Trail Running Blog

Color Me Rad Race Report & LG Tone Active Review

I had the opportunity to participate in the Color Me Rad run at the Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego, while testing out the new LG Tone Active bluetooth headset. I’ll provide a quick recap of the race with some photos, followed by a more in-depth post about my experience using the headset. 

Color Me Rad Race Report

Because the race was on a military base, I knew that there would be a security checkpoint before being able to go inside the base. I had a similar experience when I ran the Heartbreak Ridge Half Marathon at Camp Pendleton. Unfortunately, the address for the actual race location was not very clear. We were actually told to another part of the base 2 times before finally getting to the line to park our cars on the base. Once we got onto the base, I noticed there were people already running on the course, I guess they had different waves of runners throughout the morning. Our race was scheduled for 10am and we arrived just before then. I’ve ran another color run before, so I sort of knew what to expect. I wore clothes that I was OK with having to throw away in case the color didn’t wash off. I put my smartphone in a Ziploc bag to prevent any dust from getting on the phone. The LG team also provided hats and sunglasses, which was very useful during the run.

The color stations were similar to the last color run I participated in a few years ago. Some volunteers were more aggressive and enthusiastic about tossing colored powder at the runners. What was different about this race was that they had these color ‘gel’ stations in between the regular powder I was used to. If you look at the pictures on the website, you can see what looks like this thick, gooey colored substance. But at the stations, it was just the colored powder, mixed with water that got sprayed on us. This was a little underwhelming and reminds me a lot of the story of the Electric Foam 5K race that went out of business. Check out the photo that Runner’s World shared:

The course for the race was interesting, it was basically around the air strip for the base. It would have been pretty boring, but what made it even cooler was being able to run (and take photos) right in front of a bunch of crazy looking airplanes and jets. Obviously, with these fun, themed runs, you don’t go for time. So it was just a nice way of getting out and running (after I had completed my Insanity workout).

Check out some photos from the race:

LG Tone Active Review

I was excited to try out the new LG Tone Active headsets. I had received an older model (LG Tone Pro) and actually really enjoyed using them. I actually included them in a holiday gift guide I published not too long ago. The two major issues I had (which caused me to stop using them) was that the volume was way too low. Even with both earbuds in, I could barely hear the audio that was coming from my phone. But the bigger issue I had was that the base of the headset would bounce on my collar bone while running. I’m pretty sure that was just an issue for me since my collar bone sticks out more than usual.

The LG Tone Active headset fixed all of the issues I had in the previous model. The base was a little heavier, but not to the point where it would bother me during a run. In fact, I didn’t even notice I was wearing them during the Color Me Rad run. Pairing the headset was super easy and I did not have any issues connecting it to my phone. And the volume was perfect, I was able to hear it, even while only wearing one earbud. One of the newest features of the headset is the retractable earbuds, which I think is super useful. Because this is the Active series, it’s also waterproof, which I think will be very useful for me since I sweat a lot when I run! I tested the microphone on the headset and it worked flawlessly (I was also able to make some voice commands in Google Now, which I really liked!)

Here are the official details for the LG Tone Active headset:

• IPX3 Water & Sweat Resistance Rating – Compatible for life’s toughest workouts to handle sweat in the hottest conditions in the gym or out on the trail
• Durable & Lightweight – Durable yet lightweight, with a contoured, around-the-neck wearing style
• Retractable Earbuds – Customized fit with two sizes of stabilizer buds for a more secure and comfortable fit and a simple, unique solution for cord management
• Bluetooth® Wireless Technology – Hassle-free device connectivity, compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled smartphone
• Quad-Layer Speaker Technology™ & Digital MEMS Microphone – Robust bass, crisp treble, less distortion on high frequencies and exceptional voice clarity

Key LG TONE Active technical specifications include:

• Music Listening Time: Up to 9.5 hours
• Talk Time: Up to 13 hours
• Standby Time: Up to 18 days
• Weight: 1.7 oz.
• Bluetooth® Specification: Version 4.1
• Bluetooth Profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
• Operating Range: 33 ft.
• Tone & Talk™: SMS reader
• aptX® Compatible
• Multi-Connection: Pair up to 2 devices