Lincoln Colour Dash 2015

During my relatively recent entry into the wider world of running I have met a few 'running purists' as I like to call them. These are people  who would never dream of donning a Santa suit and running a 5km Santa Run at Christmas, nor would they contemplate the thought of running through mud and obstacles for the fun of it. However I really enjoy this ‘fun run’ side of running just as much as the conventional distance events.  

The aspect I personally enjoy the most about ‘fun runs’ is the opportunity it gives you to run with friends. Yes, you can run a 10k with other people, but in reality you all have your own finish time in mind, your own target pace etc., so whilst you may start and finish at the same geographical point, you do not actually run together. The other side of fun runs I enjoy is being able to watch people of all ages, abilities, levels of running experience, etc. enjoying taking part in a running race. Fun run races are accessible, achievable and enjoyable, whilst also providing an appropriate level of challenge; which for someone who works in Sport Development makes perfect sense to me when encouraging people to ne more active!  

So last week I took part in Lincoln’s first ever Colour Dash organised by the St Barnabas Hospice charity. Jumping on the bandwagon on the American concept 'The Color Run', Colour Dash is a 5km run where you start out wearing white and finished covered in a variety of coloured powder paints (I am sure you have seen them!)

I have previously completed The Color Run in Brighton with friends for my birthday last year and loved it, and I must admit I entered into Lincoln’s version with the preconception it would probably not quit be to that standard…but was happily proven wrong! The event was well organised, there was plenty of colour to be thrown, and the dark clouds looming on the horizon didn’t bring us any rain! The only real difference was that the Lincolnshire Showground did not quite have the scenic views that Brighton’s seafront had to offer! Overall it was a fun morning, allowed me to have a laugh whilst running with friends, I got lovely and colourful, and I did not have to stress about my finish time…what’s not to like!