Ready, Set, Glo!

What would happen if you combined your nightly workout, some over-the-top iridescent illumination and a dance party? The Glo Run, that’s what.

This crowd was glowing and ready to get going.
This crowd was glowing and ready to get going.

Jason and I, ever the ready participants of anything, signed up for The Glo Run, a 5K night race with bopping lasers and hopping DJs, a couple of months ago. This dash is all about the energy of the night, which is pretty fitting for the likes of me because when the sun goes down the Rachel comes up. You other night owls out there would dig it.

Jason wound as many glow sticks as he could around every appendage.
Jason wound as many glow sticks as he could around every appendage.

Jason and I donned at least a couple dozen glow sticks as we prepared to rock this run in brilliant style; we weren’t the only ones with that bright idea. The hundreds of other participants dressed to the nines in blinking, shimmering, flashing garb. When the race started they all moved like a gaudy fluorescent stream into Sugar House Park, which the course looped twice. That repeat circling meant we got to experience each of the run’s groove spots two times. Excellent!

This tunnel of lighted arches thumped to the music.
This tunnel of lighted arches thumped to the music.

I think the majority of participants envisioned this run as a party with a little exercise involved rather than exercise with a little party involved because there were practically more walkers than runners and some of the partakers were so tired near the end that when the DJ said “jump” they just sunk. But Jason and I were not among the tuckered out, thankfully. We boogied to the music and shimmied with the lights all along the route. We kept up our liveliness throughout and had all the energy of the night and then some.

This was my favorite hangout along the route. Between the black lights and the bubble makers it was pretty trippy.
This was my favorite hangout along the route. Between the black lights and the bubble makers it was pretty trippy.
I slowed down my shutter speed to reduce myself to a blur of light crossing the finish line.
I slowed down my shutter speed to reduce myself to a blur of light crossing the finish line.

It was a dazzling take on a summer standard. Let’s run and roll!