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Report/Photos: San Antonio RoadRunners Fiesta Fandango Fun Run (Read 19 times)

scottydawg


Barking Mad To Run

    INTRO

    I am Scott aka Scottydog, runner since 1983, cancer survivor, retired Air Force, employee of University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), 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

     

    This was my 27th race of 2014 and my 2nd event of April 26th, as I had done the Crawdaddy Dash 5K on Saturday morning. The Fiesta Fandango 2.6 Mile Fun Run is put on by my local running club the San Antonio Roadrunners, with a special note of thanks for Volunteer Coordinator Sally Rios and club officer Debra Acosta and all the club volunteers and other people who really do a lot of work with those two ladies, making this a very fine event year after year.  The run is held during Fiesta San Antonio and runners do the course of the Fiesta Flambeau Parade, the largest night-time parade in the U.S.   We runners and walkers start about 20 minutes or so before the parade starts and "parade" ourselves along the course in front of thousands of cheering spectators.  Quite a rush!   There is also a costume contest before the race - the theme this year was "A Time To Remember" -  so lots of the participants run in costume.    Since the run starts at 6:30 pm or so and we are in Texas it can get QUITE warm.    I was standing next to a guy who checked the temp on his phone just before we went and he said "87 degrees right now."  However, that was actual temp.  The DJ on the radio station I was listening to on my player announced into my ear a bit after "If you are at the parade the 'feels like' temp right now is 93 degrees!"   Probably because of all the cement, pavement, etc, in the heart of downtown, reflecting off all that heat.

    Well, it's only 2.6 miles, but even so, it WAS warm.  I managed to finish in 28:30, averaging just under 11 minute miles.   The guy who finished first completed the run in 12 minutes-something.   I wasn't even halfway done when he finished, lol.  Thoroughly enjoyed myself though!

     

    LONG VERSION WITH PHOTOS

     

    OK, sit back and enjoy and I will try to keep the dialogue to a minimum, because this is a LONG photo report - I ended up taking more than 100 photos!    If you don't want to look at them all one by one, here is a slideshow of the photos that will take you through them quicker, without all my commentary:  http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2014%20Race%20Reports%20and%20Photos/Fiesta%20Fandango%202014?sort=2

     

     

    Costume Contest/Race Day Registration Area

     

    We park near the San Antonio Zoo and shuttle buses take us over to the start area. The costume contest is held here and then winners are announced in the finish area.

     

    Me with pals Jim and Bernadette

     

     

     

    This gentlemen represented all the past championships of the NBA San Antonio Spurs.  Unfortunately our Spurs are not doing too well right now in the playoffs against the Mavericks.

     

    Just "Despicable!" 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    These ladies are wearing the pink race shirts that some of the lady participants got

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    My friend, Sally Rios, with all her Fiesta Medals.  Most organizations in San Antonio make up a medal each year for Fiesta and so during each year's Fiesta lots of people see how many of the different Fiesta Medals they can collect.

     

     

    My pal Bernadette now in costume, just before we got on the shuttle to go to the start line area

     

    As we go to the start we pass Pink Pig, the symbol that stands over a local bar-b-que eatery.

     

    On The Way To The Start Line

     

    Once nice thing about doing this event, the bus drops us about 2 or 3 blocks from the start line so as we go up the street we get a close-up look at some of the people and the floats that will be in the parade.

     

    A band decorated with lights that will light up in different colors as they march along

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The hoops on the heads and skirts of these folks will light up during the night-time parade

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Start Line Area

     

    We participants were ahead of this barricade....there were more parade folks-and-floats behind the barricade waiting to get started

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The blue race shirts most participants got

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Getting ready to start....

     

    On The Course....

     

    And away we go!  In some of the photos, you can see a little bit of the 'heat haze' we had- "feels like' temp of 93 -  so you can imagine what some of those folks in costume must have felt like out there....very warm!  The spectators were nice, however; several of them along the way very nicely came out a little ways on the route and handed we runners and walkers unopened/sealed bottles of water so we could hydrate along the way, since it was not possible to put up a water table along the course due to the crowds along the route.    That water helped a lot!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Monkey chasing the banana

     

     

     

    Passing in front of The Alamo

     

    Heading down Commerce Street - the 'main drag' of downtown San Antonio - about 1 mile to go to finish.

     

     

     

     

    I stopped here and told these folks on the count of three to shout "Never Give Up!" and took a photo.  Love the smile on that kid on the right!

     

     

     

     

    The finish line at last, which I am now behind and looking back at runners coming up to it

     

     

     

    After the Run

     

    One happy taco

     

    Cold ice cream available

     

     

     

     

     

    Heading into Columbus Park for the post-race party...

     

    Music, cotton candy, cold sodas, water, various snacks....

     

    And cold beer!

     

    These ladies were visiting from Illinois so this was quite warm for them.

     

    This is the guy who finished first...in 12 minutes and some change

     

     

    One of my fellow UTSA Roadrunners....and a guy from some college nobody ever heard of...

     

     

     

     

    Chillin' after that warm run

     

     

     

     

     

     

    First race for this young man....congrats!

     

     

    I don't think she's in costume, but she could pass for a princess...

     

     

     

    No, the guy on the left is not my father...

     

    At first I thought this guy was "Old Man Ninja Hermit" until he held up the tablets..then I got who he was.

     

    It's a miracle!  He got younger....

     

     

    Our MC, Bob, and the lovely Debra, who both put in a lot of work to make this event go so well.  BIG Kudos to them!

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Me and Batman in the shuttle bus line to go back to the parking lot.  I guess he forgot the Batmobile today...

     

    My friend, Karin (left, clowing) with her friend

     

    I think this is the Imperial Margarine guy...for those of you old enough to remember those commercials.  Actually, he is a very nice guy who helps operate one of the local Soler Sports stores, a very good specialty running store.

     

    THE END....FINALLY!    Hope you were not too bored.

     

    EPILOG

     

    One of the 'funnest' races ever for the year.  This one is always a MUST DO on my race calendar each year.  If you are ever in San Antonio in April during Fiesta Time, definitely do this one.  Yes, it will probably be warm but even so you will still have a blast.

    "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt

    JerryInIL


    Return To Racing

      Scotty, you really need to get a tutu.  Guess that would be a Scottutu.

          

      Docket_Rocket


        Great report!

        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

        GinnyinPA


          What a fun event.  I love all the costumes.  Everyone looks like they're having a great time.

            Nice!  Some of those costumes were quite good.


            SheCan

              Congratulations on another great event in San Antonio!  Wowsers this looked like fun!  Hope you didn't celebrate too hard.  

              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

              Jill.


              Penguin Power!

                Wow what a fun looking race!  :-)

                Upcoming Races: Run as One 4M (4/24) * Japan Run 4M (5/8) * Brooklyn Half (5/21) 

                LRB


                  Those are some of the funniest pics ever!