Every Run Counts
Color runs. Bubble runs. Foam runs. Glow-in-the-Dark runs. Beer runs. These events go by many names, and while a small population of runners believes that these kinds of things aren't "real" running, I say malarkey. I know, I know...there's no chip timing, no corrals, no fancy aid stations and the organizers will let strollers, dogs, Great Aunt Edna and your one-eyed chinchilla into the race if they want to participate. It's a pretty all-inclusive kind of thing. Which, of course, is the appeal. I can hear the Pointer Sisters now, "We are fam-il-y...".
Anyone and everyone can sign up. You can walk if you want. You can crawl, skip, hop, jump, and if you're feeling frisky, then yeah, you can run. I think that's the greatest part of it - anyone can participate. You don't have to qualify. You generally don't need special gear or clothing, and most folks don't need to worry about fueling since these types of events are often 5k or less. You can wear a tutu or a toga if it makes you happy. That's not to say it's going to be easy-peasy for you and Aunt Edna, but it's accessible and it's doable. There are numerous events of this distance, type, and flavor all over the country, year-round.
Most people would also agree that getting off the couch and doing "something" is way better than doing "nothing" when it comes to your health. The human body is meant to move, so every step counts. Small events and fun-run type races allow people with a variety of fitness levels to come together at the same time. Often, if I happen to be running a half-marathon with a friend or someone I know, we don't run together. We have different paces and may have different goals for the race. I might see them at the start and see them at the finish but rarely in between. With a fun run, everyone's goals are the same: spend time together having a blast and finish. And eat bacon. Because the 'Great American Bacon Race' is a REAL thing.
Sometimes folks are reluctant to try running, too. When we did this Color Run in Ft. Lauderdale a few years ago, my daughter was all about buying match-matchy clothes and matchy-matchy sunglasses the week before. But when it came time to stand at the start line, she wasn't so confident. She at least made it to race day, but there are many who won't take that leap to even sign up. There are people out there who have been led to believe that running (and any other exercise for that matter) is hard, and awful, and boring, and stupid, and, and... and so they don't try. They don't think they CAN. "You want me to try something hard in front of other people where I could fall on my face and fail? No way!!" So even though these shorter, themed races won't help you qualify for the next Olympics, they are an opportunity for people to see that running - or walking - doesn't have to be dreadful. It's an opportunity to do something good for you body with little to no pressure. Is it possible it will be hard? Yes. Is it possible it will be so fun it will be worth it? YES. Is it possible there will be cold beer at the finish? OH YES.
So whether you're a runner out front with the elites, in the middle of the pack, at the back of the herd, racing every weekend, or you're a non-runner firmly holding down your throne on the La-Z-Boy, give a fun run a try. You're never "too good" or "not good enough" to participate. You might find it to be a great break in a heavy training cycle or a great incentive to get up and prevent the moss from growing on your backside. Every run counts.
