It’s been a hot minute since I put together a race report! And also a hot minute since I ran a race to report ON! I’m so glad that my dry spell has ended. And I’m even more glad that it ended with bling and ice cream!
About The Race
The Mr. Softee 5K is a relatively new event, hosted by a smaller race company, in a newer Jacksonville neighborhood. Runners can choose from a 5K, 10K or 1 Mile Fun Run, and each registrant gets the usual shirt and medal, with a cup or cone of Mr. Softee, straight from the truck. It’s a low-key, low-frills race, with maybe 200 or less participants. The course is a wide pedestrian/golf course path with a few loops and turnarounds, and some shade. Which is a huge selling point for races this time of year.
The Night Before
Normally, I’m able to spend a little more time prepping for a race, but we bought a car on Friday, so that was how the day went. To celebrate, we followed our purchase with a mediterranean dinner (falafel, rice, and cucumbers for me!). There was no early bedtime, because A came home at 11:30 at night, and of course, we stayed up even later, chatting. I didn’t even put out any kind of flat runner. I’m out of practice and clearly not following any tried or true guidelines. Here’s the fit.
Race Morning
The race had a start time of 8:00AM, with on-site packet pickup starting at 7. Organizers recommended arriving early or carpooling due to limited parking, so you best believe Francine and I were up and out the door to make it for a 6:50 arrival. You know I don’t mess around with parking. Packet pickup was pretty smooth, and I got my bib and t-shirt. There were two portapotties available for use, and if you were a resident of the neighborhood, you had access to the real bathrooms in the pool clubhouse. I got myself situated, went to the bathroom, took pictures of the Mr. Softee truck, and waited to start.
The Start Line
All three distances would start together, and my plan was just to play follofw the leader. The race director did offer verbal instructions, but I zoned out. They were running behind, and we started about ten minutes late. Not ideal, but what can you do. It was probably the smallest start line crowd I’ve ever been a part of, but that’s ok.
Miles 1-1.5
At the gun, we ran through the parking lot, and turned left on to the main road. The nice thing about a smaller race is the course doesn’t get clogged up as you go. I also really appreciated the shade from the trees along the route. At the 1/2 mile mark, a cone indicated that the mile-runners should turn around and head back to the start, while the 5K and 10K runners kept going. At about 3/4 mile, a second cone marked where the rest of us should turn. We kept going.
Miles 1.5 – 3.1
At the intersection of the course and the parking lot, all runners were supposed to continue straight to yet another cone. Again, everyone turned. The big difference is that the 5K runners would turn left at the parking lot, while the 10Kers would loop by the start line, and run the whole thing a second time. Additionally, there was a water stop set up at the intersection, which gave runners several opportunities to hydrate. Nice placement. The morning was getting hotter as expected, but I just kept a nice, steady pace, with my eye on the prize.
The Finish Line
Finally, it was my turn to cross the line! The race director announced names and numbers as runners passed, which was a nice touch.
I collected my medal, passed by the available water, and hopped on line for the sweet treat. Mr. Softee delivered: each runner could get a cup or cone of vanilla, chocolate, or twist, with chocolate or rainbow sprinkles. And they even had non-dairy push pops for those who couldn’t have or didn’t want ice cream.
I got twist in a cone with chocolate sprinkles. It’s my favorite Mr. Softee order.
I enjoyed, even though it wasn’t even 9:00, and then verrrrry carefully backed out of my parking spot to go meet Mr PugRunner, who was doing his own race across town. It was still an active course, which was a little alarming, but all was well.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good: This was a fun little race. The medals were gorgeous (and had a little slider feature), shirts were cute, and the price was right. All finishers got their ice cream, and a free finish line photo or two. While it wasn’t anything special, I think the ice cream made it fun. Fewer runners means less crowding, which made the course solid, in addition to the shade.
The Bad: While this isn’t the fault of the race, it was hot and humid. Because Florida. I’ll add that the course was a little dull. For me, it was great, because I had never been to the area, so everything was new, but it wasn’t particularly scenic or interesting. It would also be nice to have a few more vendors or tables set up to make the staging area a little more interesting. Again, this is a small race group, so the setup isn’t quite as elaborate.
The Ugly: The Mr. Softee 5K is an open course, meaning that cars and runners have to work around each other. There were a few intersections with oncoming traffic that were a little dicey, and that always makes me uncomfortable. All it takes is one runner not paying attention and one driver not having a good day.
Final Thoughts
I was really ecstatic to be back at, and the negatives were definitely outweighed by the positives. I felt ok through the race, although I was having some foot pain after about a mile. Unfortunately, spending significant time, barefoot on a metal ladder, was perhaps not the best choice a week before a race. That’s on me. I would definitely return to this event if my schedule allows, and rumor has it, there’s a similar, donut-themed race by the same group! That would be fun, too!
Do you run for ice cream?
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I’d definitely run for ice cream!! Love that as the post-race treat… and perfect on a hot day!
Congrats on your finish! 🙂