The Rio Color Run
Because of my activities yesterday, I needed to spend an extra 10 minutes scrubbing my chiselled body in the shower this morning. No, I didn’t enter the Rio Erotic Mud Wrestling Competition (after last time I promised myself never again!). Instead I entered the Rio Color Run!
The idea is pretty simple: a 5km run/race during which competitors dressed in white are pelted with paint. Sounds like fun right? The race started at 8am in Glória and as Mrs Eat Rio and I arrived, we realised that a lot of other people also liked the sound running around and getting covered in colour.
We hadn’t even started and already I was leaning on Mrs Eat Rio for support.
Competitors came in all ages, shapes, sizes…
One of the younger Color Runners. I had no idea that vehicles were permitted…
…and species:
I thought this competitor was showing good enthusiasm with the headband and mostly white coat.
As people gathered near the start, I wondered if everyone was taking this 100% seriously:
Limbering up!
The start line, a new year’s message and, on the left, Pão de Açúcar. The sign says “Happy 2013! May it be full of colours!”
As we made our way around the course, rising clouds signalled new colourful craziness.
Celebrating the half way point with the Sugarloaf looming in the background.
Further on, we passed a curious sight. Immaculately dressed croquet players. We looked at them like they were crazy, they did the same to us. I think we both had a point.
As we approached the finish line, it became clear that some people had gone colour-crazy:
I guess pink was their favourite colour.
As we crossed the finish line, those bright white shirts seemed a distant memory.
In case any participants had actually taken the race seriously and made it around the circuit without being covered in paint, huge paint sachets were handed out at the end:
As we made our way home, thoughts turned to the clean-up operation.
After 3 showers and plenty of scrubbing, I am mostly back to normal. Mrs Eat Rio still has green hair, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her as she left for work this morning…
This looks great! Lotsa fun!
There’s going to be another one run by a different bunch of people in Feb 2013 Alex! A nice way to wind-down after Carnval :)
corrida-das-cores/
Celebrating the half way point . . . humm: the holidays are upon us so I’m gonna let this one go.
Ahhh, it was a photo opportunity (with the good ol’ PdA) that I couldn’t resist!
I finally got all the blue off of me! Too bad we didn’t meet up. Next year ;)
I think I’m 100% clean now too! Phew!
Yes, sorry we missed each other – I had no idea quite how many people were going to show up. I was thinking a few hundred, but I heard it was something like 10,000 in the end! Judging by the number of people walking and drinking beer, I’d say it wasn’t the usual running crowd! ;)