Inside Mancini•Duffy: September 2012

The alarm rang at 4:45 a.m. Of course we all snoozed and one of us simply slept right through, but here we were, getting up earlier than on any weekday in preparation for a 5K. To be noted, and of utmost importance, is that this was no ordinary 5K. Nope, this was a 5K Color Run. The rules: no time, have fun, and of course, EMBRACE THE COLOR!

The group was made up of eleven MD|TSC participants, and two outside friends. Some of us ran and for those of us who opted out of the Red Bull provided and simply didn’t have time to properly caffeinate, we were part of the walk/slowly run crew (which looked more pathetic than it reads...hey, by that time it was 8 a.m.). So back to the Color part of the run. Located in the far-off Aviator Sports Center on Flatbush Avenue (hence the early wake-up time), the race consisted of a 3.1-mile stretch with color stations located every ¼ of the way (see map below). Whether you were running or walk/running, each of these stations provided an opportunity for a punch of energy and color embrace, which we certainly participated in! At one moment I found myself being chased with a bucket of red/fuchsia/pink color and the next coughing up pink! It was fun! The finish line welcomed us with water, frozen yogurt treats and a live band and dj show and yet more color, this time in buckets. Time check: 9 a.m.!

Though the race was a blast, in my opinion the most enjoyable aspect was the pre-race preparation and the group work executed. Thank you to my teammates for the collaboration! Be it simply organizing the group, setting up meeting times, picking up registration packets, ensuring we all had matching shades, or arranging the ever-cumbersome How on earth do we get to Flatbush?!, we all executed and collaborated brilliantly! I’d say it was a testimony to our project management skill set, brought to this year’s Color Run! Next race:

The Mud Run?!?!