Well, I did it.  I chased the rainbow at today’s Color Vibe run.

My first 5k is officially in the books…and by books I mean my baby book. Mom, can you make a note of today’s milestone?? Aren’t you still doing that??

All of my fears and concerns were washed away in a sea of tutus, screaming people, mountain views, and colored corn starch this morning. Funny how that happens.

Signing up for this in January, I had high hopes of training several times a week and channeling my inner-gazelle. And even though I’d go to the gym, I kept telling myself “It’s (X) months away! It’s only 3 miles!” and then the closer we got to it, those thoughts turned to “Shit! It’s (X) months away! It’s three miles!”  Turns out, there is no inner-gazelle.

I already mentioned that running on a treadmill while watching TV is not the same as running outside—a shocking revelation to only myself, it seems. Anne and I trained together only once—two days before the race no less. I met her after work for a run near her house, accompanied by our own personal trainer pushing us along…her son, Harrison. Look at that face! He totally means business.

Our run had a lot of walking breaks, but you couldn’t beat the scenery and the conversation. We even saw a baby horse and a few weed-eating goats on the side of the road.

Those on Instagram saw that we picked up our packets yesterday at a local gym. Our haul included a race shirt, sunglasses, color bomb packet and, of course, the legit race number, which I kept calling my “badge” much to Joe’s chagrin.

Bella woke me up today at her normal time of 5:45 and I had a hard time falling back asleep – lots of excitement and nervous energy coursing through my veins. The fear of the unknown is always the worst, right? And with this being my first race, there were a lot of unknowns and my mind was fluttering through a flurry of what-ifs.

I took my time getting ready, following their suggestions of wearing light-colored clothes to show the color better, throwing some old towels in the car, and coating my hair in oil to protect my color from theirs.

Thanks to a large scoop of coconut oil, you too can run your color race looking like a used car salesman or Pat Riley!

The race was held at the American West Heritage Center, a place I’ve driven by countless times on my way to Salt Lake but never paid much attention to. It’s nestled near the Wellsvilles, which proved to be a picture-perfect spot for running inspiration. I feel sad for those that run their races surrounded by buildings and concrete. You can’t beat this.

Does this course map look daunting to you? It did to me at first. Can a sister get a map scale??

As you’ll see in the photos, we ran through fields, near streams and livestock and even through the parking lot at the very beginning.

Joe and I got to the site early for some stretching, people-watching and badge pinning.

Here’s Anne!

We saw all kinds of people at the start line. Old, young, *very* young. (If there’s going to be a no-pet rule, there should probably be a no-baby rule too.) It was a little chaotic and many chose to douse themselves with color before the race even started. We opted to earn our stripes on the course.

They staggered the runners at the start line, using what appeared to be leaf blowers to coat us in color as we neared the front.

And then we were off!

Since I opted to not run with either the GoPro or my cell phone, Joe documented the race from the sidelines, even catching us a few times along the way.

Don’t mind those sagging saddlebag pockets…that would be my inhaler and two color packets for the end of our race.

Nice form, Anne!

Just a sampling of some of the livestock we passed. We even saw beautiful horses running in a nearby field at one point. Definitely an inspiring boost at the end of the race.

Here are some general photos from the race…you won’t find us in these, but they give you a good idea of the course and the amount of crazy people surrounding us.

What you don’t see here are the actual color stations along the race where volunteers, also coated in color, threw the powder at you as you ran by. There were four along the route, each being a different color.

The race took us about 35-40 minutes and I’d say we ran over two-thirds of it. There were times when we were forced to walk when the path narrowed or the runners became too concentrated. And, of course, there were times when I was all “T-O!” and had to walk a bit to catch my breath or fight a stitch in my side after gulping down some water halfway.

We found Joe quickly before joining the mosh pit of recent finish-line crossers with our color bomb packets.

Do you see us?

So fun, except when the majority of your blue packet hits your head and goes down your shirt sleeve…something you don’t realize until taking a shower later.  #blueboobs

The only thing I wish I could have changed today was some of the terrain. There were long stretches of tall grass covering uneven ground—a sure recipe for twisted ankle disasters. Some of the paths were very narrow and when you’re running next to someone with a huge stroller filled with littles, something has to give and that something is going to be you. Other than those times, it was perfectly enjoyable the entire way.

To counter my asthma, I did exactly what I had been doing in my training: take one hit off the inhaler about 30 minutes before starting to run and I had absolutely no issues. No wheezing, no chest tightening, no coughing. I’m not a doctor, but it worked for me. Smiles all around.

After the race, we met up with Anne’s husband, Brant, and Harrison for a well-deserved breakfast burrito at Paco’s. Warm carbs are always the best reward.

And paper bags always make the best hats.

I can’t believe it’s all over! All that worrying and inner struggle over a fun 35 minutes on a Saturday morning.

I’m so glad I did it and…wait for it…I’d even do it again. I think having the fun factor helped for my first time: the color, the excitement, the craziness, the mountains, the we’re-not-going-to-time-you. It was the perfect introduction into the world of running and it definitely has me curious about other races. Maybe Anne and I can be 5k buddies–we definitely were a perfect match for each other today.

Thanks to everyone who emailed, commented, texted or called with their well-wishes and encouragement. I definitely felt your support today.

And major thanks to Anne, who is a great companion whether we’re running, walking or talking, and to Joe, who cheered us on and put up with my severe pre-race neurosis.  I couldn’t have done it without you guys!

Does this mean I can stay on the couch the rest of the weekend?? I mean, come on, I have a badge!