INTRO: I am Scott aka Scottydog, runner since 1983, cancer survivor, retired Air Force, employee of University of Texas at San Antonio (Go Roadrunners!), 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 33rd event of 2013.  Flag Day 5K/10K is held each year to honor all veterans everywhere, active, retired, etc, and their families that support them.  The 10K race is also part of Purnell Racing "Best of Texas Race Series" in which runners register for various races through the year and earn points used for awards and prizes after the end of the series.  About 150 or so runners, maybe a bit more, for this event, with most of the folks, including me, doing the 5K.   I ended up finishing at 32:05 per my chrono time, 32:10 per gun time, and got 2nd place in my Age Group.  Of course, there were only two IN my age group, lol.  I was also shocked...I noted my time at the 2-mile mark and then checked it when I crossed the finish line...and I did the final 1.1 mile in 9:41.   What?!! If anyone had told me I could do under a 10-minute mile - my training runs are usually done at about 10:45 - 11:15 per mile - I would have told them they were crazy, I am just a slow old fun-runner dog, no speed in me.  So go figure, don't know where that 9:41 came from.  Must be all those hills I run at least once a week.

LONG VERSION WITH PHOTOS

Before The Race

Event was held at Bluebonnet Palace.  Doesn't look like much on the outside, but it's a very nice entertainment venue, lots of live music, good beer, lots of Texas stuff inside, flags, photos, signed instruments from some of the entertainers who played there, etc.  Good beer and good food too.

Two Old Veterans...Air Force retired me with Marine Retired John Purnell, owner of Purnell Racing that puts on several good local races.

John and another participant

Race Day registration volunteers

Boy Scouts from Kirby who were race volunteers

A few more of the race volunteers/organizers

Various participants and supporters before the start

And the back of this lady's shirt....love it...lol

Yes, that is a LIVE dog the lady is holding...lucky dog!

Right before the start, the Boy Scouts presented the colors, and then the National Anthem was sung.  Then his helicopter showed up.  I thought maybe John had arranged a fly-by from nearby Randolph Air Force Base, but this turned out to be a construction helicopter ferrying heavy girders and blocks for the building construction going on at a warehouse across the street from Bluebonnet Palace. Even so, pretty cool...although helicopter noise does give me the 'heebie-jeebies' a little bit, makes me have a bit of 'flashback", as a helicopter crash is how I ended up with a long screw in my left knee, keeping my kneecap together. That screw is still in there and will be for life.

ON THE COURSE

7:30 a.m. start, which was nice.  We also got lucky with a bit of cooler weather this weekend, only 68 degrees at the start.  The humidity was 87% but the dewpoint was only at 60 or so, so we got lucky there too, it did not feel like 87% humidity.  The course was on roads from Bluebonnet Palace that took us winding around some warehouses in the distance. Not a very scenic course, but a nice one just the same, with wide roads and lots of room for everyone to spread out.  A couple of small hills along the way  in the warehouse area, .and then coming back it was on the same road we went out on, so a nice flat finish.  The 10K folks had to do 2 loops of the course.

Got a photo of my friend, Sherry, here pushing her little one along in the stroller, and after that it was nonstop running for me all the way to the finish.

AFTER THE RACE

The chef cooking up hot dogs for post-race participants...they were pretty good, even at 8:15 a.m., with our early race start.

And the beer was good too!

"Happy Finishers" and Supporters

This guy is wearing the race shirt we all got.

Argggh!  The one photo I forgot to wipe my sweaty lens before taking.  Sorry about that!

Two Veterans - Army Retired Bill and Air Force Retired Scottydog

Closeup of the race shirt

And the Age Group medals.   Any medals I get, I usually give to the kids at the cancer ward of a local children's hospital but I think this one is a keeper.  Nice unique design.

EPILOG

Very enjoyable event.  Lots of friendly folks, good course, nicely designed shirt and award medal, and nice post-race goodies - including several door prizes, none of which I won, darn the luck.  Definitely would recommend this event to my fellow runners.

I have to know.  Which one of the women in those pictures were you chasing that last 1.1 mile?

Congrats on the runner up award.   I need to find smaller  races.    Love it that Texans are always smiling.  Must be the AAA rating.

That is a nice medal.  I like the fact that the donations were going to Oklahoma tornado relief.  Good cause.  You did really well on that last mile.  The advantage of out and back races:  you don't feel as obligated to photograph the scenery, so you get a chance to just boogie.

Great job, Scotty.

The pic of the couple in the flag shirts is super cool, that could be right out of a magazine.

Lovely smiles, great  legs and an awesome photographer! Thanks, Scotty!

Awesome job scotty, and you always look so happy in every photo . Keep the medal.

Awesome job scotty, and you always look so happy in every photo . Keep the medal.

Ladies coming up asking if they can have a photo with me.......heck yeah, I'm happy!