finish line, you are
decked out in a crazy rainbow décor.
At the end, you are greeted with another surprise. But I
will let you find that one out for yourself. You have developed the exercise
habit, but now it is time for the best reward of them all - The race that gives a whole new meaning to exercise adrenaline and benefits charity as well. If you are
interested, I have attached the link below for pre-registration to the Color
Run in Ypsilanti this upcoming year. The fun starts now – time to Color Your
Run.
http://thecolorrun.com/
Duhigg, C. (2012). The
power of habit: Why we do what we do in life and business. New York, New
York: Random House
I have always wanted to participate in the Color Run! I think it is a great way to get people excited about exercise. Not only are you getting utilitarian value from training to complete the race, but also hedonic value from socializing with friends and contributing to a good cause (Chapter 2, page 13). I have ran in a couple races to promote various charities, but my favorite by far is the Susan G. Komen Walk for Breast Cancer. I attended the event in Central Park. The course looped through some streets in New York surrounding the park in addition to weaving through some of its paths. The energy was contagious-- the majority of the attendees were women, but there was no apparent majority demographic (Angell lecture). There were people from all races, geographic areas, ages etc. If you liked the Color Run, I highly recommend you check out the different Susan G. Komen events!
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