Color me happy
Runners plow through powder, puns for annual Color Run
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Participants in Saturday’s Color Run head down College Avenue in Houghton.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Nola Olson, 8, of Houghton, hopscotches to the finish line of the Color Run with her mother Kelly Olson Saturday morning.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Volunteers Sylvia Aho, Darla Huhta, Abby Strait, Lauren Klaus, Isaac Pontier, Diana Torola, Gracie Brownlow and Isabel Chapa display their hands after the last Color Run participant passed through their station, where they had sprayed each one with blue and yellow powder.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Volunteers Gracie Brownlow and Lauren Klaus greet a young walker with blue and yellow powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Isabel Chapa and Diana Torola, at front, and other volunteers spray runners with yellow and blue powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Sylvia Aho and Diana Torola, at front, and other volunteers spray runners with yellow and blue powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Sylvia Aho and Diana Torola, at front, and other volunteers spray runners with yellow and blue powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Volunteers Sylvia Aho, Darla Huhta and Isaac Pontier fill bottles of blue and yellow powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Sylvia Aho and Gracie Brownlow, at front, and other volunteers spray runners with yellow and blue powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Volunteers Darla Huhta and Abby Strait spray blue powder on a runner during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Diana Torola and Lauren Klaus, at front, greet runners being sprayed with blue and yellow powder during Saturday’s Color Run in Houghton.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Participants in Saturday’s Color Run head down College Avenue in Houghton.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Nola Olson, 8, of Houghton, hopscotches to the finish line of the Color Run with her mother Kelly Olson Saturday morning.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Volunteers Sylvia Aho, Darla Huhta, Abby Strait, Lauren Klaus, Isaac Pontier, Diana Torola, Gracie Brownlow and Isabel Chapa display their hands after the last Color Run participant passed through their station, where they had sprayed each one with blue and yellow powder.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Volunteers Gracie Brownlow and Lauren Klaus greet a young walker with blue and yellow powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Isabel Chapa and Diana Torola, at front, and other volunteers spray runners with yellow and blue powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Sylvia Aho and Diana Torola, at front, and other volunteers spray runners with yellow and blue powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Sylvia Aho and Diana Torola, at front, and other volunteers spray runners with yellow and blue powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Volunteers Sylvia Aho, Darla Huhta and Isaac Pontier fill bottles of blue and yellow powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Sylvia Aho and Gracie Brownlow, at front, and other volunteers spray runners with yellow and blue powder during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Volunteers Darla Huhta and Abby Strait spray blue powder on a runner during Saturday’s Color Run.
Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Diana Torola and Lauren Klaus, at front, greet runners being sprayed with blue and yellow powder during Saturday’s Color Run in Houghton.
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HOUGHTON -- As he approached the phalanx of volunteers with spray bottles, the runner approaching Cliff Drive had one question: "Can you load me up?"
For that Color Run participant, and many more who didn't need to ask, the answer was "Yes."
Saturday's Color Run drew 250 people, who ran from the Houghton downtown pier to Michigan Technological University and back, getting sprayed with colored powders at four stops along the way.
"It's just a novel thing, something a little different and fun that people like to be part of," said Savanna Rivest, director of Keweenaw Young Professionals, who puts on the race.
The race is KYP's sole fundraiser of the year, Rivest said. It allows them to put on events throughout the year, but also for volunteer appreciation and to sponsor other community events when members are passionate about a cause.
Another 50 volunteers signed up to help with the race.
"We really appreciate it," Rivest said. "We couldn't do it without them."
At a station near the Rozsa Center at Michigan Technological University, volunteers sprayed blue and yellow powder on runners as they descended the trail toward Prince's Point. Volunteer Isaac Pontier yelled to spur them on ("There are wolves chasing you!"), or entertain them ("What's the difference between a hippo and a Zippo? One's heavy and the other's a little lighter.").
Grace Brownlow heard about the run through her sorority, Theta Chi Epsilon. Other sisters joined the run. Brownlow, who's trying to experience new things at Tech, decided, "I want to splash color."
"I definitely didn't think it'd be this messy for some reason, but seeing people smile and seeing people get excited about getting sprayed with color is always a good time," said Brownlow, who by the last runner had green smears across her face from the persistent cloud. "It's so silly, but you get a cool shirt at the end."
Near the finish line, Nola Olson, 8, hopscotched on a chalk course drawn before the finish line. Her mother, Kelly Olson, loves being able to run with her children. The color adds to the excitement.
"It's just been one of those things that we want to do now every year, and it's a lot of fun," she said. "And everyone does it, the whole family comes out and does it."