Runners may need to wash away more than sweat after a 5-kilometer race Saturday afternoon.
The UF Alumni Association will host the first Gator Run at Flavet Field on Saturday. Throughout the run, there will be five zones where runners will have orange and blue powder thrown on them.
Registration for the 5K run starts at 3 p.m., and the run will begin at 4:30 p.m.
Nicole Fosnacht, 20, has participated in similar runs and said she registered for the Gator Run.
“Our swim team is using it as one of our community service events,” she said.
Fosnacht has participated twice in the Midnight Fun Run, an event traditionally held once a year around midnight at the end of spring semester, and has been running at least once a week to prepare. She is doing the run just for fun and isn't looking to set a specific goal, she said.
Mercedes Castro, philanthropy chair for student members of the UF Alumni Association, said Gator Run is based on The Color Run, a nation-wide 5K that features volunteers tossing multi-hued powder on runners, except runners Saturday will be covered in orange and blue powder instead of multi-colored featured in the Color Run.
Both students and non-students are eligible to sign up for the run. Participants will receive white Gator Run shirts and admission to the post-run party, Castro said.
The party will have a DJ, music and drinks. There will also be powder thrown at the partygoers every 15 minutes, and each person will be given a bag of powder to throw. The run and the afterparty should end by 6:30 p.m., Castro said.
Participants are asked to bring school supplies with them to the race, and the supplies will be donated to Idylwild Elementary School. Another UF-affiliated program, Project Makeover, will work to improve the school through projects such as painting, raising funds and landscaping projects.
“When they have their reveal in February, we’ll bring all the school supplies that we collected,” Castro said.
Those wishing to participate in the run can also register online and can sign up for the run individually or with a team of five or more.
The price is $25 for UF students and $45 for others. Members of the UF Alumni Association receive a discount.
Andrew V. Pestano contributed to this story and edited this story online.