For the 27th year in a row, Austinites will get their buns in gear for the annual Schlotzsky’s Bun Run, the city’s longest-running 5K that hosts a current average of 5,000 competitive runners, casual joggers, walkers, dogs and onlookers of all ages for plenty of fitness and entertainment.

Scheduled for Sunday, May 3 beginning at 7:45 a.m. at South First Street near Auditorium Shores, the 2009 Bun Run is organized by the Young Men’s Business League (YMBL), and all proceeds benefit Austin YMBL Sunshine Camps, YMBL’s program for at-risk and disadvantaged youths. Austin YMBL Sunshine Camps’ adventure and scholarship programs send kids to camp and teach leadership, team-building, and trust, with the ultimate goal of eliminating the high school dropout rate and increasing college participation. The Bun Run raises an average of $50,000 annually for the camps.

Based on the success of last year’s inaugural T-shirt design contest, race organizers once again left the look of the famed long-sleeve race T-shirt up to the public. Voters in the online contest chose from five finalists’ creations, and 10 random participants received free Bun Run entries. The winning design will be revealed the weekend of the race, with the artist scheduled to receive the $1,000 grand prize during the opening ceremony. The other four finalists each won $100.

Additional events during this year’s Bun Run include the pre-race expo from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 2 and the Lil’ Bun Run 1K on the same date at 1 p.m., both at Auditorium Shores. For complete details or to register for the 2009 Bun Run, visit www.bunrun.com. Registration forms are also currently available at local Schlotzsky’s locations as well as all RunTex stores.