Close to 6000 people from across the Illawarra and beyond turned out for the event known as the ‘Happiest 5k on the Planet’.

National race director Woody Sedgman said the fun run, now in its second year at Wollongong, was a major success.

Participants of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels took on the five-kilometre course, some raising funds for their favourite charities.

They wound their way through a rainbow of colour zones from Stuart Park, along Flagstaff Hill and Lang Park and back to the start for the famous finish party.

However the pressure of thousands of feet walking, skipping and dancing proved too much for Stuart Park which was left, as one North Wollongong resident put it, as a ‘‘mud pit’’.

Danny Sullivan was one of several concerned residents who contacted the Mercury in the wake of the event.

‘‘While I believe these events ought to be encouraged, and Stuart Park is a great venue, I just wonder what our council gets out of it,’’ he said.

‘‘The park is considerably churned up - it’s a quagmire - and will require a lot of council resources to get it back to what it was.

‘‘And because we are at a time of year where growth is slow, I think it will be in a bad state for a few months to come.’’

Mr Sullivan said he hoped the council received enough compensation to justify the clean-up required, and the parking and access issues for residents on the day.

‘‘This, as I understand, is not a charity event,’’ he said. ‘‘So hopefully those who profit from it are prepared to pay the price.’’

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, claimed the damage to the park was a ‘‘disaster’’ and wondered whether the event should have been allowed to go on.

‘‘We’ve had a wet run here - council should have inspected the grounds and should maybe have cancelled it,’’ he said.

A Wollongong City Council spokesperson confirmed that the Color Run organisers do pay a fee for the use of the site.

‘‘And that fee does include a bond component,’’ the spokesperson said. ‘‘We will work with the Color Run organisers to address this matter.’’

Mr Sedgman, the race director, said he was thrilled that thousands of people came out for the Color Run.

“We work closely with the Wollongong City Council and Destination Wollongong to ensure the event is safe, fun and family friendly,’’ he said.

‘‘The Color Run will work with the council to reinstate the event venue back to its original condition.”

Mr Sedgman said although the Color Run was not a charity event, participants were encouraged to ‘‘use the event as a mechanic to raise money for their chosen charity or one that is important to them.’’

Many participants had their own special reasons for taking part. Such as Samantha Williams, who has multiple sclerosis (MS), and took on the fun run as a personal challenge.

‘‘I wanted to take part as I wasn’t about to let MS run my life - even though you have a disability, it doesn’t stop you achieving your goals,’’ she said.

Ms Williams, 40, used a walking stick to get round the course with friends and family.

‘‘It was absolutely amazing,’’ she said. ‘‘Everyone was so happy.’’

And - for an event that was founded in 2012 to promote ‘‘happiness, health and individuality’’ - maybe that’s the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.