Each year The Bread Basket bakes a very limited number of apple pies, and the only way to get one is through participation in the annual Signal Mountain Pie Run.
The 10k race starts at Signal Mountain Athletic Club Saturday, Oct. 27 at 8 a.m. No pre-registration is necessary; registration the day of the event begins at 7 a.m.
Julian Jackson works hard for his apple pie at a previous year's Signal Mountain Pie Run."I can't think of a better way to start your Saturday than watching the sun rise over East Brow Road," said Walden resident and race director Lee Davis.
The 10k race has been held in the same location along East Brow for 35 years; the pie element was introduced by Davis when he took over as race director in 2000.
"The idea was that pies were the emphasis instead of running for prizes," said Davis, who modeled the event after a race held in his former stomping grounds of western Massachusetts since 1896.
Another unique aspect of the race is its low entry fee of $10.
"We keep it a no-frills race," he said. "I've been running for 30 years and I don't like going to races that are expensive. The idea is that it's a celebration of the runners."
For the first time this year, funds raised through the event will benefit the Mountain Education Foundation, which Davis plans to continue to support through future races. He said his goal for the 2012 Pie Run is to raise at least $3,000 for MEF, which provides mountain schools with extras the county lacks the funds to supply, such as art instruction and new technology.
"A lot of our runners come from the Signal Mountain area, and I thought it was a good way to support the kids and schools up on Signal," said Davis, who has a daughter attending Signal Mountain Middle/High School.