The Twin Cities was host to The Color Run Sunday morning — a crazy explosion of color for runners and walkers along a 5K route on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

The primary vision for the Color Run is to bring "fun, memories, and fundraising to local communities." Crowds of people (primarily groups of fun-loving women, many dressed in tutus or crazy socks!) swarmed St. Paul, to begin the first wave of runners at 8 a.m. 

My daughter and a few of her besties were there, ready to join in this rainbow experience, while my husband and I joined the other observers/photographers!

With each kilometer of the race, participants are doused in a colored powder. Some choosing to run in the "high color lane" rather than the "low color lane" to soak up the most vibrant shades along the way. And if the run did not provide enough color, there is a Finish Line Color Explosion experience, complete with rocking music and a countdown to the eruption of color packs!

My niece was scheduled for the 10 am wave, so we were hoping to connect with her....however with over 19,000 participants, all dressed in white shirts and headbands, that became nearly impossible. Just think about that...19,000 participants, at $40-50 per person!  And this was just one of the many locations where The Color Run is held.  What an incredible event to encourage fun and fitness, while supporting a local charity. 

This race, here in Minnesota, selected  Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless as their partner organization — a local nonprofit that believes that every Minnesotan should be free from hunger and homelessness.