I ran this race earlier this summer and I'm just now getting around to writing up a race report. This race has been held for a long time and it's relatively popular, so I wanted to share my take on it. Here's my recap of the Southwest Cafe Margarita 5k.
Course Map
Date: 26 July, 2025
Town: Ridgefield, CT, USA
Distance: 5k
Conditions: This is a night race with a start time of 7pm on a Saturday night in July, so conditions were expectedly steamy. It was 79F that evening and it felt fairly humid, but there was a nice breeze. It was partly cloudy and the light was starting to fade during the afterparty.
Parking: Parking was plentiful - the race is hosted by the Southwest Cafe in Ridgefield, which is located within a large shopping complex. There are a number of parking lots just a few minutes' walk from the check-in area.
Check In: I received a number of emails from the organizers in the days leading up to the race, warning me that check-in would be a nightmare with long lines. This was not the case, much to my delight. There was no wait at all, but I had asked a friend who was volunteering to set aside my race packet in case the lines were untenably long. In the packet was my bib, a coupon for a free margarita at the Southwest Cafe anytime after race day until the end of 2025, and a packet of bib boards (which attach your bib to clothing without poking holes).
The check-in area was located across the street from the race start/finish, which was marked by a large inflatable arch.
Course Description: This road race took runners through picturesque, ritzy neighborhoods in Ridgefield. There was a great deal of community support along the way, including impromptu water stations in front of houses, people cheering from their porches, and folks playing music along the course. There were also at least 2 official water stops that I recall. The course was well-patrolled by volunteers, who directed runners at each turn. Roads were open to traffic and at one point, a fire engine did traverse the race course. This was in the final mile of the race and runners were pretty spread out by that point.
The course itself consisted of rolling hills, with only one relatively steep incline/decline in the third mile.
Afterparty: The festivities took place by the Southwest Cafe, across the street from the finish line. I noticed the large table set up with complimentary margaritas immediately and made a beeline for it. There was no line, and I was asked by a volunteer whether I wanted a salted rim, a plain rim, or a sugared rim. I requested a salted rim margarita and my bib was marked to indicate I had received my free refreshment. There was water and fruit, as well, but I went over to the Southwest Cafe instead to get dinner, as I had not eaten before the race. Their steak tacos were the most delicious I have had in this part of the country. Usually, steak tacos are a little tough but these were tender and succulent.
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