[Race Review] Color Manila - Blacklight Run 2016

Color Manila organizes a number of runs across the Philippines. What makes their runs different? Well, they twist the traditional fun run recipe by showering you with colorful powder (flour with food coloring) while you run (or walk).

This is our first “Color Manila” run ever. Even if I have joined a good number of races in the past, I didn’t know what to expect with this event. I have only seen a number of pictures from past “Color Manila” runs to give me a glipse of what is to come.

Because we were staying near the event starting position, we decided to go there at the very last minute before our gun start. Upon arriving, we noticed our fellow 5 km runners getting hyped. Everyone is excited to start and have fun.

The run was fun from the start. Everyone was in a happy mood. A good number of runners had cameras with selfie sticks. Majority of the participants didn’t even care about running and were more focused in having fun with their friends and families.

We were actually surprised that people almost from the start of the run didn’t actually run but instead walked. It was more like they, along with their friends and familiies, went to stroll around in a park.

Water stations were adequate but were still overwelmed by the sheer number of the participants. Fire trucks were also stationed a few kilometers from the start of the run. Firemen showered the participants with cold water as they pass through them. It was a really fun experience. Then, there were check points wherein the people showered you with different colors of powder, from green, pink, to orange. Due to the volume of powder being used, the check points felt like misty which was a fun thing.

After all that, you’ll realize that the headlights (blacklight) they supplied you were the most important ingredient of the fun run. They basically illuminated the different colored powders that were covering everyone from head to foot. Everyone was basically glowing in the dark from start to finish.

It took as longer than usual to finish the 5 km because it wasn’t really a race you should finish quickly but a run you should savor until the very end. We found overselves walking most of the time and had fun taking pictures and looking around the festivities. It was really a unique experience and we would definitely join a “Color Manila” event again.