Color Me Rad: Will it kill my shoes?

dragon1ady
dragon1ady Posts: 335 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This race is advertised with posters all over my local gym and looks like a ton of fun. A 5K with color bombs, how can that not be worth doing? I am confident I'll be in shape by then and able to do it no problem. :-)

I'm thinking I'll get a cheap white shirt, and shorts that I would never wear again anyway, so I don't ruin any of my actual "real" workout clothes, but that tactic will not work with shoes. I have to run in good running shoes, or my knees will do their best to kill me for at least a week afterward.

If any runners here have run in Color Me Rad before, please share the secret for saving my shoes!
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Replies

  • dragon1ady
    dragon1ady Posts: 335 Member
    Bump for help... anyone?
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I wore one of my older pair of running shoes, and they're white, but they didn't get too colored. Of course it will vary from person to person depending on where you get hit with the color. I wore a white cotton tank top, white sports bra, & grey running shorts. The shorts are clean, all the color came out, and even the shirt came mostly clean, just light color in a few areas. The sports bra and one of my socks actually have the most color left in them, but it's not super noticeable.

    But the shoes - hard to say, like I said, depends on where you get hit the most. It tends to me more upper body as people throw the color in the air and the bombers aim for your shirt, at least they did when I ran it.

    It is a ton of fun, you'll love it!
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
    I did the Color Run... Which is basically the same thing. My shoes were white with grey and light pink accents and came out fine. Hints of yellow and green here and there. But barely noticeable. You have to look for it. The laces were a bit worst, but again, hardly. Maybe if you scotchgard them it would be even less so?
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    Neh... I did the Color Run and there wasn't much color on my shoes... but I put them in the washer anyway.
  • dragon1ady
    dragon1ady Posts: 335 Member
    I do have a pair of older gray shoes that I can wear, and as for the shorts and shirt, I fully expect them to be "ruined" by the color. I hadn't thought about the bra getting drenched in color, so I'll have to think about how I want to handle that. I can probably wear an old one that I don't care about. It's not like anyone other than my husband ever sees it anyway.

    Thank you, everyone! I am a lot less worried about my shoes now :)
  • CMGoodie
    CMGoodie Posts: 93 Member
    The secret: New shoes.

    Two fold purpose:

    1) In case they don't come clean
    2) Who doesn't need/want a new pair of shoes?
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
    This race is advertised with posters all over my local gym and looks like a ton of fun. A 5K with color bombs, how can that not be worth doing? I am confident I'll be in shape by then and able to do it no problem. :-)

    I'm thinking I'll get a cheap white shirt, and shorts that I would never wear again anyway, so I don't ruin any of my actual "real" workout clothes, but that tactic will not work with shoes. I have to run in good running shoes, or my knees will do their best to kill me for at least a week afterward.

    If any runners here have run in Color Me Rad before, please share the secret for saving my shoes!

    it won't kill them per say but yes you will need to wash them several times and even then you won't get it all out. as for wearing shorts personally i would not (i did color me rad last year). the color gets EVERYWHERE! and i mean everywhere and it will take several showers to get it all off. i ended up keeping my sports bra (after washing it 5 times) but everything else except my sneakers was tossed in the trash (my clothes just never got clean).

    the volunteers that throw the color bombs do THROW COLOR BOMBS. huge handfuls of the stuff but never near your face they were really good about that - i did get whacked with a huge handful right in the middle of my back.

    it is a lot of fun. it's also a race i'll only do once not because of the color bombs either but because it's not timed and no free beer afterwards (actually we didn't even get a medal - T-shirts are really nice though)
  • dragon1ady
    dragon1ady Posts: 335 Member
    Wait, there are races that hand out free beer? Where do I find these and where do I sign up?
  • acm2789
    acm2789 Posts: 29 Member
    The secret: New shoes.

    Two fold purpose:

    1) In case they don't come clean
    2) Who doesn't need/want a new pair of shoes?

    Yup! I'm doing color me rad at the end of the month and tough mudder in June. I bought myself a new pair of shoes for the gym and use my old ones for outside training and the races. worked out quite well ;)
  • goldiejoe
    goldiejoe Posts: 121 Member
    Color Me Rad sounds super fun! This is the first time I've heard of it...Can't wait to be in shape enough to participate in something like this!
  • tatd_820
    tatd_820 Posts: 573 Member
    The color washes out! Go home and put in washing machine and you are good to go!
  • dragon1ady
    dragon1ady Posts: 335 Member
    The color washes out! Go home and put in washing machine and you are good to go!

    In that case I'll just stop worrying about it! :)
  • SusanleeBee
    SusanleeBee Posts: 144 Member
    My sister just did the color run (my goal is to do it next year!) and her shoes were fine. Her white Color Run T-shirt that they gave her also washed completely clean. No need to fret! Good luck!
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
    Wait, there are races that hand out free beer? Where do I find these and where do I sign up?

    check out runningintheusa.com

    lots of races give out a free beer after you finish - especially mud races.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
    The color washes out! Go home and put in washing machine and you are good to go!

    not always - i washed my sneakers twice and they still have a bit of pink on them. they were like that until i threw them out from wearing them too much.
  • watchhillgirl
    watchhillgirl Posts: 597 Member
    <--See picture!

    I washed my shoes in the washing machine and they still have a pink hue to them. But it is so worth it! I had such a great time at the color me Rad! I would do one tomorrow if it was here!
    Just wash you shoes and clothes, you might have to do it a couple of time. I just threw the white tshirt out. Was just easier than washing it. lol
    Have a great time!
  • watchhillgirl
    watchhillgirl Posts: 597 Member
    Wait, there are races that hand out free beer? Where do I find these and where do I sign up?

    check out runningintheusa.com

    lots of races give out a free beer after you finish - especially mud races.

    Oh Man I am checking this out! Free Beer? Sounds like a blast!
  • dragon1ady
    dragon1ady Posts: 335 Member
    Wait, there are races that hand out free beer? Where do I find these and where do I sign up?

    check out runningintheusa.com

    lots of races give out a free beer after you finish - especially mud races.

    Thank you!! I am so there! :D
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    Wait, there are races that hand out free beer? Where do I find these and where do I sign up?

    Every race I've ever done has given out free beer :drinker:
  • Lisah8969
    Lisah8969 Posts: 1,247 Member
    Wait, there are races that hand out free beer? Where do I find these and where do I sign up?

    LOL! Warrior Dash gives you a beer at the end! I was worried about my shoes for the WD. I ended up saving a pair that I had replaced. They were fine for the race although COMPLETELY covered in mud. WD takes shoes after the race, cleans them and donates them so they will live to see another life with someone who needs them.

    So I guess my advice is as long as timing allows it and you are replacing a worn out pair before your race, keep the old pair to use as long as they aren't so obliterated they don't have one more day left in them. That way you don't have to worry about them at all. And if you can't and you get color on your shoes that just never comes out, you have a story to tell people when they ask about it!

    Have fun!
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    Just wear old shoes that you don't care about - problem solved.
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
    Some people wear plastic over their shoes.

    Personally, I'd love to find a good pair of white running shoes and KEEP the paint from each event on them as kind of a trophy...
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    The color washes out! Go home and put in washing machine and you are good to go!

    In that case I'll just stop worrying about it! :)

    I used some oxyclean in my wash and all the color came out of my clothes that I wanted it to.
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    Wait, there are races that hand out free beer? Where do I find these and where do I sign up?

    Not a 'race' but google "Hash House Harriers" for your area - chances are you'll find a group (kennel). Hashers describe themselves as a "drinking club with a running problem"...it's a social activity and beer is always included. Those with open minds fit best.
  • WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr
    WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr Posts: 2,150 Member
    I did The Color Run last year and just wore an old pair of running shoes that I wasn't worried about the color getting on them. The white shirt and shorts still have the color in them (I haven't washed them yet, they're hanging on my back porch, I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to wash them or do the vinegar for them to hold their color) I wore a black running bra and black bike shorts under my whites and it washed out just fine. I accidently got color in the face a couple times (at The Color Run they have the powder in squirt bottles-like the ones you see condiments in) because I was behind my friend, who is shorter than I am and they sprayed her from hip to shoulder so I got it up the face too, but it was still fun. I'm doing Color Me Rad (so far by myself since none of my friends have decided to do it, so far) at the end of May.
  • natashalh1998
    natashalh1998 Posts: 56 Member
    I did the color me rad last month, my shoes (which are my favorite) came clean so did my husbands and son's. We were covered head to toe in color and all came out with the exception of light pink color on my socks and t shirt. I washed my husband and my son's twice and they look like new! It's a ton of fun!
  • graceire
    graceire Posts: 323 Member
    Color Me Rad sounds super fun! This is the first time I've heard of it...Can't wait to be in shape enough to participate in something like this!

    I'm doing a color run in May, but I'm not yet in shape enough to participate. I heard that a lot of people will walk it because its a popular one to do with their kids. Hope so because I can't actually run a 5K but could walk it fine. :tongue:
  • mitchellkd
    mitchellkd Posts: 35 Member
    There's a GLOW RUN that I am signed up for in May. Night run with glow in the dark stuff...and free beer! :)
  • EmilyJaneRigali
    EmilyJaneRigali Posts: 59
    The color washes out! Go home and put in washing machine and you are good to go!

    yup. same for me. it comes right out. if there are some faint colors leftover, just put some stain stick on it and wash it again. my shoes don't have any color left on them at all after i washed them once.
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 751 Member
    Mine also came clean. Can't wait to do it again! !! Such a blast.

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