(buff mama monday) the color run 5k

Here’s my color run 5k recap. If you want the short version, scroll to the bottom and watch the vlog lol.

I approached the sign in desk to pick up my packet for The Color Run with butterflies in my stomach. The guy behind the desk just stared at me, probably wondering if I could speak. My insecurities got the best of me and I immediately wanted to run away. The old Vanessa was making snide comments and reminding me that I had no business running a 5k. Somehow I managed to croak out “err, color…run?” and he handed me my number. Ready or not.

I had an early wake up call the day of the event, thanks to my personal alarm clock (aka my 2 year old) who woke up at 3am. Who needs sleep? I chugged my Nutrisystem coffee protein shake, pretending that I was drinking a double shot of espresso, and headed to the run. My dad asked me if I was ready and I shrugged, “we’ll see”. I’ve ran a 5k before, but I took a month off from running right before The Color Run and only started re-training myself for the 5k 2 weeks ago, gaining shin splits in the process. Not the brightest idea, but I knew I’d complete this run no matter what. I’m stubborn like that.

I somehow managed to find my “Roy G. Biv” teammates in a sea of white shirts. Because of my need to turn everything into an excuse to use my hot glue gun, I made my teammates all different colored headbands. We lined up with rest of the crazy 5,000+ people who paid to be dowsed in colored corn starch. They let us go in waves and when it was finally our turn to cross the start line, I was pumped and determined to run the entire way. We went through the first couple color zones together as a team and somehow managed to lose each other in the chaos.

One of my teammates,an old high school friend, and I pushed ahead and found that we ran at the same pace. I was reminded how nice it is to have a running buddy, it made the run so much easier because we chatted the entire time. With only 1 water station throughout the entire course, both of us were feeling a stabbing pain in our side, but we pushed through the pain and kept running. I love that she’s just as stubborn as I am, makes me wish we didn’t live so far away from each other so we could run together. Over 3 miles and 4 color zones later and the finish line was in sight.

I caught a glimpse of Logan’s smiling face near the finish line and I sprinted the last few steps. I could hear him saying “Go mama, color run!”, like he had been saying all morning. He’s the best motivation ever. I never in a million years would have dreamed of running a 5k if it weren’t for him. I’m so glad that I was able to come back to Albuqerque, NM, my hometown, and run a 5k. It was like proving a point to myself. I’m not the chubby little girl who couldn’t run a mile anymore. I just ran a 5 freakin’ k and had a blast doing it. Who knows, maybe someday soon you’ll see me running a half.

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