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

District 6 Fitness 5K was held on June 7, 2014 as part of the series of events for San Antonio's "Fit Family Challenge", -http://www.fitfamilychallenge.com/  -  an effort managed by San Antonio Sports to get all city citizens involved in a healthy lifestyle. Each San Antonio City Council District holds a series of events through the year.   This was  a free 5K and got a nice turn out of around 1300 runners and walkers.   As well as the 5K there was also a fun run.   I ended up with a chip time of 33:21.

I followed this even with the Street2Feet Fun Run 5K on Sunday, June 8, 2014.  This event was organized by Sophia, an 8-year old (I think she's 8)  to raise funds for Street2Feet, which is a fund-raiser for Haven for Hope -<cite>www.havenforhope.org/</cite>  - which has a local very huge and popular 5K in February each year.  Carrera Races - <cite>www.carreraraces.com/</cite>  -  supported Sophia's efforts win an offer of their own -https://www.facebook.com/Street2Feet/photos/pcb.743257915726249/743256539059720/?type=1&theater  - and helped provide breakfast tacos and coffee for the event.

Long Version With Photos

District 6 Fitness 5K  was held at Gustafson Stadium, an sports venue of Northside Independent School District.

"business first''....had to use the facilities and thought it was funny my old-man-self got the "old man stall" with the cobweb in it in the left corner....how appropriate.

iaapweb.com, an excellent local race company, did the timing and course-set up.

The mile walk around the track was already in progress and these guys were giving medals to all the finishers

Participants, volunteers, supporters, before the start

Me (far right) with some of my running buds...

Our MC was local news personality Jacqueline Ortiz, channel 4 San Antonio, an NBC station.

This young lady (right) and future recording star - I think here with her 'sister' - did a fantastic job of singing the National Anthem

Then we all got lined up and I got a photo of my tall friend, Jim, in the start crowd near the front.  Jim and I are in the same age group, me 60, him 62.   He is MUCH speedier than me.  Those long legs of his served him well today, he PR-ed with a 23:08 time.

D6 Fitness 5K - On The Course

We started on the track, did a 3/4 lap, exited the track, ran a course outside of the stadium, back into the stadium for a full lap, exited the stadium again, repeated the loop and finished back inside the stadium.

"Happy Finisher" me with Jacqueline Ortiz.  There were no awards for this run, but everyone who crossed the finish line got a finisher medal; so another one for my collection to donate to the cancer kids at San Antonio Children's Hospital, which is what I do with any medal I may get.

More "Happy Finishers" supporters, volunteers, etc.

One of my running buds I know from several local races.  I jokingly told him he would be the 'eye candy' for the ladies here on my running forum. 

I think I caught this kneeling lady in the act of proposing to someone.....jk....

Naturally, I had to get a photo with all these lovely ladies..

The lady in the blue shirt is one of the staff of San Antonio Sports which organizes a lot of events for our city, including college football's The Alamo Bowl.

Two of my favorite people, Dave and his wife, Joanne.  Dave is 77 years old and also quite speedy.  He finished in 26:48...at 77 years old...sheesh!

EPILOG - D6 FITNESS 5K

Very nicely done event.  When I first heard the course was at this stadium,  I had visions of all of us doing 12 laps around the track, yikes!  But whomever laid the loops out for this course did  a great job, was quite imaginative in making the course very 'winding' and longer so it really did not feel mentally like we were doing loops at all.  Well done, course designer!  Nice weather for this event too.  A bit warm with a 77 degree start - well, it is Texas summer! - but we had a fairly nice breeze blowing, and the humidity and dew-point was not excessive; and nice shady rest spots in the stadium tunnel post-race, sweet.  Kudos to District 6 Councilman and his staff, San Antonio Sports, and all the other organizations, volunteers, and sponsors who got this all together for us, they did a great job. Definitely would do this one again and recommend it to my fellow runners.

LONG VERSION REPORT AND PHOTOS - STREET2FEET FUN RUN 5K

This one was Sunday morning after the D6 Fitness 5K.  The weather was overcast, temp was in the upper mid-70s again, but the humidity and dew-point for this one was crazy as rain was threatening, we had overcast skies, and the air was quite 'muggy'.  About 30 or so runners and walkers participated.   Because part of the course was along the San Antonio Riverwalk I stopped quite a bit along the way and took photos.  I ended up with slower time for a 5K than I usually do - 38-something, averaging about 12-something minutes per mile.   Don't care...I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and all for a good cause too.

Before The Start

Race organizer Sophia with her mom.....or is that Sophia's older sister? 

Me and new friend.  Gotta love running, you meet so many nice people.

Some of the iaapweb.com staff - the company that did course set-up and timing for the 5K I did on Saturday - who get to run for a change, instead of doing all the support stuff for a race.   They are all quite speedy too.   The 2 ladies on each end told me they are mother-and-daughter, but I still don't believe it, I still think they are actually sisters. 

Our 2 coffee models there...coffee provided by Local Coffee

A little bit of stretching before we get started...

On The Course

We started in the parking lot area of Body Armor, an organization that provides CrossFit training.  From the parking lot we went down a side road that led to the San Antonio Riverwalk, got onto the Riverwalk and went to the VFW building where we did a turn-around and went back the way we came out.

Onto the part of the Riverwalk that will take us to the DFW building..

I was pretty much with this guy most of the way.  I'd stop to take photos, he'd pass me, I'd catch back up to him..and so it went.  He ran steadily and nonstop the whole way.

Lots of ladies come down here to get various type of photos....I passed this lovely lady along the way

Passed by this fountain grotto...

Turn-round point..the VFW Post building along the riverwalk

On the way back to the start/finish area now...

On the course we crossed this bridge near the San Antonio Museum of Art

We went under these sculptured fish 'swimming' underneath another bridge...

The outside of the fountain grotto on our way back

After we got back, we had breakfast tacos waiting for us.  Also iced-down bottles of water, which was very appreciated after a humid run.

Happy Finishers et al....

The guy in the striped shirt has not run a 5K in several years and yet finished in 26-something today, nice.

One of my 'running crushes",  Virginia, co-owner of a very excellent race company - guess what the name of it is? - and her two "younger sisters" 

OK, I was feeling tired after this 5K until I saw these CrossFit folks across the parking lot doing their stuff.. stepping across the parking lot with weights....

EPILOG - STREET2FEET 5K FUN RUN

Excellent event, kudos to Sophia and those that helped her put this together.  More like a community social run than a race, which is nice... friends coming together to do a run on a nice course for a good cause.   Nicely thought-out location too...easy access to the Riverwalk, and a laundromat right across the street where actual restroom facilities can be used if needed.  There was also a very nice lady who sells jewelry and donates a portion of the proceeds to nonprofits.  She donated a gift certificate for the jewelry  so post-run there was a raffle for that (I didn't win, darn the luck) and there were also raffle drawing for various other prizes (none of which I won either ).   Hope this one grows in the future, it really is a fun run, and very worthwhile to do too.

After two events in 2 days, I am following the example of two of my cats....

...and nap a lot today.     Not that I did so much running over the weekend, just mainly that I'm old and seem to get lazy more often these days.....

A very nice running weekend with lots of nice running folks!

Don't Texans ever stop smiling ???  

Must be all the jobs moving to Texas.

Naturally, I had to get a photo with all these lovely ladies..

Your pose in this pic made me laugh out loud!  That is just how it's done!  lmao

Thanks for the double-feature report, Scotty!   Sounds like 2 excellent races, and I love the course on the Riverwalk!   Thanks for sharing and for all the great pics!

As warm as it is in SA, does anyone ever jump into the river at the Riverwalk races?  That waterfall certainly looked inviting.

Well, I did not jump in, but once I was not paying attention and ran straight where the path curved and did a splash-down right into the water.  The outside patio diners at a nearby local eatery were all very amused, lol.