PORT GAMBLE — Runners in record force showed up to declare their support for the North Kitsap community pool.

On Sunday, Poulsbo Running partnered with the Save Our Pool (SOP) nonprofit to host a 5k fun run, and 224 participants made the trip to Port Gamble to traverse the trails.

Poulsbo Running co-owner Brooke Hammett said she’d have been happy if 100 runners registered, as that’s a good turnout and consistent with numbers at other events they’ve organized.

She was ecstatic at the participation on Sunday, which was the highest ever.

“This is double our expectation,” she said in between cheers to the passing runners. “It’s fantastic. It’s going to raise a lot of money and more importantly raise peoples’ awareness to the threat of the pool being closed.”

Even more impressive than the record turnout is the 224 people who laced up for the fund-raising race, which came together in only a month’s time.

Hammett said a regular customer of theirs who’s on the SOP committee mentioned the pool may be closing, so she decided to put a race together.

They did, and people came and had a fabulous time.

Smiles and high fives were in abundance as runners stretched. The light-hearted attitude was infectious as the throng of runners marched to the starting line.

Some ran with strollers, some with headphones, others in head-to-knee professional spandex gear. The pool lifeguards wore their uniforms.

Justin Doud, a rising Kingston High senior who was one of the first three to cross the finish line, showed up to support the pool and get another race under his shoes. And to have a little fun, of course.

“The race was great and the course was really good,” Doud said, as he enjoyed a half banana and a few orange slices after the run. “It’s good community spirit.”

Most of those in attendance were there to support the pool, as the $20 entry fee went toward the nonprofit’s fundraising efforts.

Entire families, including the little ones who swam in their Save Our Pool T-shirts, ran or walked for the cause.

On hand was 8-year-old Maya Adams, who celebrated her most recent party at the pool by swimming with her friends and jumping off the diving board. Her mother, Laurie Adams, was a lifeguard at the pool in high school.

“I’ve been looking forward to this because I like the pool,” said Maya who had ran and walked three miles before participating in the fun run.

The participants weren’t divvied up into age groups, but there were donated prizes for a handful of overall winning runners. Among the community prize donators: 10/10 Graphx screened the T-shirts for free, Indigo Plum Shoes, Bella Luna, Cup & Muffin, Delano Salon, Poulsbo Athletic Club, The Hiding Place, Liberty Bay Books, Central Market, Poulsbo Running, Wild and Wooly, A Nautical Gift Shop, Cargo Hold, Starbucks and Boehm’s Chocolate.

“I think it’s great that 224 people turned out,” said SOP co-organizer Randy Borek. “I think it shows an outstanding support from the community.”