Poly’s boys and girls cross country teams held their 21st annual Bun Run Fundraiser last Saturday at Los Cerritos Park.
It is the only fundraiser for the boys and girls cross country teams for the entire year and helps to raise money for races, team trips, and banquets.
The event has evolved into a great social and athletic gathering both Poly families and the community. Roughly 600 people attended the event, 300 of which participated in the community race.
“The course’s terrain has changed over the years, but I love it because it brings back a lot of memories,” said Principal Joe Carlson. Such memories include when Poly alumnus Ethan Durham took a wrong turn and continued running down the Pacific Coast Highway.
Principal Carlson was the girls cross country coach during the first Bun Run in 1992 and has seen the event and the teams evolve and expand over the years.
“It’s encouraging to see the Bun Run grow in support each year and to know that when we leave, it will continue to surpass expectation,” said four-year runner and senior Samantha Singal.
When the first Bun Run was held at Recreation Park in Long Beach, there were only nine girls on the Poly cross country team and no community race was run.
The cinnamon buns that were once given out to the runners and from which the event originally got its name have since been replaced by a parent-made pancake breakfast and a raffle that both the runners and the community enjoy after all the races have been run.
“From a senior’s perspective, I could see that the freshman were a little jittery, but having the whole cross country family plus the community to support them, they were able to enjoy themselves and not worry too much about the times they ran,” said senior captain Kassey Garduque.
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