Sunday was a record-setting day for the organizers of the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run.
The eighth annual Cinnamon Bun Fun Run, held Sun., Dec. 2 at the Frank Jameson Community Centre, saw 492 runners and walkers cross the finish line, up from the 408 people who participated last year.
Participants donated $2,800 and just over 4,000 pounds of food to the Ladysmith Food Bank — a jump from the 2,900 pounds of food they raised last year.
More than 50 volunteers helped make this year’s event, which is organized by the Ladysmith Striders Running Group — Esquires Division, such a success.
“It seemed to go smoothly,” said Bruce Youngren of the Striders.
Youngren is very grateful to the community for supporting the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run.
“I would like to thank everybody who came out and supported what we do and supported the food bank at the same time,” he said. “It was the biggest and really the most successful Cinnamon Bun Fun Run, and that’s because of all the support of the businesses and community in the surrounding area.”
Youngren says runners and walkers came from as far as Victoria and Campbell River to participate in the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run this year, and he loved seeing so many families getting their children involved and so many young parents pushing strollers.
“We’re trying to meet the needs of families, and families are supporting it,” he said.
This year’s run/walk featured new timing chips from new sponsor Frontrunners Vancouver Island, and Youngren said they helped a lot.
“It really allowed for us to measure the times very specifically,” he said. “It also freed up our volunteers to do other things.”
The Cinnamon Bun Fun Run is a predicted time event, and prizes are given out to those who finish closest to their predicted time.
The first-place winner was Cheryl Woodhouse, who finished the five-kilometre run in 35:00.38, just 0:00.38 off her predicted time of 35 minutes.
Lisa Marshall finished second after completing the five-kilometre run in 31:29.54 — 0:00.46 off her predicted time of 31:30.
Third place went to Tasha Scott, who ran five kilometers in 45:00.83, 0:00.83 off her predicted time of 45 minutes.
Full results are available online.
