Electric Run Review

Tracy Trombley aka Tracy at MudRunFun reviews her first race for ORM.

Music, lights and high energy; those are the three words I would use to describe the Electric Run that I attended in Atlanta, GA on May 11th. Take two favorite things I enjoy about life, running and a club’s atmosphere (minus all the

drunk idiots), smoosh it together and I got myself a hella’ good time! I originally came up from Florida to Georgia to attend the Savage Race in Dallas but, thanks to the good folks at Obstacle Racing Magazine, I was able to snatch up a registration for the Electric Run for later that night. “Yes! Two events in one day!”

When you first arrive to pick up your packet, it is painless. I’m used to the packet pickup nightmares that you occasionally experience at some of the mud and obstacles events. At Electric Run, you walk up and show your ID, they find your name, hand you a bib (bibs are not assigned to registrants, just handed to you as you check in) and then you get your shirt, blinking bracelet and glow stick glasses. The glasses kept falling off my face so I gave them to Davis being his didn’t even work. After that you mingle around, maybe get yourself a drink and take some pics in front of the photo backdrop.

This year’s Georgia Electric Run was held at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, where part of the course takes you on the actual speedway itself. It was pretty cool to run on this stretch of track at night, where I have to admit, like a child I made car engine noises as I ran as fast as my legs could take me as I passed up other runners. Throughout the 5k you come across several different “lands”, as they call them, where each one has a different set up and mood to it. We’re talking neon trees that change color, tunnels filled with bubbles, pond with lights floating all over, tunnels with moving lights, (think a cheesy ‘80s vortex in some goofy movie that sucks you into another dimension-pretty awesome) glowing arches, floating umbrellas in the trees and much more. Not a bad way to liven your typical 5k night run.

I think one of my favorite lands is the bubble tunnel. I recall them playing this “mystical wonder-land” type music as all these bubbles floated around. It was pretty neat, although the occasional bubble did find a non-suitable landing place in my eye. I will have to admit though that I was expecting a little more at each land. I was imagining a mini club at each destination, with lights galore and music and strobe lights and dancing people everywhere.

The people too are high energy; if they are not running or walking, then they’re dancing their way through each land.

Everyone is dressed up in their best blinding neon color clothes and accessorized with glow sticks and blinking lights. I do not recall seeing any crazy costumes that I have seen posted from previous events, but then again I wasn’t really looking either. We did see this dude with a unicorn head…that was cool. After you cross the finish line, you are lured over to the main stage where the DJ is playing the latest club hits and you can continue the night’s entertainment. The crowd is pumped up where people are dancing and are doing their best glow stick light show. Every now and then, one of the staff members would throw glow necklaces, foam blinking wands or feather boas with lights in them into the crowd. As usual I didn’t catch anything, but that’s okay because I collected all the glow necklaces that fell off other people and stuck them in my mesh bag during the run. HA!

Overall, the Electric Run is a great way to spend your night. There is an event coming November of 2013 down in Miami which I will be sure not to miss. I know quite a few people that would love to spend their night this way. The combination of the music and the light displays are a creative and fun way to tackle a 5k. And you do not need to be a runner to attend this event. Heck, you will probably see more if you walked anyways. Also, this event does not have an age requirement, so you can bring the kiddies too! So hit up your local party store or go online and purchase yourself a variety of glow necklaces, lights, body paint, etc. and get wild and creative with your dress up.