Steve Cram has joined over 150 people on a social ‘Doughnut Run’ to launch the route for a new 5K race in Sunderland. The special event started and finished at Sheepfolds Stables, and revealed details of the SG Petch Sunderland City 5K, which will take place on the evening of Saturday 16 May.
Sunderland City Runs founder Cram teamed up with Chris Dickson from title partner SG Petch and Deep North Coffee to host the social run, which they led alongside the team from the local ‘Fuelled by Doughnuts’ running club Wild Wellness. The event started and finished at Sheepfolds Stables, which will be the location of the post-race runners’ village when the new 5K takes place. Every participant was treated to a free cherry doughnut and the evening concluded with a ‘Crammy Quiz’ – SG Petch provided the winner with a Chery car to use for the weekend.
The social run was part of the build up to the 2026 Sunderland City Runs, which will be held on 16 and 17 May and are being organised by Events of the North, in partnership with Active Sunderland, Sunderland City Council. The new Sunderland City 5K will take place on the evening of Saturday 16 May, followed by the popular 10K, half marathon and the Active Sunderland 3K on the morning of Sunday 17 May.
The new SG Petch Sunderland City Runs 5K has been designed to attract both committed athletes and people who have just started running, or are planning to get more active through initiatives like Couch to 5K. With a schedule of races on both Saturday and Sunday, Sunderland City Runs organisers are also hoping to attract participants from outside the region. The Doughnut Run route included a brief stop outside Sunderland’s Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, which is offering special discounts for runners over the weekend.
Steve Cram, founder of the SG Petch Sunderland City Runs, comments: “It was brilliant to see so many people turn out for the Doughnut Run – I’m sure that they were there mainly to see the new 5K route, and not just for the sweet treat afterwards! We’re determined to make the Sunderland City Runs as inclusive as possible, so that it appeals to runners of all ages and abilities. So it’s great to work with SG Petch and Deep North Coffee on initiatives like this that bring people together in a really welcoming and upbeat environment. I hope that this inspires more people to commit to joining us for at least one of the races on 16 and 17 May.
For more information about the SG Petch Sunderland City Runs and to book a place at the 2026 event, visit www.sunderlandcity10k.com.
