WATCH: Thousands celebrate National Pancake Day with pancake race

Besides being a great brunch item for post-run, pancakes are also a great running accessory, apparently. In 1445, a woman in Olney, Buckinghamshire, lost track of time while baking pancakes. When she heard the church bells ringing, she raced through the town to church, carrying a pancake, just in time to make the service. Since then, thousands of pancake lovers and runners partake in the 380-metre race each year on Feb. 21, National Pancake Day.

There are a few rules in the modern pancake race that all competitors must follow. First, it is traditionally run by women only, wearing aprons and bonnets. The other rules are that runners must carry a frying pan from start to finish and BYOP (bring your own pancake), flipping their pancake in the pan along the 380-metre course.

The winner of the 2023 race was first-time competitor Eloise Kramer of London.

“It’s a lovely tradition in the town that I’ve always wanted to participate in,” Kramer said to local reporters. “I knew there would be fast runners, but I did not expect to win.”

Last year’s winner Katie Godof, could not defend her title, because she won the pancake race too many times. Per race rules, you can’t enter the race if you’ve already won it three times.

On Pancake day in 1978, a race took place in the village of Stapleford, Hertfordshire. But it's was no ordinary pancake race – it's was a fancy dress parade too! 🥞 pic.twitter.com/ghNcmk8uGa

— BBC Three Counties Radio (@BBC3CR) February 21, 2023

More than 70 years ago, a newspaper article on the Olney pancake race piqued the interest of officials in the U.S. city of Liberal, Kan., who decided to host a similar race, issuing a challenge to the people of Olney that they could run it faster. Since 1950, the two towns have competed in a transatlantic pancake race, recording their times and holding an international video call to present prizes and awards. The town of Liberal runners has so far won 39 races, with Olney only winning 31.

Liberal, Kan., is otherwise known as the home of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.