Every runner loves a good run. Everyone loves a good donut. What happens when you mix the two? The 4x400m donut relay. Tasty competitors have been entering the contest at Gulf High School for the past 19 years! Assistant coach Val Lofton says it's a good way to break up a sometimes monotonous season.
"It's something fun and different for the teams. We start the day off with a girls 3x1 mile XC relay, then do a boys 3x1 mile and then a co-ed 3x1 mile. We end with a 4x400 donut relay, which can be any mixture, female, male or coed."
The meet usually draws between ten and a dozen teams. Each of the dozen teams, gets a dozen donuts, and the must be assorted variety to qualify. Lofton explains that each athlete must eat three donuts and then run a lap.
"hey may not dunk their donuts, may not throw up until they have made it 100 meters, they may not spit out donuts. When the have consumed (officially swallowed according to their judge) they may run their lap. The next person may start eating once the runner passes them."
So how many kids end up getting sick and what is the donut of choice?
A lot of kids get sick. Most people want the glazed and non-cake donut. You don't want to be the 4th leg. You get what ever is left.."
Who knows maybe the key to eating donuts isn't speed, maybe it's age and experience!