Vine Run: Pegasus Bay Winery

Farmers and city folk alike shook off their boots, laced up some runners and supported a good cause in late January, when they joined the Vine Run at Pegasus Bay Winery. An annual event that combines a love for fitness, community, and supporting a worthy cause, the Vine Run has become a beloved tradition in the Canterbury region.

Organised by the Donaldson family, who own Pegasus Bay Winery, this fun run through the vineyards has grown from humble beginnings in 2018 to a nearly 1,000-strong event that raises money for the New Zealand Brain Research Institute. We chatted to Mike Donaldson, Pegasus Bay Wine Canterbury Sales Manager and also the driving force behind the Vine Run, as he told us about the event and its growing success.

The Vine Run was an idea sparked by Mike’s father, Ivan Donaldson, who was a practising neurologist and had a passion for winemaking. The Donaldson family, which includes Mike, his three brothers, and their parents Ivan and Christine, had been involved in planting the original vineyard and building Pegasus Bay Winery back in the 1980s. “My father helped establish the vineyard when he was practicing neurology, that was his dual career. My mum bought him a book about wine back in the late 60s, and he just decided he wanted to plant a vineyard and build a winery and essentially do that on the side,” Mike explained.

When they were looking for a way to support the Brain Research Institute, they decided a running event through the vineyards would be a perfect fit - combining a healthy activity with raising awareness and funds for an important cause, and a passion close to the Donaldson family’s heart.

The first Vine Run in 2018 attracted around 400 participants. Since then, the event has grown steadily, and a new record was set this year with close to 1,000 runners.

Over the past eight years, the Vine Run has raised over $130,000 for the Brain Research Institute’s work on degenerative neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Multiple Sclerosis, Mike said. The participants run three different races through the vines, a 6.5km, 10.5km and a half-marathon, 21km. Mike mentioned that the 10.5km proved to be the most popular race entered, with 400 people running it.

The runners are a mix of visitors from Christchurch, rural Canterbury, and further afield, and every entry receives a free bottle of Pegasus Bay wine. Mike said they were surprised to see 80% of the runners this year were new faces, and that the run’s reach had grown so far. “It’s amazing having more new people turn up. We try to encourage it as essentially a fun run. Overall, we just invite people to come out and get dressed up and have fun, in support of brain research. So you can walk or run the two shorter distances. And we do get quite a few walkers, and we have spot prizes for the top three best dressed”. According to Mike, this year the stand-out costumes were superheroes and telly-tubbies.

The sense of community and celebration is evident throughout the course, which winds through the vineyard. Along the way, runners and walkers are greeted by a lively soundtrack provided by local musicians - a brass band, jazz ensemble, string quartet, and even some costumed DJs. The festive atmosphere continues at the finish line, where Mike’s 83-year-old parents play a special role. Both Ivan and Christine can be found joining in the fun at the end of the race and cheering on every finisher. “My mum and dad were both at the finish line waving their pom poms,” Mike said. “If you’ve been out there, you’ll know we’ve got amazing gardens, and that’s been my mum’s lifelong passion really. When it comes to the Vine Run, she mows all the vineyard rows that the participants run.” Mike’s brother Ed runs the on-site bar, while Mike himself oversees the course setup and logistics. This family involvement is a big part of what makes the Vine Run so special, he said.

The feedback from participants and supporters has always been overwhelmingly positive.

“People just love the fact that it’s very friendly. All the volunteers out there on the course, the marshals, are encouraging and supportive and do a great job. We’ve got a lot of musicians around the course. We want to make sure people enjoy themselves. The feedback we typically get is that they’ve felt very welcome. The course is interesting, the signage is great, facilities and the amenities are all fantastic, and the routes are suited to any fitness level,” Mike told us. “So people can have a great day out all the while raising money for a good cause.”

After runners have had a drink of water and a break, they are invited to sit down for a glass or two of wine at the cellar door. Supporters are also able to bring picnics and enjoy the scenery at the vineyard.

The marketing effort behind the Vine Run is a big part of its success. The team partnered with Event Goals, an event management company, to help with the event’s promotion and logistics over the past two years. Mike explained that this allowed the organisers to focus on digital and social media campaigns to spread the word, targeting local running clubs and groups in Christchurch and the surrounding Canterbury region.

Appealing to a broad range of fitness levels, from walkers to serious runners, has also been key to the Vine Run’s success, as has the fun, festive atmosphere with live music, costumes, and prizes. With renowned Christchurch “fitness guru” Bevan Eyles MCing, the day went even better, Mike said. By creating a welcoming, community-driven experience centred around supporting an important cause, the Vine Run has managed to steadily grow its participant numbers year after year.

In future, Mike is hoping serious runners also use the Vine Run as an opportunity for training. Next year’s provisional date is Sunday, January 25th, 2026, and Mike hopes they will surpass 1,000 entries. As the Vine Run continues to grow, Mike and his family are hopeful they can find a principal sponsor to help cover the event’s costs and increase the donation to the Brain Research Institute even further.

In future, Mike is hoping serious runners also use the Vine Run as an opportunity for training. Next year’s provisional date is Sunday, January 25th, 2026, and Mike hopes they will surpass 1,000 entries. As the Vine Run continues to grow, Mike and his family are hopeful they can find a principal sponsor to help cover the event’s costs and increase the donation to the Brain Research Institute even further.

Regardless of the bottom line, the reward lies in the community spirit and the awareness of the cause that the event generates. “You see a lot of really joyous expressions coming across the line,” Mike said. “It’s just seeing that kind of look of agony or joy or somewhere in between, cross the finish line. Seeing people have a good time and raise awareness while doing it.”