There’s something about being under the stars and have neon lights glowing around you and the beat of music driving your every step. This event transformed a 5K into a vibrant celebration surrounded by a community that loves fun and fitness. The Night Nation Run is a 5K race, but is a mix of a music festival and having fun. It is for all ages—you can run, jog, walk, skip, dance and most important, enjoy the night scene watching the LED neon light sticks and glow gear light the night away. This event is also partnered with Stand Up to Cancer, a charity that was created to help with cancer research. In this post I am going to entail my experience participating in this event. I also made a video also, to which I provided a link below to my YouTube channel below.
Upon arriving at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, NC, my sister and I provided our information to the check in tents and received our T-shirts along with our participant number to put on our shirts. We went inside the amphitheatre for the pre-party. This was a great pre-warm up to get the crowd amped before starting the race. As I observed the ambience of the crowd prepping for the race, I saw a number of vendors communicating with the participants and the DJ blasting some awesome music. Getting to the thought of wrapping my mind in anticipation of the race, my sister was also giving me some positive words and thoughts as we checked out some of the vendors We witnessed quite a bit of people of all ages embraced the energized environment of excitement and positivity.
By 8pm, the crowd began to gather to start the race. The first wave of runners were purely dedicated to running both laps. The next few waves were for those that wanted to take their time and enjoy it at their own pace. I surrounded myself with my sister and fellow participants, some of whom were strangers offering support and uplifting one another ready to embrace the lights and fun.
Starting the race, I was already in my mind to power walk my way to the finish line. As I made it by the lake , I was in awe of the view and the amount of participants there were. Since everyone had their glow gear on we saw an illuminated view of Symphony Lake and selfie booths along the route. This event had brought everyone from all background united by one goal: to love the triumph of movement. Though it took me a couple hours, my sister and I finally met the finish line. I crossed it with pride and proudness that I achieved a lap. A 5K normally consists of 2 laps, but one is a huge accomplishment.
But the festivities didn’t end there! The event concluded with a massive after-party consisting of amazing music the participants can dance and vibe to and food vendors to serve some great food and enjoy the crowd. Participating in the Night Nation Run was more than a race to me. It made me realize that I can take charge of my health and still live life to the fullest. I highly encourage any and everyone to participate, not only for those that are battling illness, but to improve your well being and approach to your daily life. Wanna see if the Night Nation run is in your area? Please visit www.nightnationrun.com for more information!
