This past Sunday I participated in The Color Run in Philadelphia. This race, affectionately referred to as “happiest 5K on the planet”, is less about winning and more about enjoying the experience of running. Each runner begins the race in a white t-shirt, or an entirely white outfit if you so desire, and is given a pack of colored powder. Runners are instructed to not open the color until the end of the race.

At each kilometer mark volunteers dose runners in a different colored power. The vibe was incredible. Even at 7am every runner was smiling and friendly and I was anxious to hit the pavement. With over 23,000 participants, we were sent off in waves of 1000. Most of my wave started out running and my team and I were able to keep a steady pace.

A cloud of pink hovered over the first kilometer color zone and we raced towards it. We quickly learned that in order to get the most color, one must stay to the sides and walk, not run, through the zone. By the next color mark we were sweating and covered in blue and pink.

At this point there was an even ratio of runners and walkers with no pressure to race or beat the clock. I could feel the temperature climbing but the energy of the runners around me kept me going. The color zones proved to be the highlight of the race. Every runner was completely covered and couldn’t have been happier about it.

We raced across the finish line to the cheers of families and friends, filled with that incredible high I could only attribute to running.

Follow Alina Szuch on twitter @alinaszuch