Luke's Way 5k Race Report

Today was the inaugural Luke's Way 5k.  

Irony - I used to live in Branford!

It has the same route that many other UF races do, so I feel comfortable with the course. 

I picked up my bib and my bag, then went back to the car to get ready. 

I'm getting quite a collection of these string backpacks.

Is this an actual coupon or do I need to download an app first?  

Stretchy bracelet - I gave it to the Kiddo

Nice blue tech tee - men's shape (so, huge on me)

Hubby likes Texas Roadhouse, so this will come in handy!

I pinned on my bib to my skirt, put on my armband, all that stuff, then went back towards where the crowd was to silently mingle (this is when you are in a crowd of other people but don't actually talk to anyone).

Note to self - pin to skirt more often!

Keith Perry, one of our State Representatives, Ted Yoho, Congressman, and the Watermelon Queen were all in attendance.  Keith Perry also owns Perry Roofing, which was across the street from the construction company I used to work for. 

The race planners offered breakfast beforehand - there were bagels, orange juice bottles, bananas and I think oranges.  I grabbed an OJ and threw it in the car for later (running with OJ in my tummy would set me on FIRE from all the heartburn!)

The table with the red tablecloth was ALL food!

I also stopped by the main tent to enter a raffle for after the race, for which they gave me two entry tickets. I never win these things, but I always enter...

Got a little beat up in my skirt pocket

Finally, though, it was time to line up, and then we were off!  I think my 'intervals' were Run Til I Can't, then Walk Til I Can. At least I remembered to start the Garmin this time!

Mile 1 came quickly, and I kept going, feeling good. 

Oh, look - it's raining again.... 

By Mile 2, I was, of course, very alone. I kind of like it that way, because there is no one near me to hear me huff and puff, or hear the heavy thud of my fat ass when I run.

There was no Mile 3 marker, but I knew that once I hit the downhill near the big dorm building, I was almost done!  

I came around the corner and finished strong! My garmin said I did it in 50:11. My official time was 50:12, one of the worst times I've done. BUT, I wasn't last, so that's okay! I beat 2 people and finished in 90th place. 

Finished! And still only half-soaked from the rain...

Afterwards, I checked out the few tents around and picked up some fun swag. I got a great reusable shopping bag from Aaron's (they also put up the grand prize for the raffle). 

Really good bag

Some poop yogurt (never did try it).

OJ and cold bottled water in a small size (fits great in my Sparkle Skirt!)

Shelf-stable OJ has a funk to it...

While waiting for the raffle, I stopped back by the breakfast booth, who now had some sort of sour cream pound cake that was HEAVENLY and way too tasty to be at a race - I wanted to inhale all the cake! I stuck with one slice and some OJ. 

The raffle began and get this - I actually won something!!!!!  I won a free lunch from a place called 4 Rivers. Lunch includes a "Classic Sandwich", two sides and a fountain beverage.  

So cool!!! But.... where the heck is 4 Rivers? WHAT the heck is 4 Rivers?

Eh, I'll look it up later. 

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(Sorry for the iPod photos!)

So, it turns out 4 Rivers is a barbecue joint over on Archer Road (of course).  The menu looks really good, so one afternoon in June as I was out and about for some errands, I stopped by for lunch. 

The outside of the building is nice, and there is a pickup window for people who placed to-go orders. To get inside, however, there is actually a queue, like Disney! To me it seemed crazy that we were all standing in line for food (and not at Disney), but I decided that I'd get in line, and if it took a long time, I'd leave - wouldn't cost me anything but time!

Queue lines to get in

I was inside pretty quickly, though, which was good because the smells coming out of this place were making me hungry!  When I tried to explain this place to Hubby, I equated it to BBQ Subway.  

Instead of a wall of chips, there is a wall of soda. Being that I just quit drinking soda earlier this year, I was so bummed!  This all looked so good!

Wall 1 - I see Vernor's, Moxie, Izze and Frostie

Wall 2 - I see Dad's, A&W and a lot of brands I've never heard of

Wall 3 - I see Nehi, Sun Drop, RC Cola, Coca Cola, Fanta, 7UP and lots of canned beverages

Once you get to the counter, you order very much like Subway. You tell the first guy what kind of sandwich (or whatever) that you want. He takes a tray and gives it to the next guy, who puts the sammich on the tray. No, there are no plates. You eat off the tray. Then, the tray is slid down to the next part, where they ask you what 2 sides you want. I got mac and cheese as well as fries. They put the mac and cheese in a cup, rather than just spooning it on to the tray, so that's good! They put the fries right on the tray. 

What'choo want?

Before you get to the cashier, however, there is a dessert case of brownies and cookies and cupcakes. You know me, guys, I'm a sucker for sweets, so I got this honkin' chocolate chip cookie dough cupcake for dessert. 

So pretty!

I paid for my meal (well, for the cupcake), then got my fountain beverage - ended up with a Barq's because root beer was the only caffeine free choice they had. (Of course, come to find out later, Barq's is like the only root beer that HAS caffeine - thanks Coca Cola...).  They have that good pellet/crushed ice, so I definitely love that!

After getting napkins, forks and all that stuff, I found a place to sit in the communal-style dining room, and began to dig in. 

Nothing fancy here! Long tables, stools and condiments on the tables

Wow - this is some pretty good pulled pork! I don't like mine fatty (I'm lookin' at you, Sonny's) - this pork was meaty and tender and had little bits of bark still in it from the smoking process. The mac and cheese was pretty standard Stouffer's-type mac. The fries were crinkle cut, which isn't my favorite, but they were cooked well. 

This photo does not do it justice - it was huge and tasty!!!

I ended up only being able to eat 1/2 of my sammich and a few bites of the mac - it was all very filling! 4 Rivers keeps to-go stuff right near the soda machine so that you can pack up what you didn't eat - that is super helpful!  I packed up my mac and the sammich, then got a box for the cupcake as well as a bag for the whole shebang, then headed out to shop off the full stomach!

At home the next day, I was finally able to eat the cupcake. It was yellow cake with a cookie dough puck in the bottom, with buttercream frosting and another puck on top. 

I hate to say this, but the cupcake was not all that good. The cake itself was good, but the puck on the bottom was weird, the frosting was gritty and the puck on top was dry.  Kind of bummed I spend $5 on that thing. But, now I know for next time - more meat, less sweet!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake with Buttercream Frosting

Inside view - that is another cookie dough puck in the bottom