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Vancouver’s Big Jungle Run in Burnaby

Big Jungle Run

The Big Jungle Run is a family-friendly event at Burnaby Lake in Burnaby. It’s a fun running event with costumes, prizes and beautiful scenery to enjoy.

The run took place on Saturday, May 25th in 2024. The 2025 event date is to be confirmed.

This event is part of the Big Fun Run Series which includes the Big 80’s Run and Big Easter Run in spring, Big Pirate Run and Big Halloween Run in autumn, and the Big Elf Run a few weeks before Christmas. All of the runs in the series are fun and non-competitive. The focus is on fun, not finish times (and everyone gets a medal for participation).

For full details about the event, and to register, visit the Big Jungle Run website.

(TIP: If you use the promo code VBP10 you’ll save yourself 10% on your run entrance fee!)

 


This article contains the following information about the Big Jungle Run:

Location and Registration | What to Expect | Big Fun Run Series | Other Information


 

Big Jungle Run

 

The Big Jungle Run at Burnaby Lake

The third edition of the Big Jungle Run event happened on Saturday, May 25th, 2024. In the past it used to take place in March. Now, in March, instead, there is the Big 80’s Run which takes place at Central Park. It too is a fun event and part of the same series.

The Big Jungle Run normally includes three different distances to choose from. There is a 1 km Kids’ Run as well as both 5 km and 10 km distances for everyone.

This event is meant to be a fun one for people of all ages. The routes themselves are flat and go through pleasant, wooded areas. Everyone who participates receives a medal. There are also prizes for various categories (most of which don’t have to do with speed!).

A couple of years ago the most impressive costume, in our opinion, was a person dressed up as a T-Rex dinosaur. It was a hot day, though, so part way through the participant had to take some of the costume off. He looked pretty cool, though, waddling along with his family on the trail!

 


To register and for full details about the event, visit the Big Jungle Run website.


 

Big Jungle Run in Burnaby

 

Location and Registration

The Big Jungle Run happens in Burnaby Lake Park. The runs begin and end not far from the Burnaby Lake Rugby Club at 3760 Sperling Avenue. The run used to start at the edge of the big field on the other side of the Rugby Club’s building from Bill Copeland Sports Centre. As of 2024, however, it happened a little bit further south.

The routes are all set up so that participants run a certain distance away from the starting line, and then when they reach the halfway point they turn around and run back on the path they came.

Early bird pricing for the event in 2024 started at $19 for the Kids’ Run, $35 for the 5 km run and $36 for the 10 km run.

The longer runs cost a maximum of $26 for youth under age 18. Groups of four or more people got a 15% discount.

Each participant last year received a race kit that could have been picked up the day before the event at Burnaby Kintec at 3787 Canada Way. Those who registered more than two weeks in advance also had the option to have their kit mailed to them ahead of time for an extra $8.

For those who choose neither of the above options, the kits had to be picked up on the day of the run itself in 2024.

2025 registration prices and details are to be confirmed.

 

Warming Up for the Fun Run

 

What to Expect at the Big Jungle Run

The first run of the day in 2024 was the Kids’ Run which started at 1:00 pm (with check-ins at noon). This lasted for around 40 minutes while both of the longer runs started at 2:00 pm. The entire event finished at 4:00 pm so participants had two hours to complete the longer distances (which should have been enough time even if you walked the whole way).

The same as with all Big Fun Run Series events, before each event there is usually a group warm-up where everyone stretches and gets limbered up for the run. There is also a DJ playing music which helps pump people up and adds to the atmosphere each year.

The runs are meant to be a fun activity for folks of all ages. The race kit normally includes a personalized running bib emblazoned with a custom name of your choosing. Examples of names are things like “Running Gorilla,” “Wild Frog” or “Crazy Kangaroo.”

All participants receive a finisher’s medal at the end. There are also prizes for categories like Best Costume, Best Photo and Best Custom Name, or at least that was the case in previous years.

Dogs can join in as long as they are on a leash. Strollers are also permitted. The routes are pretty flat with both gravel and woodchip trails at points, making them accessible for mostly everyone. The majority of people run. A few participants, though, walk most of the way.

 


To register, and for full details about the event, visit the Big Jungle Run website.


 

The Big Easter Run

 

Big Fun Run Series

The Big Jungle Run is one of a collection of similar running events. They are the Big Fun Run Series, and the Jungle Run is the first of a few runs planned for the year. There’s also the Big Easter Run on the Saturday of the Easter Long Weekend at Jericho Beach. In Richmond, there’s the Big Superhero Run in August and the Big Pirate Run in September. In October there’s the Big Halloween Run in Vancouver. Finishing off the year there is also the Big Elf Run in December in Stanley Park.

These events are meant to be fun and family-friendly for everyone in Metro Vancouver. There are variations between them in terms of theme, but they all have the same three distances to choose from. Each event has a 1 km Kids’ Run, a 5 km run and a 10 km run. With the Big Elf Run, though, there is usually a 15 km option too.

 

Other Information

For more information about this event, visit the Big Jungle Run webpage.

To learn more about the series of events, see our article about the Big Fun Run Series.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following: