Color represents something different in every culture. Green, for example, represents jealousy and greed in western cultures, whereas in eastern cultures it reflects new life and hope. China does not use green on packaging because it relates to exorcism. In Egypt, blue is symbolic of protection – to ward off evil, yet in Israel it is used on their coat of arms. Purple represents privilege in Japan, and sorrow in India. I used to think of colors as the many choices in my Crayola box, or the colors of the rainbow. Now, the only thing that comes to mind is the Color Blast Run that I recently participated in with my family.

On a mild summer morning, with the threat of rain in the sky, several hundred people lined up at the starting line to take part in a 5K race on the Lake Tahoe Community College campus. Groups of college students bunched together; the girls dressed in tutus and the boys in rainbow clown wigs. Little kids excitedly jumped up and down, moms pushed baby strollers, and volunteers lined the track, as we waited for the race to begin.

The run, which benefited Tahoe Youth & Family Services, was not a timed race. The 8 minute mile was not an issue here. The only objective was to get colored and have fun! The cost to join the run was $30 per person and included a neon green Color Blast t-shirt, a swag bag filled with goodies, admission to the run, and a small plastic bag filled with colored powder. The rules were simple: wear clothes you didn’t mind being ruined and be prepared to run about three miles. We were told that white shirts would work best, but we decided to go with the t-shirts that were provided.

The twist to this event was that at every quarter mile there was a station set up where you would get blasted by color. The corn starch based powder was non-toxic and biodegradable. The hues included green, pink, purple, blue, and yellow. As we ran through the course, people seemed to appear out of nowhere to shower us with clouds of chromatic dust. The further along we got, the more our complexion changed. Fortunately, we had our own supply of color, so we were able to fight back!

After a few miles of non-stop fun, and color up my nose, we were covered head to toe in powder and very tired. The grime covered our faces and it took a while to get the taste of corn starch out of our mouths. Even though we had sunglasses on, our eyes still held remnants of powder, making it hard to see.

At the end of the race, a disc jockey pumped out music while the runners danced the Chicken Dance and Macarena. Trust me, a field full of colorful people doing the Electric Slide is hilarious! As the runners made it to the finish line, everyone was greeted with a burst of magnificent purple, pink, green, and yellow. Everyone threw handfuls of the remaining powder into the air to mark the conclusion of this crazy event. It certainly wasn’t a traditional 5K race, but it sure was fun!

I recently learned that similar events occur in different countries all around the world. For example, in India, the Holi Festival, more commonly known as the Festival of Colors, commemorates the victory of good over evil. People gather in the village square around a bonfire and throw scented powder and colored water at one another and celebrate with singing and dancing. This tradition came from Lord Vishnu, who played pranks on village girls by drenching them in water and color. The event marks the end of winter and the start of the spring harvest.

As the music began to fade, we happily walked back to our car filled with memories of a fantastic day. We raised money for a worthy cause, met some silly people, got some exercise, and enjoyed our first-ever Color Blast Run!

Christian DeMichiel is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program

All photos courtesy and copyright Christian DeMichiel