Having done both the Color Me Rad 2014 at the Cloverdale Rodeo grounds, and  the Color Me Rad 2015 in Holland Park Surrey, it  feels natural to compare the two events. Both had strengths and weaknesses, I will compare a few areas and pick a winner for each.

If you too participated in either of these events I would love to hear your comments.

 

 Distance & Location

Both races claim to be a 5K distance but they weren’t.  I know that these are fun, non-timed events but accuracy is important.

The 2014 event was great in the sense that the course was contained to the rodeo grounds, however the terrain and course wasn’t the greatest in parts.  The 2015 course loop through Surrey neighborhoods so we had to be cautious  of cars and vehicle traffic. This made me particularly nervous with excited  kids running around.  The  terrain was better because the majority of it was on the road.

The 2014 starting line was gated on either side, and close to the announcer and stage,  this made it feel more contained and organized over 2015.  The 2015 event was just a bunch of people pushing into a mob formation and running down a street, the announcer and stage were in the park a ways from the action.

 Although the terrain was better I liked the idea of the event being held on the grounds, it made it feel more like a concert or special event. Winner: 2014

Parking

In 2014 there were numerous volunteers directing parking at the rodeo grounds making parking was a breeze.  For 2015 the website provided a map of neighborhoods , and didn’t warn of the road closures. I was familiar with the area so I knew parking might be an issue we arrived early and got lucky and found a spot right away.  Winner: 2014

 Color Amount

The 2015 race didn’t provide a course map, whereas the 2014 location provided a course map with color stations.  This is helpful for friends and family coming to watch and take pictures, allowing them to position themselves near color stations.. There seemed to be less color stations at the 2015 race, however I cannot be 100% certain of that without a course map to compare against. My biggest disappointment was the starting line, In 2014 there was an announcer who was hilarious and really kept the crowd upbeat plus there was a lot more spraying of color at the beginning. Winner: 2014

  Swag

2014 we received a race bib, tattoo, glasses, and a T-shirt. The 2015 package included a race bib, T-shift and knee high socks.  I prefer the knee high socks in the 2015 package. I also preferred the sunglasses with the colored frames offered in 2014 over the glasses for sale in 2015.  Winner: 2015

 Photo Stations

 2014 had a several photo stations, props and photographers on hand capturing all the fun. The 2015 event had two stations with incredibly long lineups, and not nearly as many props. Winner: 2014

In my opinion the 2014 Color Me Rad run in Surrey, BC,  was better than 2015  run.  With that being said I still had a great time at both events, and I would still consider doing another.

Overall I give this race a 3 out of 5, my suggestion would be to improve the organization and communication, provide more photo areas, and consider an alternative location.

If you have never done a Color Me Rad event I highly recommend you try one!