The Color Run & Girl's Weekend

Quinn and I headed out to Des Moines last weekend for the Color Run and a weekend of girl time with my college roommates, Ami and Heather. 

On our way out, we stopped by the outlet mall to use a few rewards and get Quinn a winter coat.  We hit up Old Navy, ended up buying two coats, using 3 x $10 rewards and only paying $6.  Bargain shopper right here.

We ended up getting to DSM around 12:30, met up with the girls and headed downtown for the run.  A lot of the streets were blocked off but we were able to whip down alleys, through other parking lots to a park only a couple of blocks from the starting line.  Awesomesauce!  Good thing we were in the hands of people who know that city because I sure do not. 

It's funny because my friend Ami says that she gets mixed up with directions when she comes over to eastern Iowa and I feel the exact same way when I head to Des Moines...it's so confusing.

If you never heard of the Color Run, it's a 5K run where they throw colored powder at you so that you're a pretty little rainbow once you cross the finish line.  It's not timed, it's fun a run and it's for charity.  I heard that there were around 27,000 people who participated in the races all together.  They ended up doing to races.  One at 1 pm and the other at 4 pm.

They started the first group of people at 1 pm and then released other groups in intervals.  We cheated, moved the gate and we're part of the 6th group to run (there were 18 groups in all, the last group started at 2 pm).  We couldn't run the entire thing, because 1) we had a stroller and 2) there were so many people walking that just held us up.

Before

After

After finishing the race, we waited around for the next "color bomb".  In our race packets, we each received a color packet to throw at each other.  We waited and a few thousand of us threw our powder into the air.  The only part I hated about this is some sonovabitches started throwing powder at each other, all by themselves and guess what just happened to be right behind them...my daughter in her stroller.  Some people are so stupid and you bet your sweet ass I yelled at them. 

Quinn was in 3 layers plus a coat and a hat (it was around 40's/50's around race time).  She ended up passing out in the middle of the race and didn't make a peep until we got to the car. 

I guess running makes her tired.

I am glad that I did the race and I was able to safely take Quinn along for the ride but I wouldn't do it again.  It was a lot of fun and it was for a great cause but I need competition and to know when I get done with a race, I got at least a good workout in. 

If it comes to a city near you, get a group of ladies together and do it!!

The rest of the weekend was spent going out to dinner with Ami's parents and then watching The 5 Year Engagement.

Guys, I have 7 teefers

 It was also a wear no make-up weekend.  Also, do you know how hard it is to travel with an impatient 15 month old solo?  It's hard but that's a story for another time.