Anyone in the running world in North Florida (and any Jacksonville native, for that matter) has heard of the Gate River Run. This annual 9.4-mile race is held at the beginning of March, in which runners traverse through Jacksonville’s riverfront downtown, historic neighborhoods and the notorious “Green Monster” (more on this later).

It was my first time running this race, and it’s safe to say I was nervous. The last time I had run this distance was more than seven years ago during my cross-country days in high school.

My friend and I signed up together, and our goal was to complete it without stopping. I didn’t realize just how big this event was; not only did the race sell out (with more than 15,000 runners attending), but the days before the race, when we ventured to Everbank Stadium (home of the Jacksonville Jaguars) to pick up our race bibs and shirts, there were also lines of vendors and running brands offering great deals on shoes, clothes and accessories.

On the actual race day, my best friend drove me, my friend, and our Scottish friend and neighbor (who also was running the race) to the course, as parking and traffic was a nightmare. I knew how many people ran this race, but seeing it in person was an entirely different thing altogether. Just getting through the first 5 or 6 miles involved my friend and I weaving through other runners. When we signed up, we had to pick what mile pace and group we wanted to start in, and we played it safe since we hadn’t run this race before. Obviously, after finishing the race, I can confidently say we can start farther up the line next year.

I was amazed at how positive and community-focused this race was. As we coursed through neighborhoods, people came out of their houses to cheer us on. Many took this one step further, setting up tables to offer runners orange slices, bananas and water (one group threw donut holes at runners at Mile 4).

The most shocking thing I saw throughout the race was the sheer number of tables offering shots of tequila, vodka, fireball and other alcohol. Even more surprising, runners welcomed these offerings wholeheartedly, downing the shot before continuing on. I don’t know how people were able to run more than 9 miles after drinking that, but it was entertaining, nonetheless.

This race is iconic not only because of how long it’s been held but also because the final mile takes on the “Green Monster” (aka Hart Bridge). This massive green bridge spans St. Johns River, with Mile 8 starting at the base of the bridge. At this point in the race I was getting tired, but I felt so motivated to finish, I sped up going up the bridge, finally reaching the top and letting out a huge sigh of relief seeing the finish line at the bottom of the bridge. Funnily enough, my fastest mile was my last one (even with the bridge), as I hustled down that bridge and all the way to the end to not only accomplish this race without stopping but also to finish 9.4 miles in one hour and 29 minutes, under 1.5 hours.

Another nice addition to the race: My friends made signs for us to cheer us on. Mine involved an Irish flag, corgi and shamrock, while my British friend got a sign featuring a British flag, American flag (now that he lives in the United States) and a cup of tea.

— Aoife O’Riordan, associate editor