Barking Mad To Run
INTRO: I am Scott aka Scottydog, runner since 1983, cancer survivor, retired Air Force, friend of dogs, fun-runner, and all-around goofball. In 2003 I had spinal arthritis flare up and ever since then I’ve done the run/walk method since it hurts my back too much now to run continuously with no walk breaks. I’m on what I call my “2F Plan” which stands for Fun and Finish. At events that I now do for fun I carry my camera, chase “Great Legs” to help motivate my slow old man self to keep moving forward, and take pictures before, during, and after the race. Sometimes I even get a nice post-race sweaty hug from one of the Great Legs ladies. I then do a pictorial race report of my events. I also carry dog biscuits with me to treat any dogs I may meet at a run, hence my nickname “Scottydog.” Here is yet another of my Race Reports With Photos, and my thanks to all the people I interacted with for their graciousness and good humor in letting me take photos of them.
SHORT VERSION REPORT
My 26th race of 2013. Held in Fredericksburg, Texas. 8:30 a.m. start time. Weather was pretty nice, in the upper 60s, a bit of cloud cover. We started off, went down the course a ways, made a right turn onto a street. I thought "That's not right, I've done this race over 10 times and I know the course goes to the left." So I went left. Some volunteer told me to go the other way. I did not think this was right but I did go back, thinking maybe the course route had been changed. Nope. I got a little ways down, people were coming back the way I had just come. So I turned around again and went back. Luckily, since I was at the back of the pack I had not gone that far out of the way, with the misdirection, so I ended up with 3.29 total, and a finish time of 33:48. Darn, if I'd just kept going the way I wanted to in the first place...I might've won! I felt sorry for the front of the pack folks, the speedy ones who usually place, because they had gone farther before being turned around. My speedy friend, Bernadette, for example, ended up with 3.85 total distance. There was also a 10K event and those poor folks, by the time they got turned around and then took the turn off the 5K course onto the 10K course, a couple peopple told me they did close to 7 miles instead of 6.2. Because of the confusion, and to be fair, I guess the Race Directors declared this one a 'fun run', with apologies, and no medals were given out for placing, since the turn around had all the timing thrown off to heck-and-gone.
LONG VERSION WITH PHOTOS
Before the Start
The 5K/10K started and finished at the Town Square/Plaza, a pretty little place with a flower garden, pavilions, park benches, Pioneer building, and a "history tower" with figures on it symbolizing Fredericksburg heritage.
Some of our great volunteers
Supporters and Participants
This is Robin, from Running Ahead forum, and her brother
Me and Robin
On the Course
Here we are...going the wrong way....
OK, turn around everyone!
Back on course..where the yellow marker is at the front of the photo is where the 10K folks turn left to do their course
Lady on right in green jogbra. My speedy friend Bernadette. I NEVER see Bernadette on course for the same races we do, she is usally well ahead of me. Because of the wrong-way stuff, I was for once ahead of her in a race for a while. She passed me at this point and the world was normal again...I didn't see her again until after I finished.
Race Volunteer near the end of the race..giving us the right directions.
I trucked on in to the finish after that. I thought, with the course mix-up, I would finish in 35 or 36 minutes, but as I got to the last turn before the finish, there was my good buddy George cheering me in and telling me to get my fat doggie butt in gear, lol, I could break 34 minutes. Really? And so I did get in gear...passed two people and called out encouragement to one young lady I was nearing "Old man catching you!", which made her hurry up too, lol. She did finish ahead of me and we both did finish under 34 minutes. Guess I do my running segments faster than I think I am doing them, lol.
After The Race
Well, even with the mix-up, it was a fun event. The folks I talked to after the race did not seem upset about it. Mistakes happen. You deal with it, you move on, no sense in wasting energy getting mad about it. I wandered around post-race getting "Happy Finisher" photos, along with some of the people there cheering and supporting the runners and walkers. Sorry about the first couple of photos, I forgot to wipe my sweaty lens....a really bad habit of mine post-race!
And last, but not least, I jokingly told this guy he was going to be my 'eye candy' photo for the ladies of my running forum. Gotta love runners, they have a great sense of humor, and he did laugh at that.
And finally, VERY Last...my SINCERE apologies to the guy and his family with the two kids who had medals from the Kids Fun Run. I took their photo very last, but did not realize my camera battery was dying, so the photo did not get onto my camera card. Hate it when that happens! So I owe this guy a photo at an event and hope I see him and family at a future event we both do, to pay my debt and to apologize in person.
EPILOG
All in all, a very nice event. This one has always been a 'regular' on my race calendar and will continue to be so.
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt
Return To Racing
You just need to be at the head of the pack, Scott, so they don't get lost. Another fun time in Texas. Congrats !!!!
26th raced of 2013! Scotty you are a machine!!
And thanks for the eye candy guy!
Great job.
Jess runs for bacon
That stinks about the misdirection, I hate it when that happens, no one wins. Looks like it was a ton of fun though! And thanks for the eye candy
Skirt Runner
A great RR as usual. Photos are fantastic! That really really stinks about the misdirection! I would have been so upset, especially if I was on track for a PR or one of the super speedy people looking to win/place!!
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to
Go figure
Aww, the race win that could have been! Darn those nice volunteers. A little extra mileage for the day is kinda nice though. You're right about the front-runners...it would have been rough for them. I bet some people didn't handle it quite as well as you did either. Keep that lens clear from now on
Trying to find some more hay to restock the barn
Great report, Scotty. I'll post mine when I get back to vt tomorrow. I did have a PR of 28:38 and I finished 3rd in my AG. Even with the mix up, I shaved 5 minutes off my last 5k in Dec. I give credit to my brother who pushed me hard and wouldn't let me stop to walk.
Nice RR. I like the shirts for the race. Sorry about the misdirection. That does stink, especially for the front runners.
SheCan
Congratulations on race 26! Fredricksburg looks like a neat town. Love the town plaza, how pretty. Omgosh @ the course mixup. I always wonder what would happen in a case like that. it's surprising it doesn't happen more often. Well glad everyone made the best of it, and enjoyed the race anyway. Hehehe@ adding a bit of eye candy for us ladies! He's looking good!
Cherie
"We do not become the people who this world needs simply by turning our backs on anyone we don’t like, trust, or deem healthy enough to be in our presence. " ---- Shasta Nelson
YAYpril - B-Plus
Great pictures! Sorry about the misdirection. Congrats on beating 34 minutes.
Damaris
As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.
Fundraising Page
Great race, Scotty!! You are way faster than you think, especially since you take time out of your runs to take so many pictures! The Fredericksburg area looks beautiful - love the town square area! Thanks for sharing your RR with us, and thanks for all the great pics!!
But The Smile That I Sent Out Returned With You.
Great pics as always! Sorry about the misdirect.