Using a combination of poker skills, athletic prowess and a little luck, students participated in the Pot o’ Gold Fun Run to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Thursday.
The run, organized by campus recreation, started at the Student Recreation Center and ended a mile and half later at Woollen Gymnasium with stops at the ROTC building, Ackland Art Museum, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and Forest Theatre. Runners were given clues along the way to reveal the location of the next stop.
At each stop, runners drew from a deck of cards. At the finish line, the runners with the best and worst poker hands won a pot of gold — chocolates encased in golden aluminum foil.
Ron Jacak, a graduate student, had the worst hand but said he was glad to get a T-shirt and the pot of gold.
“I almost got a straight, though. I had seven, eight, nine, 10 and then the king, so I was one card away from having the best hand,” he said.
Chesley Kalnen, a sophomore, won with a pair of aces.
“I have to do workout runs for the ultimate frisbee club team, so I figured this would be a fun way to do it, but I’m super excited that I won,” she said.
Students weren’t the only ones to participate. George Gluck, who works at UNC Hospitals, and his wife, Melina Gluck, also ran.
“We love poker and we love running, so this seemed like a great event,” Melina Gluck said.
