Blacklight Run Race Recap

Last night the boyfriend and I ran the Blacklight Run in the St. Louis metro area.  This race has locations throughout the country, so be sure to check upcoming dates and locations.

I picked up our packet on Thursday at a Sports Authority in Brentwood, and I was in and out with the packets in five minutes!

Bib, temporary tattoo (on the shirt), and the t-shirt

The Blacklight Run - St. Louis was held at the Gateway Grizzlies minor league baseball stadium in Sauget, Illinois.  Our race information email stated that the pre-party would begin at 6:45 p.m. and that we should arrive early, because they expected a large crowd. The first corral would not be released until 8:20 p.m., so I was hoping that the pre-party would be fun while we waited for the sun to set, and it did not disappoint!  The DJ played great music that could be heard on speakers throughout the grounds and his crew was constantly throwing prizes into the crowd, and I mean constantly!  Everything from glow sticks and neon powder to flashing items like rings, mohawk headbands, and gloves.  We had a blast, and we had a great view of the Arch and downtown in the background.

Pre-party with the Arch and downtown in the background

The DJ was amazing!

Shortly before 8:00 p.m., the DJ announced that we should all head to the start line, which was on the opposite side of the ballpark grounds.  Music continued to play in the background as lined up.  The start line was on the side of the grounds closest to the interstate and a business park.  Apparently we were an interesting sight for traffic because multiple cars stopped on the shoulder to observe the commotion.  Eventually the local police came over and encouraged them to continue on their journey.

Waves were released with several minutes in between, which allowed the course to be both runable and walkable.  We ran through the parking lot of the business park, a road that was adjacent to interstate, turned around in a neighborhood, ran through the ballpark, and finished back by the DJ.  The course had several neon color stations, a water station, and multiple areas with blacklight towers that were blasting fun music.  As it got darker, the road was a bit difficult to see at times but we never had any issues or safety concerns.

When you finish, you get a neon color packet for the color throws that were scheduled for every 10 or 15 minutes.  We wanted to experience the first one before we headed home.  I took the two photos below as the first color throw progressed.

We both really liked this race.  The DJ was great, there was ample staff and volunteer support, music throughout the grounds (I was never out of earshot of music, which was great), the expo was quick and easily accessible, and entering and departing the grounds was a breeze.  The race was also appropriate for runners and walkers of any age.  Check out their website to see when they are coming to a city near you!