Doughnut Dash 2016

5 Kilometres, 5 Doughnuts.

Review by Jon Chatty.

Arriving in Castle park, Colchester and seeing the course all set up brought back memories from running in this race the previous year and reminded me that I hadn’t eaten many doughnuts since.

The format is simple. Run 5 KM consuming one doughnut after each kilometre. You get a sticker on your race number for each doughnut eaten, once you have all five stickers you can collect your medal at the finish line.

At registration, I was handed my race number (where the all important stickers would go) and a sick bag! No chip timing here, this was all about having fun and trying to keep the doughnuts down

This event is for all the family and first up was a junior dash over 500m or 1 KM. Just in case all the sugary treats on offer weren’t enough encouragement there was a very energetic warm up provided by PT Emz. The kids course was around a square close to the event village and they were required to scoff down two mini doughnuts each lap. Their chocolate covered smiles showed what fun they were having.

It was now the adults turn. I had put in the training this time (eating a doughnut on Thursday counts right?) I set off at speed along the fast grassy route arriving at the first kilometre to a chocolate covered ring doughnut in the first group of runners.

All the day’s doughnuts were supplied by Gregg’s. I normally like washing these down with a coffee but as a hot beverage wasn’t on offer here I chose to take small bites trying not to think about the tact that I still had another four ahead of me. Once completed and sticker on my number I was allowed to continue on.

I flew through the next kilometre as the course went from grass to pathway but the dreaded sprinkled doughnut awaited. Last year I’d really struggled to make my way through this one but this time it went down ok (all the training must have paid off).

Looking at the expression on other racers faces of ‘what are we doing’ I still wasn’t convinced that I didn’t have chocolate all over my face from the first one.

Striding around the pond and past the boating lake I began lap two whilst being handed a much needed bottle of water. Next I was running up a hill then a left turn took me back down. It was at this point I noticed a marshal chasing me to tell me that I’ve taken a wrong turn. After making my way back on course it wasn’t long until the glazed ring doughnut at 3 KM. Just being glazed was great and it went down a treat but I was in total awe of another runner who ate it in one go. Legend!

With sticker number three collected thoughts of what was coming next were making me regret not taking up the offer of that sick bag but the slight of a toffee topped ring doughnut came with great relief. It was really sticky but tasty and knowing only one more sweet delight stood between me and the finish helped me consume it using the tactic of smaller and longer bites.

Running around the final kilometre enjoying the sun on the lake and hearing the music from the event village I approach the last stumbling block. The old faithful jam doughnut. With the finish line in full view and jam pouring down my chin I eat it down as fast as I could. One short sprit and with sugar coated lips I proudly showed my five stickers and had the medal hung around my neck.

This event is definitely one staying on my annual calendar. It pumps the fun back into running with no real competition and just good laughs. Saying that I can honestly say I’d rather an incline wall over a doughnut when in a race any day. The Doughnut Dash is a very well ran family event and its all in aid of Kidney Research UK.