At most 5k starting line ups, you won’t see a woman shoving a hot dog in her mouth, competitors drinking beer, or a group of guys passing around a joint. Of course, most 5ks are run in the daylight too. At the Blacklight Run held in Denver on October 25, 2014, all of the above took place, and it was all legal since marijuana is legal in Colorado after all. This neon splash was half party/half run with many runners filling up on beer before the race started. Event organizers estimated more than 10,000 people of all ages, including babies in strollers, participated.
With such a large crowd, the organizers let runners loose in waves, and it took a couple hours for all the waves to go. If you plan on attending a similar race in your area and want to avoid this wait, there are three solutions. The first is to line up early to get a spot in one of the first waves, while the second is to grab a couple of beers to sip on while in line. (Be aware, however, there were no port-a-potties along the route at this particular location, which could cause a problem for those who choose the second option.) That brings in the third solution, waiting outside the line for it to subside before queuing up.
The organizers told the more serious runners to line up for the first three waves. Yet with the large crowd, this was not completely possible. If you are a serious runner and plan on signing up for a glow in the dark run, be sure to let go of your competitive edge before you arrive. This is for fun. There are no chips or timing clocks, so you will need to check your watch before you start to know your finish time. Those who start further back will spend time weaving in and out of the walkers. Although organizers designated the left for the runners and the right for the walkers, in reality a very thin section on the left was available for runners. Runners ended up sprinting around the walkers on both the left and right sides.
The Denver event was held at the Bandimere Speedway, which was an ideal venue for this type of event as it was run on a smooth, racetrack. Still, running in the dark is challenging. People do fall, and not just those who are drinking beer. So if you are looking to run in one in your area, watch your feet. There are black light areas where runners can stop and take pictures; however, there are also dark areas where visibility is limited and participants do need to be careful.
The cost for the Denver event was $20. Ads encouraged runners to sign up by certain deadlines as they stated the price would go up to $60 after these times. Whether or not this was a marketing scheme is not for certain, but in the case of Denver, the price appeared to have never risen above $20, even on race day. Other fees to be aware of is that at the Denver event parking was $10 a car, and there was a fee of $5 for picking up race materials at the event as opposed to picking them up earlier at a local sporting store.
Glow in the dark dye is available for purchase prior to the race. However, there are also glow stations for runners to get dusted along the course, and the color run’s souvenir is a glow pack, given at the end of the race. So save your money and wait for the actual race to get covered in glow dust. The best technique to decorate yourself before running is to cut open a glow stick and go wild painting your clothes with the substance inside it.
If you are up for an unusual race and are light-hearted, give this event a try. The only real drawback was the long wait for waves to start, so get in line early - or last. Once started, the mood was festive with the crowd yelling and playing Marco Polo. If you forgo the beer, it is a healthy, celebratory way to spend an evening.
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With such a large crowd, the organizers let runners loose in waves, and it took a couple hours for all the waves to go. If you plan on attending a similar race in your area and want to avoid this wait, there are three solutions. The first is to line up early to get a spot in one of the first waves, while the second is to grab a couple of beers to sip on while in line. (Be aware, however, there were no port-a-potties along the route at this particular location, which could cause a problem for those who choose the second option.) That brings in the third solution, waiting outside the line for it to subside before queuing up.
The organizers told the more serious runners to line up for the first three waves. Yet with the large crowd, this was not completely possible. If you are a serious runner and plan on signing up for a glow in the dark run, be sure to let go of your competitive edge before you arrive. This is for fun. There are no chips or timing clocks, so you will need to check your watch before you start to know your finish time. Those who start further back will spend time weaving in and out of the walkers. Although organizers designated the left for the runners and the right for the walkers, in reality a very thin section on the left was available for runners. Runners ended up sprinting around the walkers on both the left and right sides.
The Denver event was held at the Bandimere Speedway, which was an ideal venue for this type of event as it was run on a smooth, racetrack. Still, running in the dark is challenging. People do fall, and not just those who are drinking beer. So if you are looking to run in one in your area, watch your feet. There are black light areas where runners can stop and take pictures; however, there are also dark areas where visibility is limited and participants do need to be careful.
The cost for the Denver event was $20. Ads encouraged runners to sign up by certain deadlines as they stated the price would go up to $60 after these times. Whether or not this was a marketing scheme is not for certain, but in the case of Denver, the price appeared to have never risen above $20, even on race day. Other fees to be aware of is that at the Denver event parking was $10 a car, and there was a fee of $5 for picking up race materials at the event as opposed to picking them up earlier at a local sporting store.
Glow in the dark dye is available for purchase prior to the race. However, there are also glow stations for runners to get dusted along the course, and the color run’s souvenir is a glow pack, given at the end of the race. So save your money and wait for the actual race to get covered in glow dust. The best technique to decorate yourself before running is to cut open a glow stick and go wild painting your clothes with the substance inside it.
If you are up for an unusual race and are light-hearted, give this event a try. The only real drawback was the long wait for waves to start, so get in line early - or last. Once started, the mood was festive with the crowd yelling and playing Marco Polo. If you forgo the beer, it is a healthy, celebratory way to spend an evening.
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Be aware runners can wait in line for a long period before starting. Plan a strategy beforehand.
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