11 Color Run Tips for Ultimate Fun

Color runs are an awesome family and friend activity for an exciting and active day!

However, what do you do? What do you pack? How do you prepare the night before your color run?

If you have never done a color run before, all of these are incredibly daunting questions that can cause a lot of stress.  

Here are eleven tips to make sure you have the best time possible at your color run!

Our favorite 11 Color Run Tips for Ultimate Fun

  1. Don't Worry About Breathing It In (It's Non-Toxic)

  2. Wear White

  3. Wear Glasses & Sunscreen

  4. Be Early

  5. Bring A Ziploc Bag

  6. Take Before & After Photos

  7. Run with your Family & Friends

  8. Close Your Mouth

  9. Bring Extra Clothes

  10. Bring Wipes & Towels

  11. Have Fun


Here are eleven tips to make sure you have the best time possible at your color run!

1. Don’t worry

Let's start the color run tips off with the simplest one. All of the color is completely non-toxic.  It is often times made out of cornstarch and non-toxic dyes such as food dyes.


These events are made entirely to have fun, so do not stress about running or any negative chemicals.  Everything is safe and great!

Source: expatwoman.com

2. Wear white

When planning what you are going to be wearing, make sure that you find clothes that you do not mind getting messy and that will show the colors.


The best color to wear is white; you will be able to see all of the colors through the color zones and have an awesome souvenir as the color can stain the white.


Your outfit is definitely one of the best ways to show your excitement for the event and this will help you to really get into the awesome spirit of the day!

In case you are interested, here is the step-by-step instructions to keep the color in your color run shirt

3. Wear sunglasses and sunscreen

Often times color runs take place during warm, sunny times of year.


During the Spring and Summer it is very easy to get sunburnt, and the color powder does not change that.


The same applies to the sunglasses, but the sunglasses are even more important in this situation.


As you pass through the color zones, you need to keep your eyes open so you don’t fall, but you do not want to get the color powder in your eyes.


Sunglasses are often overlooked, but they are incredibly important to remember when you are headed to your color run.

4. Be early

If you plan on picking up your race packet the day of the color run, you are going to need to make sure you arrive early.


There are going to be a lot of people who also need to pick up their race bibs the day of the race.


It is extremely beneficial to arrive early in order to make your morning less stressful.

5. Bring a ziploc bag

You will likely have your camera or phone with you on the run, and you definitely do not want all of the colored powder or sweat to get inside your camera or phone.


If you make sure to have your valuable items sealed in a ziploc bag, they will be safe from the powder or sweat throughout the run and during any other festivities after the race. I like to bring an extra pair of shoes in my bags. 

20 Count Regular Roaster Storage Zip in Lock Bag 16

6. Take a before and after picture

Take a picture of your group before the run in your sparkling white outfits and after the run covered in all of the beautiful color powder that you ran through!


It is just an extra way to remember how much fun the day is, and it is a great way of showing people how exciting color runs are when asked.


Also, it’s always a great photo to add that extra little pop of color to your social media accounts.  I tend to choose a short-sleeve shirt over a long-sleeve shirt but that's a personal preference.  The finish line photo is the BEST! 

Before - after Color Run

Source: lifeabsorbed.com

7. Running with family and friends

Color runs can be an incredible way to come together as a family or a group of friends on the weekend!


It is a great way to get your kids off of their phones or tablets and outside and active instead in a way that is fun and impossible to forget.


It can get the whole family out to an activity all together in a way that is healthy, exciting, and fun for everybody.  It is also a great event to go to with a group of friends.


You can all dress up, run together through the color zones, and enjoy the festivities of the day together.


It is a great way to have fun together outside doing something active in a way that will bring your whole group together even closer than before the run.


Participating with kids is also a lot of fun and creates great memories! You Might Like: How to Get Your Kids to Run & Enjoy It

8. Close your mouth through the color zones

Running through the color zones is the most exciting part of the entire run. You might be tempted to laugh, yell, or continue talking with your friends and family.


However, it is incredibly important to keep your mouth closed. As soon as you open your mouth in the color zones, you will likely get a mouthful of color powder. 


As stated previously, do not worry if you do get the powder in your mouth or breathe it in as it is non-toxic so should do any damage to you rhealth. It is only cornstarch and non-toxic dye, but it definitely does not taste super great. 


If you want to make sure you do not get this dry breath of powder in your mouth do not forget to close your mouth as the color is being showered over you.

9. Bring extra clothes

After you are done with the run and festivities at the finish line, you will be covered in colorful powder.


If you plan on going anywhere straight from the run, it will definitely be in your best interest to bring an extra set of clothes.


This fresh, clean outfit will keep you from getting colored powder on all surfaces after the run, such as the seats in your car or a restaurant.


You are going to want to bring that extra set of clothes for afterwards and a plastic or reusable bag to put your colorful run and party clothes in so that the powder all over them does not end up all over your car or house.

11. Bring baby wipes and towels for after

After the Color run race and some pictures, if you are headed somewhere, you might not want to be covered in the colorful powder.


This goes hand in hand with bringing extra clothes for after the run and festivities.


Bringing wipes is generally a good thing to do so that you can wipe the powder off of your face and hands before getting into your car.


Bringing towels is incredibly helpful for the drive home; you can put the towels over your car seats so that the colorful powder does not make a mess on your car seats.

11. Have fun during the Race!

Do not forget to have fun during the color run! While it might seem like there are too many things to remember and too much to prepare before-hand, a color run is meant to be fun.


Remember to enjoy yourself with your family and friends. A color run is not meant to be fast or serious, so do not stress about getting something messy and dirty or about running fast instead of walking.


Just remember in most cases it is not a competitive race so have fun!


Conclusion


These are eleven color run tips to help you enjoy your color run as much as you can. A Color run is amazing events to make memories that can last a lifetime.


Whether you are a runner or not, color runs are events that can beautifully meld the sense of accomplishment from finishing the run and the excitement of the colorful party with your friends and family.

Hi, Jeremy Here, 

I am the the guy behind Train for a 5K. On this site, I share everything that learned along my running journey. The content I create is the running training I wish I had before we started this journeyAbout Me.