Sixty years ago on Auburn’s University’s campus, an 18-year-old freshman began a race that would stay with him for years to come.
This freshman was Roy Ward. As he returns to Auburn in the weeks to come, he is preparing to run this same race once again at age 78, along with his two sons and their children.
The race is the annual Rosen-Hutsell Omicron Delta Kappa Cake Race that begins on campus at Cater Lawn, runs through downtown Auburn and ends on the 50-yard line of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
This year will be the 90th anniversary of the race.
“My goal is to just cross the finish line this year,” he said.
Back in his freshman year, Ward was the 14th runner to cross the finish line, which was a feat considering that was the first race he had ever run.
Ward originally decided to run the race after being encouraged to do so by his fraternity, Kappa Sigma, since he said they were making all the pledges do it. However, with the promise of winning a free cake for the first 25 runners to cross the 50-yard line and a kiss from Miss Auburn for the first male winner, it didn’t take much persuasion for Ward to want to participate.
Ward successfully finished the race in 1958 and continued to have success in the greater race of life as he graduated Auburn in 1964 with a degree in accounting and started a family of his own.
Ward said he absolutely loves Auburn and his time he spent at the school. Although this is a simple statement, it encompasses the very heart of what this school strives to be for students, a loving family. His words echo the final words of Auburn’s Creed, “I believe in Auburn and love it.”
Auburn University is all about tradition and legacy, so it makes sense that Ward’s two sons decided to follow in their father’s footsteps by attending Auburn. They chose a different career path than their father as they both graduated from Auburn’s dental program, but one thing they certainly seem to have inherited from him is their love of running.
Ward said that he did not run much after his college years, which is understandable considering he was busy raising a family with his wife, Jeanette Ward, and making a place for himself in the business world. Nevertheless, he realized the importance and joy of daily exercise and resumed his healthy lifestyle of running while in his late 30s.
Now, Ward runs alongside his sons, and even his grandchildren got to join in on the fun as the whole family recently participated in a half marathon together. Although Ward cherishes these moments with his family, running means more to him than just a fun time. For him, it is a lifestyle.
“I just want to see my grandchildren grow up,” Ward said, the reason he gives his all to running.
Ward lost his wife to cancer and his sons lost their mother three years ago, so it is clear why close family ties and staying healthy are priorities in his life.
Running is the way Ward has been able to stay active and stay connected to his whole family, so, of course, his sons knew about his original race, the cake race.
“I mentioned to the boys that you could win a cake, and they really liked the idea of that,” Ward said.
His sons decided that going back to run the race would be a great thing for them to do as a family, so with the incentive of free cake and old memories, they told Ward to start training.
“I have been training for the past three months and running a 5K three days a week,” Ward said.
Ward will be back at Auburn on Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. to the run race he did so many years ago, this time with a new generation of runners and his family by his side.
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