There’s no better way to celebrate running five or 10 kilometres than biting into a sweet cinnamon bun.
At least, that’s what the hundreds of people who participate in the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run every year in Ladysmith think.
This five-kilometre or 10-kilometre run or walk has become a much-anticipated tradition for many, and the eighth annual Cinnamon Bun Fun Run takes place Sun., Dec. 2 at the Frank Jameson Community Centre at 9:30 a.m.
All runners and walkers are welcome, and participants receive hot chocolate and cinnamon buns at the end of the event.
The Cinnamon Bun Fun Run raises money and food donations for the Ladysmith Food Bank.
Bruce Youngren of the Ladysmith Striders Running Group — Esquires Division was part of the initial conversations that led to the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run. Members of the Esquires Division meet at Esquires Coffee on Sundays and return to the coffee shop after their runs to talk and drink coffee.
It was during one of these post-run talks eight years ago that the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run was born. Youngren, Bill Adair and Kim Judson were talking, and Judson suggested they do something for the community with their running.
“We’re all community-minded,” said Youngren. “Right on the spot, [Judson] said, ‘why don’t we call it the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run?’”
With only about two months of planning, the first Cinnamon Bun Fun Run attracted 66 participants.
The run has grown a lot over the years, and in the past two years, it has averaged about 400 participants each year.
“I think we’re quickly becoming, I would say, the premier charity fun run on Vancouver Island — I don’t think there’s anything that can compete,” said Youngren.
The Cinnamon Bun Fun Run is a predicted time event. At the time of registration, participants choose to do the five- or 10-kilometre route, and they predict their finish time.
“This is the fun in the run,” said Youngren. “I think this is what makes us different. The one who wins is the one who is closest to their predicted time.“
This year, the run has a new sponsor in Frontrunners Vancouver Island, which means a new twist for the event.
“We are absolutely delighted and excited because for the first time, we have time chips,” said Youngren. “We’ve absolutely maximized our reliability, accuracy and I think simplicity. In terms of who finishes when, there will be no doubt.”
The only registration fee is a minimum of five tins of food. People can donate to the Food Bank online right at the time of registration, and by Nov. 9, participants had already donated $200.
“In that sense, we’re trying to pull out all the stops for the Food Bank,” said Youngren. “This year is a more sombre year for us because Kit [Wilmot] is not with us. Every year, he would pack up the food and speak. We want to honour his legacy every year by continuing this.
“Our town is known for its compassion and heart for volunteering, and I think our event is no exception. We had 40 volunteers last year, and I think we will have close to 50 volunteers this year. That heart of volunteering is just incredible. There seems to be no stop to the giving in our community and the surrounding area.”
The amount of food donated to the Ladysmith Food Bank has grown every year. In 2010, the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run raised 2,200 pounds of food and $2,900, and in 2011, the event raised 2,900 pounds of food and $3,400.
The run begins at the Frank Jameson Community Centre, and registration starts at 8:30 a.m. Any last-minute decisions related to weather will be posted on the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run website, which is maintained by race director John Mountain.
