Lauren Shelburne | Banner Participants run through a cloud of pink powder while competing in the Start R.I.G.H.T Challenge 2016 3K Color Run Jan. 23. The Riverside Community Health Foundation has hosted this even since March 2012, this time on the Front Lawn of California Baptist University.
Approximately 1,500 family members and students started their morning on the Front Lawn of California Baptist University Jan. 23 with the free Start R.I.G.H.T (Riverside Is Getting Healthy Together) Challenge 2016 3K Color Run.
Since March 2012, The Riverside Community Health Foundation has hosted this free event to promote healthy living competition to encourage residents to improve happiness and healthiness through exercise opportunities. The goal is to decrease obesity in adults and children in Riverside. Participants who lose the most weight win cash prizes.
Rusty Bailey, the mayor of Riverside, said the event exceeded the expectations with the turnout of the Riverside community.
“People are really jazzed and excited to be at Cal Baptist, as well as getting out and being active,” Bailey said. “It is a great, festive way to live an active, healthy lifestyle, and I am excited that families are here because it is all about accountability for the way they eat and the exercise they get on a daily basis.”
The Color Run not only focused on getting active, but also emphasized staying healthy throughout the year.
Ninfa Delgado, vice president of The Riverside Community Health Foundation, said she hopes the event will encourage families to live right and move right.
“Every year since 2012, we have been doing a three-month challenge across the city to get people to eat right and encourage an active lifestyle,” she said. “We chose CBU because of the central location and friendly campus.”
Summer Canderlari, freshman marketing major, said she has never done a color run before and enjoyed how the community came together to encourage active and healthy lives.
“I think it is really cool how the organization is not from CBU, but from the community,” she said. “Since I am from Colorado, it is really cool to do something with the community as a whole.”
Taylor Kelmin, sophomore undeclared major, said she had fun at the event.
“I wasn’t expecting so many people to show up,” Kelmin said. “It is super exciting to see a bunch of people from Riverside coming to CBU.”
Start R.I.G.H.T Color Run has tripled its growth, hosting more than 300 events in more than 50 countries in 2015. It is the single largest event series in the world, according to The Color Run, LLC.
