This is part of our 100 Things in 2014 challenge. Here’s the full list.

NOTE: This post is long, but you’re going to want to get to the end. Trust me.

For our fun run this year, we joined in the Color Run, which is a benefit for the Dream Factory of Oregon. We made sure to dress appropriately.

Here we are at the starting line – notice how everyone’s shirt is clean and white?

The race packet included bibs, shirts, and some temporary tattoos.

There isn’t much narrative value to the running of the race, but I’ll just drop a couple of details here:

• We started the race together, until the first “burst”. After that we split up, letting the kids set the pace.
• Will loves to sprint, but he learned his limitations pretty quickly. He’d run flat-out for a hundred yards, then have to walk for 50.
• Lucy and Becky set a more measured, steady pace. Despite the 70-degrees-and-rising temperature (warmer than we nor’westerners prefer), she blissfully held Becky’s hand for the entire race.

We met at the finish line, where a helpful stranger captured us in our filthy, colorful glory.

When you finish, you are handed extra packets of colored powder, which the kids promptly threw at each other. At least they waited until we were pointing a camera at them.

There was a big stage with a DJ, who was spinning dance and techno tracks. A fairly large dance party was happening, and we all wanted to be right in the middle of it.

Lucy’s hair turned orange. It took her four showers to get it all out.

There were lots of sponsor booths at the end of the race too. We made sure to do everything that involved a camera.

This was a super good time. Walking back to the car, the kids were asking when we could do another one, so look for this on the 2015 list.