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Krispy Kreme and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation are holding race today asking participants to run 1.5 miles from College Hill to Krispy Kreme, attempt to eat a dozen doughnuts and run 1.5 miles back to the parking lot. Would you do it?

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Day: Running for doughnuts with (rain) sprinkles

Featuring video from the pavement

By By Kristin Day
The Daily Reflector

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Your ideal Saturday morning probably doesn’t include waking up at 6 a.m., driving to ECU and running in the rain for about an hour with only a doughnut break for nourishment at the half-way mark.

It sure isn’t mine.

But that’s what I and about 50 other people did Saturday in support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. It was the organizers’ first Greenville Krispy Kreme Run and began under some pretty wet conditions.

Still, before 7:30 a.m., the Commuter Lot at the bottom of College Hill Drive began progressively filling with volunteers from JDRF and ECU’s Phi Sigma Pi honor fraternity, as well as runners ready to tackle 3 miles before the thunder and downpour was to begin. I was there in my best runner’s gear: sneakers, leggings, ECU hoodie, wrist band, ripped T-shirt strip around my head (to keep the sweat and rain out of my eyes), and a video camera securely resting in my fanny pack.

At 8:05 a.m. we were off, making our way with only the protection of those little orange traffic cones. Down College Hill Drive; up 10th Street; through River Hills; back down to 10th Street; up the hill; turn by the frat house; go to Charles Boulevard and hang a right.

Some sprang ahead, but knowing my limitations, I told myself it was OK to walk, and kept one thought in my mind: It’ll all be over by 10. Still, with so many people around, it was easier to push myself. Not to mention the volunteers who stood in one place in the rain and enthusiastically hooted and high-fived everyone who passed by. They simply are the greatest.

So I kept running with my left hand protecting the video camera in my fanny pack, and my right propelling me forward.

As the sprinkle turned into a drizzle, I spotted Charles Boulevard and inwardly rejoiced at the nearing half-way point. But my jubilation subtly subsided as I watched the first runner pass me, already on his way back. And then another glided by with a Krispy Kreme box under his arm.

Talk about incentive.

Now, I’m also a member of The Reflector’s team for Live Healthy Greenville. For 100 days, we “compete” with other local businesses for who can do the most activity and/or lose the most weight. So the three-mile walk/run I’m OK with. But a dozen doughnuts? Eh, not so much.

I ate a doughnut, drank some water and headed back with the fanny pack in my left hand, and my new doughnut box under my right arm.

With about half a mile left, the rain began to pour. I started jogging downhill, fanny pack still in my hand, doughnuts begging to crumple under my arm, and my Achilles tendons rubbed raw from the back of my tennis shoe. Still, I felt great. I was keeping a nice, steady pace, I was almost to the end, and my Krispy Kreme box had only begun to tear.

Left foot.

Right foot.

Left foot.

Right foot.

Until I felt a pull on my left foot. My lace was coming undone.

Left foot.

Right foot.

Nooooooo.

Right foot.

Stooooppp!

Right foot.

Stay put!

Knowing my cardboard box would likely disintegrate if I sat it on the wet pavement, I reluctantly yielded, asked a volunteer to hold the doughnuts for me, and tied my shoe.

Back to the pavement.

Now, I should say here that I’m not a good runner. I never was. I used to pretend to be for cool points, but then I turned 18 and gave up delusions of grandeur. So I was happy to be working since it gave me an excuse to put aside my highly competitive nature and be OK with the more athletically equipped runners passing. I even dressed the part to give myself a laugh when one was needed.

And while there were a handful of supporters who I would bet ran electively at least a couple of times a week, there were many out there just like me, except better. Because they came out to jog in the rain when they could’ve used their free time to sleep in on a Saturday morning — and it was all in the name of charity.

I crossed the finish line with about a dozen people or so waiting. After recording how many doughnuts I ate, I walked back to my car, thinking that if it was well enough before 10 a.m., I would stay for a bit to see the results.

It was 8:48.

I tore off my T-shirt/headband, threw the soggy doughnut box and drenched fanny pack in the backseat, and went back to the road to cheer on the others as they returned — this time, in all seriousness.

Contact Kristin Day at kday@coxnc.com or (252) 329-9579.

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View comments (18)

03/06/2009 10:21:04 AM

All of you who think it's crazy to base a diabetes fundraiser around doughnuts...that's the point! The purpose in running for diabetes and doughnuts is to remind people how dangerous something as simple as a doughnut can be for someone with Type 1 diabetes.

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Krispy Kreme and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation are holding race today asking participants to run 1.5 miles from College Hill to Krispy Kreme, attempt to eat a dozen doughnuts and run 1.5 miles back to the parking lot. Would you do it?

Day: Running for doughnuts with (rain) sprinkles

Featuring video from the pavement

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