By Kimberly Dunbar

I felt drops on my head as I stood among the crowd. “Please, don’t let that be rain,” I thought. I looked over at my friend, her hair covered in electric blue and yellow powder. I realized it wasn’t rain; the drops I felt were clumps of powder. The color explosion had begun.

A few months ago, my friends and I joined the millions of others who have participated in the latest fitness craze ~ a color 5K run/walk event, during which participants, who are encouraged to dress in white, are shot with bursts of “color” (non-toxic dyed cornstarch) throughout the course.

“It’s a dance party with a visual element,” said Taylor Spencer, event director for Color Vibe, one of several organizations that host color runs across the country. Color Vibe comes to Davis Farms in Sterling on Sept. 28.

While these colorful races usually happen in big cities like Boston, Color Vibe has picked the Worcester area to reach a different group.

“Those who live in the suburbs usually have to travel to get to these events,” Spencer said. “So when we get to places like Worcester, we usually get a crowd that is excited to have the event.”

Spencer said that Color Vibe’s willingness to branch out to smaller communities sets it apart from other color races like The Color Run, Color Me Rad and Color in Motion. Despite the volume of color run events, the races continue to grow in popularity and participation. Color Vibe, which held its first event in August, 2012, has expanded exponentially in its first year. “We have at least one a weekend, sometimes two or three,” Spencer said, adding that next year will be even busier.

“The idea behind this was to create an event that wasn’t intimidating,” said Spencer. “Many of our runners have never run a 5K before or run much at all,” he said. “It’s for people who want to get out there and be a little more active.”

In the name of fun, these races aren’t timed, and Color Vibe encourages participants to have “the time of your life” instead.

Though some running purists consider color 5Ks gimmicks, Spencer disagrees. “We’re here to let people have fun,” he said. “I guarantee you there are more laughs and smiles here than at any marathon. You can call it a fad or a quirky niche, but it’s giving people an excuse to get off the couch and go outside.”

But the best part of every Color Vibe is the end. “Usually after a race, you’re all sweaty, but at the end of the Color Vibe, it looks like a unicorn threw up on you,” said Spencer. This makes for excellent Facebook and Instagram pictures.

To register, visit thecolorvibe.com and enter code PULSECOLOR and receive $5 off. Offer expires Sept. 25.

TIPS TO SURVIVE YOUR FIRST COLOR RUN

• Wear sunglasses to keep the color from getting in your eyes or contacts.
• Bring a bandanna to cover your mouth when you go through the color stations.
• If you want to bring your phone or camera to take pictures, carry it in a plastic baggie (or weeks later, you’ll still be digging color out of random crevices).
• Pack a clean towel and baby wipes to clean up after the race.
• Wear an old pair of sneakers. The color will come out of your clothes, but your shoes will remain rainbow-colored.
• The color comes off your skin pretty easily, but slather yourself with sunscreen before the race for even quicker cleanup.
• Have fun!