Pre-race meal? Ice cream and candy

Ormond Beach Observer
Sports

It was a fun run, so I ate an ice cream cone and peanut M&Ms just minutes before we started. Natural pre-race meal, right?

BY ANDREW O'BRIEN | SPORTS EDITOR

Pasta and carbs are the ideal pre-race foods. But I'm not the ideal eater. And I also like to keep things interesting.

I’m not much of a runner these days. In fact, other than running in the FL.ROC mud run a few weeks ago, I haven’t run much since December 2011, when I ran a marathon.

And so, when an office email went out last week asking us to participate in LuLu’s Oceanside Grill’s fun run Tuesday, it took a little convincing.

I’ll be honest, I don’t like the sound of a fun run because, well, is it really that fun? If I’m going to run 3.1 miles in the heat of the Florida summer, I’m probably not going to have a lot of fun. Really, the only reason I would run is if I was able to win something. And I’m not talking a ribbon or a participation trophy. I want something big, like a new car.

But when I found out a complimentary tank-top was in the prize bag for participating, I was sold.

LuLu’s, at 30 S. Atlantic Ave., holds fun runs once a month. For $10 (or $5 after your first time), you get to run a 5K with no pressure, you get a post-race beer and snacks, and you get to hang around with fellow runners and possibly win some prizes in the post-race raffle.

The only downfall — at least this week — was the course included running the Granada Bridge. That thing is a beast.

And perhaps eating a bag of peanut M&Ms and a Nestle Drumstick ice cream cone just minutes before we took off wasn’t the best pre-race meal. But, YOLO, as they say.

But I knew going in it was all for fun, and so I kept it a manageable pace and had a good time. After all, it was me and two coworkers, and we were just there for some exercise and post-race socialization. And beer.

LuLu’s provides some chips, cheese, fruit and water after the race to go along with a beer. And then there’s a raffle.

Well, our table cleaned up. Three of us won prizes.

In typical luck-o’-the-Irish fashion, my ticket number was called out for the grand prize. I won a few T-shirts, a water bottle and a coozy. The best part of the prize pack, though, was a News-Journal umbrella. What’s better than keeping dry thanks to the competition?

The next LuLu’s fun run will be Tuesday, July 16. I’m told this one will include people situated throughout the course spraying runners with water bottles. Maybe they can load beer or ice cream into water guns and use them instead? You know, just for fun.

— Follow @aobrien7 on Twitter.