In its 11th year, the Iowa State Triathlon Club Doughnut Run attracted all types of athletes to consume Krispy Kreme doughnuts while completing a 5k.

The fun and competitive race brought more than 400 athletes to campus Saturday morning.

The race, sponsored by the Iowa State Triathlon Club, is one of the club’s largest fundraisers. Most of the money raised from the Doughnut Run is used to send club members to the Collegiate National Championships.

Participants of all ages and running backgrounds came to take part or to see just how many doughnuts they could consume.

“We have lots of people who don’t eat any doughnuts and run it really fast or those who do it really slowly and eat 20 doughnuts,” said Alexandra Schenck, race director and vice president of the ISU Triathlon Club.

Many who run in the doughnut run make it an event they return to year after year, especially Joyce Bricker. Bricker, a custodian in Facilities Planning and Management, has run in every doughnut run and looks forward to it every spring.

“It’s a great time, the volunteers cheer you on and they wear costumes. No matter what your ability, you can have a good time,” Bricker said.

The race is unlike any other event for advanced runners.

“The thing I like about this race is that the speedy runner that finishes in 15 minutes doesn’t win. The person who eats 16 doughnuts in 30 minutes does,”  Bricker said.

Bricker was never an avid runner, but enjoys a challenge. During her years participating, she has had her fair share trying to figure out the right balance between doughnut eating and running.

Bricker also holds the record for most doughnuts eaten. In 2004, she ate 25 doughnuts to honor every year she had worked for Facilities Planning and Management at Iowa State.

“After the first five or six, it will start to slow you down. After the run, you don’t really care if you eat doughnuts any other time of the year. The next day I want a salad or fruit, not doughnuts or anything fried,” Bricker said.

Runners had to keep all of the 200-calorie-a-piece, deep-fried treats down until crossing the finish line in order for the time to be taken off. There were four doughnut stops along the route, each stocked with 600 Krispy Kremes, bringing the total number of doughnuts ordered to 2,400.

“We order them from Krispy Kreme in Clive far in advance and then pick them up the morning of,” Schenck said.

There weren’t an exact number of total doughnuts eaten, but it is certain Saturday was the day for eating doughnuts.

“I bet the [average person] eats four of five doughnuts a month, I just eat all mine in one day a year,” Bricker said.

Some racers have eaten enough doughnuts in order to zero out their time.

“A good time would be around five or six minutes,” Schenck said.

The men’s record stands at 28 doughnuts eaten. Winners are determined by “doughnut-adjusted time” which refers to finishing time minus the time shaved off for each doughnut eaten.

Each Krispy Kreme shaves off a different amount of time: The higher the number, the more time off. After 10, 1:30 can be taken off for each doughnut eaten.

All runners participating received a doughnut run glass. Winners in each category earned a plaque or medal.