The Combat Color Fun Run race begins noon Saturday at Optimist Park, with registration open to the public and starting at 11 a.m.
The color run will consist of a 3 mile run along with a 1.5 mile walk. Proceeds of the event will go to the Connor Montgomery Cloud Memorial Scholarship for Veterans, founded and created by Luke Cloud, a University of Wyoming doctoral student and veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.
“It’s the only event outside of the Veteran’s Service Center that’s completely done by Veterans Organization,” said Cloud.
Two hundred prepaid student registration packets were made available for students to run for free. Packets for adults are $30. Children ages 17 and under may run for free, but the registration packets are not included. Registration packets for children are $20.
Registration packets contain a t-shirt, sunglasses and color packets to throw.
“That’s actually the whole little twist behind it,” said Cloud. “So it’s a color run where you get to throw the color back.”
As of Wednesday, the run had about 170 people registered, but Cloud expects to see 200 to 250 people registered by Saturday.
To prepare for the run, Cloud suggested participants to wear camouflage to prepare for combat and a white shirt to make the colors from the run more visible. On the Combat Color Fun Run page at Combatcolor.com, there are suggestions with keeping color in clothes as well as removing color from other areas like hair or skin.
Volunteers will run alongside the participants and throw the colors made of cornstarch and food coloring. Participants can throw the color back with the color packets they received with their registration packet.
Participants are also encouraged to participate in “battles” with their friends and family once they pass the finish line to let the fun continue.
Cloud started the scholarship and color run six years ago in Sheridan, Wyoming, where it continues today, and then brought to Laramie four years ago to keep the scholarship endowed for future years. The scholarship is available for any veteran or dependent.
“This is the eleventh Combat Color Run and the fourth to be held in Laramie. We have $22,150 in scholarship money raised here at UW, not including $4,750 in scholarships awarded over the last three years,” said Cloud in a release. “Help us continue to provide scholarships for our veterans here at UW by making this the best Combat Color yet.”
The event is hosted by the student Students Supporting Veterans, with sponsorship from the UW Engineering Fund for Enrichment, ASUW, 7220 Entertainment and the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Food and drinks will be provided, as well as extra shirts and color packets for participants to purchase.
For more information or questions about the event, visit CombatColor.com or contact Cloud at CombatColorFunRun@gmail.com.
