SubscribeNassau, Bahamas – The 242 Colour Run added a blast of colour to Nassau on an otherwise cloudy Saturday morning, July 13th. Over 400 participants, volunteers, and spectators gathered at Montagu foreshore to partake in the first ever colour run in The Bahamas. The 5km (3.1 miles) course led the runners and walkers from Fort Montagu, over the bridges and back to return to Montagu. The unique twist of the added colour was enough to bring smiles to all those that participated and supported the race, and even those that were encountered along the way.
The weather turned out to be a perfect day for the mid-July road race, with Tropical Storm Chantal dissipating and leaving welcomed cloud cover for the morning. The 8am start was delayed a few minutes, but just before the start, individual colour packets were tossed into the air, creating a fantastically blended cloud of colour around the start area. Two Royal Bahamas Police Force motorcycles then led the runners through a colour-blast of Flash Caribbean Breeze Blue, the first of 5 colour stations along the course. The second staging point on the course added Sun Burnt Orange, while the Paradise Island colour station added Key Lime Green and the last Nassau stop had Flamingo Pink. The final colour station immediately before the finish doused the contestants in Bahamian Yellow, a fitting finish to the most colourful race The Bahamas has ever seen as it celebrates 40 years of independence.
The participants in the fun-loving group varied from children pushed in strollers, to walkers who only did a part of the course, to elite athletes. The race was not timed, there were no official race winners, and the atmosphere was one of fun, not competition. The 242 Colour Run was designed to bring people together to have fun – friends, families, coworkers, neighbours, Bahamians and foreigners alike. The last minute entries at The Sports Center in the days before the race brought the total number of registered entries to 333. The majority of the colour-runners were Nassau natives, with others from Abaco and Freeport, and a few international registrants from the UK, Canada, and the USA. The unofficial fastest person on the course was Marathon Bahamas winner Angela Cobb, who came over to run a fun race in a beautiful and scenic location.
Individuals and groups participated in the event, with groups as large as 25 entering in the 242 Colour Run. Some walked together, some ran together, and all had fun together. As the colour-coated runners crossed the finish line, they were greeted with cold Aquapure and Arizona iced teas. In the staging area there was an after-race party, where participants were encouraged to try the new Tropi-Pop drink sensation, as well as Edy’s Fruit Bars. The adult entrants were greeted with ice-cold Sands beer. Music and festivities enhanced the atmosphere, all leading up to the big giveaway – five G-Shock watches provided by John Bull. The watches were given away to those that stuck around and had fun, and were drawn by random number. Any and all participants had the same chance to win, and 5 lucky persons walked away with a new colourful G-Shock watch. Additional numbers were called to give away the remaining cases of Arizona iced teas and Sands beer.
Linzi Knowles-Benton was recognized with a case of Sands beer for being the first to register and for assembling a large group of enthusiastic runners, also know as “Conch Salad”. Registration opened a few months before, and the price increased as the event got closer – in spite of this, almost 20% of the entrants took advantage of the extended full-price registration at The Sports Center. Registration included a reusable shopping bag, a bottle of Flash multi-cleaner, product samples, event flyers, a 242 Colour Run dryblend shirt and custom bib, funky wayfairer sunglasses, 40th Independence and Bahamas flag tattoos, and a packet of throwable colour.
Each colour station had volunteers from the Rotary Club of East Nassau, the Rotaract Club of East Nassau, and the QC Interact club throwing a food-grade, washable, colour powder on the participants. These volunteers were from the clubs that also benefited from the event. The Rotary Club of East Nassau recently celebrated 50 years of service and changed over to a new Rotary year with new leadership on July 1st. Since its inception, the Rotary Club of East Nassau has raised over 5 million dollars for community project and local charities, and has contributed significantly to the Rotary International Foundation. The Rotaract Club of East Nassau is for younger members aged 18 to 30; they are young professionals banding together to help the community both locally and internationally. Both groups support was necessary, as over 30 volunteers assisted in the 242 Colour Run. The director of community service for the Rotaract club, Raschard McKinney, had kind words to add, noting that the “242 Colour Run was a grand success. Congratulations to you and your team for hosting the event. It was fun and inspiring at the same time. I look forward to working with you and the 242 Colour Run in the future.”
Bahamas Waste greatly assisted in logistics and cleanup, providing portable toilets, trash receptacles, and a mobile pressure washer to wash down the roads after the event. As the colour is a water-soluble, non-toxic substance, any colour left on the course washes away with the rain and biodegrades rapidly.
The multi-coloured finishers all had huge smiles and nothing but kind words for the organizers and volunteers. The photos from the event are posted online at www.run242.com and on the event Facebook page. Comments from the Facebook page reflected the excitement and enjoyment at the 242 Colour Run, and everyone is excited to do it again. Ann Marie Henson posted “Great time. Thanks to all for their hard work. It was a blast! See you next year.” Dominic Seymour added “Had an awesome time today!! Hope it comes again next year!”
As participants have requested, the organizers of the 242 Colour Run do intend to hold the race again in Nassau. They also plan to have additional races, starting with locations in Freeport and Abaco. For more information, visit the 242 Colour Run Facebook page or visit www.run242.com
The success of the inaugural 242 Colour Run was overwhelming, and the support from all of those involved was and is greatly appreciated. The organizers would like to thank the sponsors, volunteers, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, The Bridge Authority, The Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Finance, and of course, all of the wonderful participants who helped ensure a successful, safe, fun and colourful event.
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Additional comments from participants regarding the event:
“Well done, Lee McCoy for a very Successful and FUN 242 Colour Run this Morning. Thatcher and I had a BLAST throwing COLOUR on the participants.” – Tangerine Curry-Dinnick
“What a BLAST! Thanks so much to Lee McCoy and ALL the volunteers who put on a fantastic event! The Tutu Crew had a great time :)” – Jessica Robertson
“HAD A BLAST!!!! hope its an annual thing!” – Courtney Kemp
“Thank you to all the organizers and sponsors who put this event on – we had so much fun! already looking forward to next year!” – Laura Kimble
“Thank you to everyone who put today together…it was such fun!” – Tamsin Rogers
“THAT was one on the BEST experiences of my LIFE!!!!!! When i find the words, i will express them!!!! Thank you 242 Colour Run!!!!!!!!!” – Anna Murray
“Thank you to all involved in the 242 colour run! Awesome time. Can’t wait till the next one!” – Mary-Jane Sands
“We had such an amazing time!!” – Melissa Sands
“Great fun! Next year bigger and better!” – Teresa Roberts
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