Colours can be used to describe all kinds of emotions, whether it is seeing red or feeling blue, but those who ran through a finish line covered in vibrant powder yesterday were feeling only one thing: exhausted.
The Night ‘n Day Dunedin Rainbow Run took place yesterday, and involved more than 1000 people running through Logan Park in black and white shirts.
Runners could take on the 3km or 5km course, but regardless of their route none made it through with clean clothing.
Each station was equipped with about 60kg of food-safe coloured powder, all of which was hurled at the runners.
Zavier Smith (14) was first over the finish line, followed closely by Cooper Hogan (13).
Cooper said getting hit by the powder while running was actually quite refreshing, as it was nice and cool.
Although it did have a bit of a taste, he could not place it and did not notice it while running, he said.
Luie Broom (9) said he was looking forward to a shower.
The sweat from the run made it worse, as the powder stuck to his skin.
He had done the run with a group of his friends from Fairfield School, who all agreed with his assessment that the powder tasted like baking flour.
He summed up the flavour as "yucky".
He said the white of his facial hair made the colour stick.
He would not put any extra effort into washing it out and would not mind if it was still there tomorrow.
Night ‘n Day general Manager Matthew Lane, who spoke to the Otago Daily Times while covered in blue dust, said the event had gone well.
It could not take place during the Covid-19 lockdowns, but it had been running for about five years and had grown each time.
The first run attracted only about 100 runners, but yesterday’s had well over 1000, he said.
The event was organised with Sport Otago.
