A mass of darty-goers and curious onlookers gathered on Mad Bowl Saturday as red-haired University students took the field for the second annual “Ginger Run.” The event, orchestrated to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, was advertised on Instagram by Barstool U.Va. March 16 in a post that invited all gingers to participate.
Come Saturday afternoon, hundreds of redheads dashed across the field, eager to emerge victorious — or simply avoid coming in last. But once racers crossed the finish line, the festivities were quickly suspended by police who told students to clear the field.
The Ginger Run, originally a long-standing tradition at the University of Dayton, garnered national attention after going viral on TikTok in 2023. Many colleges, such as Georgetown, Notre Dame and Boston College subsequently adopted their own version, and last year, the University followed suit.
Mary Ellen Schuster, Ginger Run participant and fourth-year College student, said that the event has become an important part of University culture and that she appreciates having been able to partake.
“I absolutely love the event,” Schuster said. “It’s so cool to see everyone lined up in their green cheering on the gingers. Even if it’s a bit silly, it’s cool to have participated in a tradition that has become so cherished at U.Va.”
During the University’s Ginger Run, participants line up on the side of Mad Bowl opposite the Rotunda before sprinting across to the other end of the three-acre field. This year, most runners were authentic gingers, but some non-ginger students sported neon-orange wigs so that they could participate. About 200 redheads participated in the dash, and several hundreds more students spectated the event on either side of the racecourse.
Prior to the race, first-year Engineering student Lauryn Kenney stood among the mass of contestants behind the start line, stretching and doing some high-knee exercises to maximize her chances of crossing the finish line first. Though she had originally harboured some anxiety leading up to the race, she said that she felt encouraged as she laced up her running shoes.
“It’s scary knowing that people will perceive me in the vulnerable state of running. But my Irish heritage has prepared me to face this,” Kenney said. “I’m feeling Leprechaun.”
Schuster likewise felt confident about the race, having conveniently run the Charlottesville 10-miler that morning to warm up.
“I am feeling absolutely incredible,” Schuster said. “Last year, I was [in the] middle of the pack, but I’ve been training all year for this, so I'm definitely aiming to place this time. [I’m] just going to go out there and leave it all on the field.”
Saturday was third-year College student Madeline Livingston’s second time participating in the Ginger Run. She said that she was grateful to have such an event at the University, not only to celebrate Irish culture, but to celebrate a hair color that is often ridiculed and viewed as strange. Livingston was excited to display her ginger pride as a part of the 2 percent of people with red hair.
“I think being a ginger at U.Va. means a lot … I'm really proud that U.Va. maintains a steady population [of gingers],” Livingston said. “I think that [the event] is really important, and I'm excited to be representing our people today.”
On the other hand, some ginger students opted to not participate in the race, instead joining the mass of spectators to cheer on their friends. Second-year College student Molly Russell was among this group. Though she completed the race last year, she decided to sit out this year’s race due to her shin splints.
“[Not participating] was a really hard decision to come to,” Russell said. “But unfortunately … I am unable to run the Ginger Run this year.”
However, Russell chose to stay optimistic, shifting her focus to being a supportive onlooker.
“Luckily, I have a lot of ginger friends … and I'm very excited to be cheering [them] on this year,” Russell said.
To students’ surprise, multiple police officers arrived at Mad Bowl 20 minutes before the race was set to commence. They informed the crowd that the field was closed and told students to pour out all alcoholic beverages. Though this originally sparked concern that the Ginger Run would not be able to take place, the race prevailed — though students had to clear the field quickly after it ended.
Once the race had concluded, first-year College student William Green expressed discontent with his Ginger Run experience, citing the unexpected police intervention as one of its downfalls. He also condemned the event’s lack of organization, which cast chaos and disillusionment among the runners.
“The Ginger Run was a complete fiasco,” Green said. “There were many imposters who should not have been running, and there was no official start, meaning some people started very early … You’d really expect better organization from a group as prestigious as Barstool U.Va.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Kenney said that she enjoyed the event, and she reflected on her performance in the race with satisfaction.
“My goal was not to get last place,” Kenney said. “And I accomplished that.”
Kenney said that she appreciated how the event fostered community bonding and celebrated the culture and tradition of St. Patrick’s Day. Happy with her experience on Saturday, Kenney plans to participate in the Ginger Run again next year.
“I had a really good time, and I felt [I] further bonded with my ginger brethren,” Kenney said. “It was nice to honor the ancestors. [I am] proud to be Irish.”
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