The Colour Run is one of the most imaginative of the very many fun runs that will take place around the country during the year. The 2013 events in Ireland will take place in Cork on July 14th, Dun Laoghaire’s West Pier on July 28th and Belfast’s Titanic Quarter on August 24th.
The Belfast run is part of a very clever sponsorship deal across the UK with Dulux who would have been winning awards for imagination if the event was not there already for them to take on.
Each of the Colour Runs is 5 kilometres or 3 miles and is pitched very much as a fun event. All participants are encouraged to turn up on the start line wearing as much white as possible and every one kilometre, paint dust is thrown in the air so that by the end is each runner, walker or limper is their own personal piece of artwork.
There is a festival with music after each event and the numbers for the run in London passed 10,000 yesterday.
The idea has rapidly become a global one since it was first held in the US 18 months ago. Each country or even each city independently organises races and brings in sponsorship. One common theme is that money is raised for a local cancer charity.
The Dulux deal in the UK is to support the company’s “passion for how colour can have such a positive physical and emotional impact on people’s lives.” In the US the series which extends to over 100 locations is supported by Chevrolet.
There is no obvious sponsor for the events south of the border yet and perhaps it is too late to activate for this year but with Woodies involved in athletics and with outlets across the country it would be an obvious partner, perhaps alongside one of the brands it stocks.
Last year’s race took place in the Phoeniox Park and was the first of it’s kind in Europe. It raised funds for the Irish Cancaer Society. This year’s event has switched to the seaside and will be in aid of the Lakelands Area Cancer Retreat.
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Splash of colour on fun run circuit
