I saw the Newcastle Colour Run and thought that a 5km run would be a good way to recruit some of my friends into my running addiction! Registration (a bit expensive for a 5km compared to other events) was really easy online, and I was able to register all of us at once. An email was sent before the run with a confirmation you needed for pick up. Bib pickup was the day before at a local venue which was pretty easy. There wasn’t an expo for this event like other running events that I have been to. However in the race packet was my race bib, a cotton t-shirt that was pretty good quality, head band, tattoos, and a colourful bag.

The actual event was held at the Broadmeadow Race Course in Newcastle. On event day we parked at the nearby train station and walked about 15 minutes to the race precinct. There is a shuttle bus from Kotara Shopping Centre to the race precinct, but we found a park nearby with no problems. There were road closures around the race precinct so plan to arrive a bit early.

There are no corrals for this event, it is just a long chute that you just line up in when you arrive. They let runners go in waves and it took about 40 minutes to actually cross the start line, this was probably something they could improve on. They had a DJ keeping the energy up and keeping everyone entertained while they waited.

The actual course went outside around the racecourse on the local streets and then back in running around the racetrack and finishing inside the Broadmeadow Race Course. The whole course is very flat, but there was lots of people so it was very stop start. There are colour stations through the course spraying you with various colours as well as a snow station (fake snow of course!). At the end there is a DJ and music to entertain all the runners, and the usual food stalls.

This is definitely an event you do just to have fun with friends not to run a PR. I would definitely recommend this run if you’re looking to do an event just for something fun and colourful (and you’ll be sneezing blue/pink/purple/green chalk for a week!!).