Peking University, Nov.1, 2014: “Oh!” “Wow!” At the southwestern corner of the Jingyuan Meadow, dozens of runners ran into a heavy shower of magenta powders, whooping with joy. Volunteers standing on both sides of the path were busy blasting the runners, who would very soon be doused from head to toe in different colors.
The color station of the Jingyuan Meadow was one of the three stations of the PKU Color Run. This event was jointly hosted by the Office of International Relations and the Department of Physical Education and Research, as a part of the PKU International Cultural Festival 2014. Around 1000 participants were selected out of 3000 applicants for a three-kilometer run, starting from the Centennial Memorial Hall, all along the Jingyuan Meadow andWei Ming Lake, and finally back to the hall.
The color station near the starting line
At the starting line, each participant got a white T-shirt and a mask, after which they began the un-timed race and passed the three color stations at whatever pace they liked. Finally, with their hair, clothes and sneakers brightly colored by the shining starch, the runners rushed into the Color Experience Zone to enjoy the Finish Festival. There, people bombarded their friends or even strangers with more powders to create vivid color combinations.
Liu Xiaoqian, a junior who had just finished her race, said excitedly，“It was a real pity that I couldn’t get a chance to take part in the official Color Run in Beijing this summer. But here on campus I have experienced the same or even more fun with my best friends running together with me. We have also enjoyed the beautiful autumnal scenes during the race, and the Color Experience Zone is really amazing.”
In the Color Experience Zone, a young couple hugged and kissed after taking a selfie in a sea of colors and exhilaration. They said, “It is memorable and special for us to go in for the Color Run together. We’ve just posted some photos on WeChat to mark this very occasion.”
Students wild with delight in the Finish Festival
The origin of Color Run lies in the Holi Festival in India, an event in which people express gratitude and good wishes by splattering colorful powders on one another. This event has been popularized around the world by an American company who claims that their paint race is the happiest five kilometers on the planet. The PKU Color Run offered the students the opportunity to enjoy health and happiness by luring them out of the library, laboratories or dormitories with a promise of relaxation and fun.
Reported by: Yu Xiaohui
Edited by: Chen Jiayu
