The 10th annual Cinnamon Bun Fun Run hit a new high, raising a record 6,340 pounds of food for the Ladysmith Food Bank.
Cinnamon Bun Fun Run race director John Mountain, a member of the Ladysmith Striders Running Group that organizes this annual fun run, says it looks like the 465 runners and walkers came to the Nov. 30 event at the Frank Jameson Community Centre in Ladysmith with eight to 10 food items each, which is far more than the five-item entry fee and helped them surpass last year’s record of 5,000 pounds.
The fun run also raised more than $2,849 for the Ladysmith Food Bank.
“This year, participants again traveled to Ladysmith from all over the Island, with a very large contingent coming from Nanaimo followed by Ladysmith and Duncan,” Mountain said in an e-mail to the Chronicle. “There was even someone visiting from Telkwa in northern B.C. who ended up being one of the last ones to finish the 10K distance and became the event winner with a time that almost matched her predicted time to the exact second. It just goes to show that it doesn’t matter what the level your running or walking happens to be — anyone with a sharp sense of time can win!”
This year, the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run sold out in six days.
Mountain is grateful for the local business community.
“We had plenty of support from local businesses, and, like last year, LCU Insurance, Town of Ladysmith Parks and Rec, Old Town Bakery, Ladysmith and District Credit Union, Starbucks Coffee, and PAR4 DJ Services pitched in with resources to make it all happen,” he said. “Nanaimo Frontrunners — also a huge supporter — donated a pair of both women’s and men’s New Balance running shoes that were given away as the final two draw prizes.”
The Ladysmith Striders Running Group has been organizing this event since the beginning.
“They are a real dedicated bunch of runners that feel very strongly of giving back to the community in a way that provides support to those less fortunate among us — it’s the main reason why we created this charity event to collect food for the Ladysmith Food Bank,” said Mountain.
Full results can be found online at http://racedaytiming.ca.
