HAMTRAMCK, Mich. – Everyone who participates gets to be polish for the day.
The 4th annual Paczki Run is a celebration of Polish culture that starts with a 5K and ends with paczki.
“You burn all the calories off and then just put them back on,” Josh Regnerus said.
Runners have more than fitness as a motivator. The prize is a rich doughy treat.
“The reward at the end, the paczki that’s bigger than a pizza pie is the best part,” said Kelley Riley. “I think you burn 1,000 calories running a 5K and a paczki, I believe, has 1,800 so we probably should do it twice.”
In the past three years, Tour de Troit has raised more than $10,000 each year for charitable causes. This year, the money raised will help build bike paths and walking trails throughout Hamtramck. Organizers said they expect to donate more this year in part because they didn’t have to pay for snow removal.
The tradition of “Fat Tuesday” is the last chance for Catholics to indulge before Lent.
From music, to dancing, and paczki, the celebration was everything Polish.
“I love it,” said Regnerus. “Get the polka going puts you in a good mood.”
More than 2,500 people took part in this year’s run.