The Color Manila Run 2017 at the Mall of Asia Grounds
It’s my first Color Manila Run!
The Color Manila Run was a blast! Color Manila hosts some of the most fun and exciting running events in the country! Color Manila brings a new and colorful twist to classic runs! The last 5 years have been a wonderful splash of color and they are always upping the scale when it comes to their events! Truly the people behind Color Manila know what it is like to give us a good time!
Races Here, Races There, Races Everywhere
There are many races and runs but there is only one Color Manila! Many runners look for serious running events. Some races and runs have themes and scenarios. Have you ever been to a zombie run? Zombie runs involve people chasing you during the run! If you get caught, you are out of the race! Pets are also welcome at running events! Dogs are the usual runners when it comes to these cute and furry races! Have you heard of the Spartan Race? The Spartan Race is only for the strongest and toughest athletes.
Of course, there are the high-level marathons and triathlon. Marathons challenge runners to more than 42 kilometers to run. Many find this difficult but more than a few can easily run the whole length of the race and finish! Take that one step further and you have the triathlon! triathlon are a combination of 3 events. You must compete in swimming, biking, and running! Only after hours of grueling competition and challenges can one be called a triathlete!
But there is only one Color Manila Run!
Yes, there are many different kinds of races. But there is only one Color Manila Run! Color Manila has created a one of a kind race! Where else can find a race that fills you with color? Most races focus on speed and endurance. The Color Manila Run makes you run while having fun! This race brings a splash of color to your usual run! These guys will make sure that they will add brightness to your day before the race ends! No matter what!
My First Color Manila Run
The Hardest Part
Ask anybody who will participate in the race and they will all tell you the same thing. The hardest part is getting up early in the morning! The call time for the Color Manila Run is at 5am in the morning. 5am in the morning! Imagine how a Saturday night must feel! We usually go out and have fun on Saturday nights. The weekend is when we watch our favorite movies. Saturdays are when we go on dates. There are tons to do on a Saturday night! But wait! You have a 5am run in the morning the next day!
I set my alarm at 330am Sunday morning. I live in Imus in Cavite and I am still quite a drive away from the venue of the run. The Color Manila run will happen at the Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City. Cavite is still 2 expressways away from there! I will tell you a trade secret. Very few people shower the morning of a run! And I did not too! I took my shower the night before. I woke up at 330am and did my bathroom routine but without showering! Hah! Don’t worry, I brushed my teeth! I also prepared my clothes beforehand so it was easy to dress up.
The drive to Mall of Asia was fairly quick. It normally takes me an hour to an hour and a half to get to MOA on regular days. Try driving at 4am and you will get there in 20 minutes! The sky was still dark and there were very few cars on the road.
Somebody to Run With
Izzay and I are going to run!
It would have been a lonely drive going to the run. But I had a special companion with me! Lucky for me my girlfriend/fiancé volunteered to run with me during the event! Running alone in a race can be a bit hard. But running becomes so much more fun when you have people running with you. I am so glad that Izzay went to the event with me!
Waking up alone very early in the morning can be a grueling task. But if you have someone with you to accompany you and enjoy with you. It can be done! We are off to our very first Color Manila Run!
Arriving On the Scene
A Party Event!
We arrived and it was still pretty dark outside! The drive from Cavite to Pasay City took a little less than 30 minutes. It was around a little before 5am when Izzay and I got to the open parking lot of Mall of Asia. We parked in the open parking space beside the many BPOs on the side of Hypermart. There were maybe 5 or 6 cars already parked there. People were wearing their Color Manila shirts. They came here early for the run just like us. Some were standing around, probably waiting for other friends. there were some others who walked towards the back of the Mall. That is where we are going to go. I put on my knee supports (injured!), got into my blue Nike running shoes, and walked towards that same direction.
The Mall of Asia Grounds transformed into a concert area! the grounds were cordoned off and there was a huge stage in the middle. many LED screens were up, speakers were blaring, and lights were all over the place. The venue was astir with energy even at this early hour. There were maybe a hundred people already at the venue when we got there. Many were lining up to claim their kits. Families and friends chatted and took photos. I even saw a few kids running around and joining the race.
I looked around for the media booth. The press and other media partners will head there to get their passes. With a few words and some quick smiles, I got our kits and got ready. In a few moments, the Color Manila Run would be underway.
Preparing for the Race
The program started with a bang. a flash of light erupted and party music sounded and the hosts took to the stage! The two hosts welcomed all of us to the Color Manila Run 2017! They gave some reminders on the history of Color Manila and gave us a few tidbits of what was to come. One of the founders of the organization told us about the achievements of Color Manila and what was in store for us in the future. Exciting! There were many events lined up and they were even planning to expand in other countries abroad! Make way for Color Jakarta Run! Or Color Singapore Run!
Of course, you cannot start the race without some crucial warm-ups. So some of the coaches at Anytime Fitness jumped on stage and gave us a round of exercise. The instructors were all fit and tough. They gave us some very important stretching and warm-up drills to make us all ready for the race! The sirens sounded and they called us to the race! The group was divided into batches. The 10k runners were the first to go. A second batch followed with 10k runners as well. It was now our turn and off we went along with the 5k batch. The starting line was a big colored arch with the logo of Color Manila. People were there to give instructions along the way.
The First K
5K is a relatively easy run. I consider myself an active athlete. I either work out or play sports twice to thrice a week. Fitness has always been an important part of my lifestyle. And I try to keep myself as healthy as possible when it comes to fitness. Again the sirens sounded and we were off. I started to jog to start my pace but I stopped because of my surprise! Where I would start to run at the beginning of the race, people stopped! To take photos! Yep! Runners stopped to pull out their phones and their GoPros to take selfies!
I was entertained at seeing many of the runners stop to take photos every 10 steps. Groups stop and create poses. Friends set up their cameras on the ground for jump shots or running shots! The organizers explained at the onset that the Color Manila Run focuses on fun and enjoyment during the run. And the runners took this to heart as they took their photos, posed for their selfies, and had a blast!
The Colored Arches
I tried my best to weave through and avoid the color!
One of the things that caught my attention was the wonderfully colored arches. The arches stood as waypoints to signify passing through the kilometer markers. Color Manila does this in a wholly different way! You will see several Color Manila personnel standing by the arches. Guess what they are holding? Color packets! You can see in their hands are several brightly colored dust material in different hues. Once arch would have a yellow colored theme. Another would be purple. So on and so forth. These guys would shower you with these colored dust once you pass through the arch. Some would sprinkle them on you. Others would throw them up in the air. I passed through the blue arch and some guy tossed a whole handful of the blue colored dust at my back!
This is what Color Manila Run is all about! The entire run is based on color and sprinkle and fun! Runners and participants all celebrate running the entire race with color and style! These colored packets fill the air with vibrant color and leave their mark on the jubilant runners. The race shirt and the singlets stop being colored white by the first marker and you will be a literal rainbow by the time you reach the end!
Running Through Color
The entirety of Color Manila Run is all about running in color. Most runs are serious and focus on finishing and competition. But Color Manila Run is all about fun. Take a photo! Stop for a selfie! Plan a jump shot! Or even pose by the bridge overlooking the sunrise over Pasay! There are tons of picture-perfect moments for you and your friends to capture! So make sure to bring your GoPro or your best high-res smartphone for that instagrammable pic!
Now I can see the appeal of Color Manila. Most of the races force runners to compete and to run. Here you are invited to have a good time! Entire families join this run. I even saw some young kids besides their grandparents and titas running the race! Everyone is having fun and a good time. It is all good, clean, and colorful fun.
The Glitter Party
Color Manila has a fun tradition of colored after parties!
We finished the race at a poor time of around 40 minutes. I usually try to keep my time for a 5k under 30 minutes. There is an excuse though because I was taking photos and videos of the event for YuneOh during my run! At the end of the race was the most awaited event…the Glitter Party! Color Manila Run attendants will douse you in gold and silver glitters as you pass through the end line. Glitters!
You have to line up after the race to pick up your freebies. Here you will get bottles of water, a vitamin drink, and your special finisher’s medal! I was amused to find that even 3k or 5k finishers get a medal! Yahoo! After everyone goes settled the hosts went back on stage to invite us all to party! Everyone got a new color packet and simultaneously we released our color packs in the air for a cloud of color all over the Mall of Asia Grounds! A Dj took to the booth and the party got started!
Truly Colorful
I did not know what to expect at the Color Manila Run. But I was entertained and amused at all the things I experienced there. The run was fun indeed! Izzay and I grabbed a quick bite at the nearby iHOP and drove back home to Cavite. The day started early and now I need some sleep. But first I got to figure out how to get all this glitter and color off my clothes!
See You at the Next Color Manila Run!
