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Run adds burst of color to Iola

Fitness Center hosts event at car show grounds

By Holly Neumann


Organizers hope the first Color Burst 5K Run becomes an annual event in Iola.

The Iola-Scandinavia Community Fitness & Aquatic Center hosted the run June 19 on the Iola Old Car Show grounds.

Sam Peterson, Cheryl Ziemann and Kori Printz organized the run.

The goal of the event is simple: get full of color and have fun with family and friends. With 26 color throwers located in four different spots throughout the course, participants were covered.

“We hosted the Light up the Night Run the last two years and decided to change it up,” Ziemann said.

“We’ve always wanted to do a Color Run, but didn’t know how to go about it,” Printz said. “We never had access to the powder and let’s face it, that is a main component. We finally found a website that sells the powder by bulk.”

About 460 people from Iola, Scandinavia Waupaca, Amherst, Weyauwega, Clintonville, Marion, Appleton, Kaukauna, Rosholt, Stevens Point, Plover and Tigerton participated.

“We saw all different abilities, from runners to walkers to stroller pushers,” Printz said. “It was even more amazing to see where they all traveled from.”

Participants seemed to love the event.

“It was something different to try,” Bonnie Jenson of Amherst said.
“My mom made me do it,” Iola’s Gavin McClellan said. “I am glad she did, though, because it was a lot of fun.”

Ziemann said they could not have done with event without the help of volunteers.

“We were very humbled and excited by the amount of people that signed up for the event,” she said. “Without the wonderful help from our volunteers, the event would have never been as successful as it was. The community went above and beyond.”

Though the 5K event was not timed, there was some friendly competition along the way.

“This was so much fun,” said Angel Drozd, who ran with her son, Rudy. “But Rudy beat me.”

“I ran the whole way,” 6-year-old Gus Thulien said with a big smile on his face. “I beat my mom and my sister. I think I should be on the track team when I get bigger.”

“I loved getting sprayed with the powder,” Laine Piotrowski said. “I actually rolled on the ground to get even more of it.”

“It was fun to get out and run with my family,” John Schmidt said. “It was even more fun with all the colors.”

Even 18-month-old Nora Varere found a colorful spot on the pavement and in no time was covered from head to toe.

Printz said events like this are important to the Fitness Center.

“Hopefully, people are pleased with what we do and will keep coming back for other events that we put on,” she said.

“It gives recognition to the ISCFAC and surrounding community,” Ziemann said. “It brings people from other communities into our wonderful town.”

The hope is that the Color Burst Run will become an annual event.

“With such a great turnout this year, I would love to do it again next year,” Printz said. “Now that we know what to expect, we can improve on a lot of areas of the race.”

Fitness Center director Tim Welch commended Printz, Peterson and Ziemann for all their work.

“I’m very happy for everyone involved,” he said. “Kori, Cheryl and Sam did a fantastic job. They are good at what they do and care so much about our community and being involved in it.”

Events like the Color Burst Run brings the community new opportunities for growth, financial gain and health benefits, according to Welch.

“ISCFAC wants to continue to work outside of our facility walls and to partner with our community members to make our events better and benefit our local area businesses,” he said.

A new event, the Zombie Run, is planned for this fall.

“The Zombie Run will take place Oct. 10 and we hope to be putting out our information about that very soon,” Welch said. “It is going to be extremely fun and a little scary, but mostly just a fun-filled fitness event.”

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