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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCSB chapter.

On October 15, 2016, The Color Run celebrated its fourth annual 5k in Ventura. The theme of this year’s happiest 5k (which is the slogan of The Color Run) was “Tropicolor”, and they pulled out ALL the stops. From tropical themed merchandise to the use of every bright tropical color available, The Color Run did not disappoint. 

Now this was not my first Color Run- I participated in last year’s Shine Tour and TCR Night as well- and I can definitely say this was my favorite Color Run so far! I loved every second of being there, even if it was 7a.m. on a Saturday. For those of you who have never participated, let me share with you a glimpse of the best 5k you could ever participate in.

To start off, they have a Zumba warm up/”Check in party” that gets you perfectly pumped for the next two to three hours of the morning. While you wait to start the run you have the opportunity to take before pictures (like so) and buy super cute Color Run merchandise such as tutus, tank tops, sunglasses, and plush “runicorns” (the mascot of The Color Run, which is basically just a really cute name for a unicorn).

Next begins the main event: The Happiest 5k on the Planet. As the waves of walkers and runners begin you have the chance to win free merch and get pumped with awesome music. After passing the giant arches that say “Start”, you see your first color zone. There are no words to describe the amount of joy you feel when you see that first color cloud in the distance.

The rest of the 5k continues pretty much the same way: beautiful ocean views and awesome music at each of the four main color zones (green, pink, yellow, and blue). Near the end of the course you encounter the areas that are specific to this run, such as the scented bubble zone, the wet paint rollers, and the Tropicolor zone (basically a normal color zone but with EVERY tropical color for you to throw around).

As you cross the finish line arches you are presented with your adorable medal and color packets.

Which leads us to the best part: The Finish Line Party. This is where you get DOUSED in every color. It’s basically a giant party with great music, more color, and more free stuff. Personally, I love this part more than the entire 5k, basically because everyone is having a good time and, lets be honest, who wouldn’t want to participate in the epic group color throws????

Just how colorful do you get after two hours in the finish party and an hour walking through the course? Well…..

Pretty colorful!

Want to join a Color Run and experience it for yourself? Sign up for email updates for your town at http://thecolorrun.com!

Deyana Gorman is a second year pre-biology major at the University of California Santa Barbara from Simi Valley, California. Outside of writing for Her Campus, Deyana can usually be found watching her favorite youtubers, hanging out with friends, playing video games, brushing up on her photography skills, or doing activities with her sorority sisters. She plans on one day studying abroad in Italy, Ireland, and Australia as well as going on road trip adventures throughout California.
Kristine is a 3rd year Chemistry major at UC Santa Barbara. She was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. When she's not writing, she works with her sister to create adorable baked delicacies for The Royal Icing, their at-home bakery. She's also a ballerina, lipstick enthusiast, and bunny lover. Post-graduation, she plans on going to graduate school while continuing her writing career. Catch her on instagram @CookiesForKay