color run fun with my lil' hun.

Carly and I enjoyed the Color Run in downtown (the first time I typed that I typed "Downton" and couldn't figure out why it was underlined in red. Oh, Matthew!) Lansing today. Carly was not originally scheduled to run with me. I was going with a few friends, but when I took her to pick up my packet last night she was enthralled by the fun atmosphere and asked to race with me. After repeated extensive explanations that the race would be long (5K) and they would throw color at us ("But its not nice to throw things at people!"), she still wanted to go. We went with my friend Nichelle, and she was kind enough to go at a three-year-old's pace. Moms are good like that.

The race started right in front of the Capital building and with the huge crowds in the required white shirts, it was quite the sight. Carly did pretty well. Who knows how long it took, but we completed our 3.1 miles with a mixture of running, walking, dancing, piggy-back rides, and riding on mom's shoulders. I did a little running with her on my back, and woah, it is not for the weak. I think my arms got more of a workout than my legs. Along the way we also ran into some other friends who we were hoping to see, and Carly got to run a bit with her little friend. They were quite cute. 

The color points were at every kilometer. There would be a big arch and loud music announcing it's presence, and as you ran through race workers would squirt colored "food grade" powder on you out of big bottles. The first color was pink, and Carly got an entire face full. Thankfully I had had her wear sunglasses. She was laughing about it, but from then on she asked "to go in the middle" so she wouldn't get quite the same experience. We completed the race sufficiently covered in a rainbow of powder, and then headed home on towel-covered seats.

I was initially hesitant, but I'm so glad Carly came. She was so fun and I think she had a memorable time. I just love that she is getting to an age where I can share things like this with her. I've always said she is my BFF. It only becomes more and more true as she grows.

~

Oh, and excuse me while I'm "that mom", but our local news station was asking people to send in pictures of the Color Run, so I sent in the adorable shot above that Nichelle took. And Carly's cuteness was so undeniable, they posted it on their Facebook page. She's pretty much famous. I'm expecting her to make me rich some day. (And no, she's not quite 4 yet. I rounded up a month.)