Family-Friendly Fun Run Gets Glowing Reviews From Participants

(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) – Picture some neon, at night. Picture being doused with water. Now picture you and your family and friends running (and dancing) a 5K while covered in neon glow water and lit up under black lights!

A fair question would be: What in the world is this? Well, it’s “the most magical 5K on Earth,” to put it in a nutshell. And it’s called the Neon Splash Dash and it’s returning to the Valley of the Sun on May 11th at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. The magic begins when runners are doused with neon fluorescent glow water and then lit up under professional-strength black lights, all while jamming to their favorite tunes.

Now, if running while you’re glowing isn’t enough fun for you, there is an aptly-named After Glow Party, with DJs spinning the tunes, as well as other performances.

There are some other running events that involve neon (yes, true) and promise to be fun. But this is the one neon running event that delivers on its promise to be a well-organized family-friendly fun run. Just ask our past participants or look at the video and gallery page on our website: www.neonsplashdash.com.

Brian Dowdy, a spokesman for the run, said, “We wanted a race designed specifically to be a lot of fun, and that it could be accessible to everyone. People of all ages and conditions are encouraged to participate, and have a blast while doing it.”

Races in other cities across the country are already scheduled for 2013.

New runners will find the Neon Splash Dash to be a blast. No stressing out about your finish time or beating other runners. The Splash Dash is in a league of its own. And that league is all about FUN! The event thrives on bringing communities together in a healthy and happy (and glowing!) environment while making a difference in others’ lives.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit Camp Kesem- ASU, a local chapter of a national organization that creates, “college student run summer camp for kids with a parent who has cancer, is in remission from cancer, or has passed away from cancer.”

A representative for the camp, Chris Gering said, “Having the support of the Neon Splash Dash furthers our motivation to continue our pursuits in changing the lives of children. We are both thankful and excited for this opportunity, not only for the children we serve, but for our student leaders that make the program possible. It is through the collaboration with other local organizations and events such as this that allow Camp Kesem to grow and continue providing joy and life-changing benefits to children who need it.” To learn more, go to: http://campkesem.org/asu.

More information, as well as how to register, can be found at www.neonsplashdash.com

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A Run to Brighten the Mood

Salt River Fields to host a unique concept that turns a night race into a fun party,complete with flourescent colors, black lights and raising money for Camp Kesem.
by Jim Brophy
Editor

When this race is over, the faces of the runners are sure to have a glow about them. And not just their faces. The rest of their bodies will probably glow, too.

That’s the point of the Neon Splash Dash that will wind through Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort on Saturday, May 11. It’s a night race for fun and charity where runners get splashed at intervals with a custom water-based mixture that glows vividly under professional-grade ultraviolet lights.

“It’s a new concept we came up with, and it’s just really exploded,” said Brian Dowdy, race director for Neon Splash Dash. “We get a lot of people who come out and bring their kids. It’s just a fun, family event.”

Music will be pumping at every checkpoint to add to the energy as participants run, walk or dance over the 5K course. Dowdy said they tried the concept last year in Chandler and it was a success, with about 4,000 entrants.

This year the event has expanded to 15 cities, including Scottsdale.

A recent Splash Dash in Houston was expected to have about 9,000 entrants, and their goal for Scottsdale is around

8,000, he said. Organizers hope to expand to about 40 cities next year.

Each race has a designated charity. The Scottsdale race beneficiary is Camp Kesem, which sends kids who have a

parent with cancer to a weeklong camp just to have fun. The camp is run through Arizona State University.

Dowdy would not say how much money they expect to raise but added it would be significant, in the thousands of

dollars.

“They are such a wonderful organization,” he said of Camp Kesem. “They have a small operating budget, so it’s a

really cool thing.”

There are night races that are run as raves, but Neon Splash Dash is a family event and young kids are welcome, said

Dowdy, who added he doesn’t worry about bringing his 4-year-old daughter to the race.

Runners are all ages and skill levels, he said, from serious runners who come out to have some fun to newer runners

trying a 5K for the first time.

Even the volunteers, many of whom are high school and college students, enjoy the event. The gates open at 5:30

p.m. and the race starts at 7:30 p.m., and there is an “after glow party” at 8:15 p.m. The cost to register ranges from $40 for early birds to $55 for late registration (after May 1).

Below are some answers to a few frequently asked questions about the event, courtesy of neonsplashdash.com:

Do I have to be a great runner?

You can choose to run/walk or even just walk the entire thing if you’d like. Most people slow way down and walk

thru the glow zones anyways, so you have plenty of time to dance and catch your breath.

What should I wear?

All runners must wear a solid white T-shirt. We encourage all runners to wear outfits or costumes consisting of:

glow-in-the-dark or LED items (bracelets, necklaces, flashers, etc), long socks, fluorescent colors, accessories, etc. Feel free to throw on some fluorescent body paint for added fun! Remember, we have a costume contest where the prize awarded is an Apple iPad!

Do I need a change of clothes?

You may want to have some handy if you’re worried about it. However, the Glow Water dries quickly, and you

should be completely dry by the time you make it back to your car.

What is the Glow Water?

The Glow Water is our own specially formulated mixture that is almost completely water. It is safe, nontoxic,

biodegradable and gluten free. It probably won’t taste great, but it won’t hurt you or your eyes.

Is this a timed run?

No. This is a fun run style event, so no there’s no need to try to compete for times.

ASU’S Camp Kesem
A WORTHY BENEFIT

This year’s Neon Splash Dash in Scottsdale will benefit Camp Kesem, run by Arizona State University students. Camp Kesem is a summer camp for kids with a parent who has (or has had) cancer that offers one-week sleep-away camps. It’s a chance for children ages 6-16 to have a fun-filled week and just be kids. Camp Kesem’s main goal of giving campers the most fun week possible, while providing the extra support and attention they need. Kesem means “magic” in Hebrew, and the camp’s founders chose the name because their goal was to bring magic to families coping with cancer. Kesem is a secular camp and that is open to student volunteers and campers of all backgrounds. The stay at the camp is offered

to families for free because of the financial burdens they have faced, although families are invited to make donations. — campkesem.org/asu

NOW HIRING! Please hit SHARE and help spread the word! You might help someone start a new career!

We’re looking for hard working, enthusiastic, fun loving individuals for a few new positions! All positions are located in Arizona (must already live in AZ or be willing to relocate). Positive, Fun-Loving Attitudes required!

MARKETING: Looking for Experienced, Educated and Creative individual for Marketing Department. Full or Part Time.

ROAD CREW: Multiple Positions being hired- must be hard working, responsible, tons of FUN with a clean driving record.

INTERNSHIP: All departments! Get your hands dirty (or colored NEON?) and gain valuable first hand experience to prepare you for your next step!

Send your detailed resume to: info@neonsplashdash.com

Email: info@neonsplashdash

Phone: (480)696-4759

ILLUMINATING 5K MAKES A SPLASH IN HOUSTON

Houston, TX (February 7^th, 2013) – Houston  residents are invited to come out March 23rd to participate in the Neon Splash Dash at Reliant Park. The Neon Splash Dash is a night time fun run in which participants are doused with neon fluorescent glow water under professional-strength black lights.

Brian Dowdy, a spokesman for the run, says, “We wanted a race designed specifically to be a lot of fun, so that it would be accessible to everyone. People of all ages and conditions can easily complete this course, and have a blast while doing it.” New runners will find it an exciting welcome to the world of 5ks. For experienced runners, it’s a unique change of pace. Families are encouraged to participate, and a discounted registration fee is offered to those signing up as a team of four or more.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit Team RWB Houston, a local chapter of a national organization whose efforts are “transforming the way that America supports its veterans when they return from combat.”

Along with the race will be a Costume Contest and After Glow Party, featuring DJs, as well as dancers and other performers. Races in other cities across the country are already scheduled for 2013.

More information, as well as how to register, can be found at www.neonsplashdash.com

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We now are offering Vinyl Car Decals in our online store! Throw it on your car and brag to all your friends about the BEST 5k you’ve ever ran! Check it out!

So if we’re going to keep those New Year’s Resolutions, we need a motivator. Something that’s going to get us through the difficult stretch between the initial excitement and the point where these practices become habits. What better way to keep that motivation than training for the Neon Splash Dash? For one thing it’s attainable; at 5k, it’s a fairly short fun-run so even inexperienced runners can prepare for it with a decent regimen. While most of us would love to be able to fulfill our weight loss goals in a month, it’s often just not realistic. Training for a 5k is a reasonable goal for most people, with a focus toward a definite, measurable result. And if you sign up as a team, you have friends and workout partners to train with and help keep you on track.

The other great thing about prepping for the Neon Splash Dash is how much fun you’ll have once you reach your goal. Not only do you get the satisfaction of completing a New Year’s resolution, you’ll also have an unforgettable experience while running it. Plus, all that training will make sure you can finish the race with enough energy to dance at the After-Glow Party. And you’ll have some cool new pictures to pin online next to your quinoa recipes.

The easiest way to follow this fool-proof plan is to download one of the Couch to 5k apps, available for your phone and other devices. My favorite is: http://c25kfree.com/. These apps let you listen to music, while they alert you with whether to walk or run. For those of you who like it to be laid out for you here is how it works according to http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml:

Plan to take a day off between each workout and give yourself two days to relax after the third workout each week.

Now get out there and start running so you can join thousands of others in the Craziest Night Time Glow Run EVER!