Beginners and Beyond

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Report and Photos: Carerra Races Gusto 15K and 5K (Read 36 times)

scottydawg


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 41st race of 2013.  Carerra Races - <cite>www.carreraraces.com</cite> - puts on a series of races during the year that leads up to doing the San Antonio Marathon/Half Marathon and the 8K and 15K were part of this series of races.  People can sign up to do all of the races or sign up to do them each individually.  As I can't run distance anymore (stupid arthritis!), I sign up to do a few Carerra races  each year individually, as not part of the training program.  The last 8K I did took me over an hour.  I  figured I would finish this on in about an hour and 5 minutes or so, but I felt pretty good out there and surprised myself with this one and finished in 57:31 chip time, 1:00:22 gun time, even with all my photo stops along the way.  Guess I was moving a tad faster than I gave myself credit for.   I thought one thing was funny:  about a minute or so after I finished, the guy who won the 15K came in right behind me. His 15K time was close to my 8K time, lol.  Zowie, that guy is speedy! .

     

    LONG VERSION REPORT WITH PHOTOS

     

    BEFORE THE RACE

     

    Event was held at Ladybird Johnson Park, which is about a 10-minute drive from my house, so I got to sleep in a little. Race start time was 7 a.m.  Thank goodness for the early start since it was already starting to get warm - our high for today (July 13) is predicted to hit 100 with a 'feels like" temp of 105.  . Temp was already in the mid-70s by 7 a.m.  I got there a little before sunrise and got some photos of the prestart participants, supporters, and volunteers.   The blue tech shirts that some of the participants are wearing, that say "GUSTO RUN" on the front - are the race shirts participants got for this event.   The 'red bib' runners are the 15K participants.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    This next group kept growing...

     

     

     

     

     

    ON THE COURSE

    The course was a small loop-around in the parking lot to start, then we headed onto some very nice paved asphalt and cement trails.  Out-and-back for both the 15K and the 8K with, naturally, the 15K folks going out farther than we 8K folks.   These paved trails are part of the park system San Antonio has been working on for years and it's finally coming all together.  These trails connect at various points to trails in other parks, so you can go quite a distance for quite a long run if you want to, with no worries about any vehicle traffic.  Very nice!   I am not big on out-and-back courses - I personally prefer a one big loop kinda course - but this is one of the very best out-and-back events I've done, Carerra Races sure did this one up right!  Very nice trail, lots of shade, pretty much flat all the way - a couple of inclines here and there, but nothing you could really call a hill - and lots of room for everyone.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    At last!  The 8K turn-around point...and our great volunteers out there for us.

     

    On the way back to the finish...we went under this highway twice, going out, then going back...

     

     

    Courtesy of this runner/walker/cyclist friendly underpass tunnel..

     

     

     

    I was pretty much around these next two ladies for most of the course.  They would pass me when I took photos, I'd catch back up again during my running segments.   Their very nice Great Legs were quite motivating in keeping me moving forward. Big grin

     

     

     

     

    Finally...off the trails and back on the parking lot road...heading for the finish!

     

     

     

    I headed for the finish myself after that last photo.  I actually passed 3 people along the short way, gave a bit of a kick - well, a kick for my slow-dog self anyway, lol - and saw the clock at 1 hour and some seconds as I finished, so I figured my chip time must be under an hour.  I was pleasantly surprised by that, did not expect at all to finish under an hour.

     

    AFTER THE RACE

    ICE COLD water bottles being handed to each runner as he/she got to the end of the chute, very nice.  Carerra Races sure does it right!  That water really hit the spot.  Did a cool down walk, drank my water, then off to get  some "Happy Finisher" photos.

     

    My "motivation ladies" on the course.

     

    They graciously let me have a photo with them...Beauties and the Beast.. Joking

     

     

    More "Happy Finishers", supporters and volunteers

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Our beautiful MC/Announcer

     

     

    Volunteer from Children's Hospital of San Antonio (formerly Santa Rosa Children's Hospital), the hospital where I give any medals I may get - once in a Blue Moon, as slow as I am, lol - to the kids in the cancer ward there.

     

     

     

    I told the guy on the right after his vacation was over all I wanted for XMAS was new running shoes. Big grin

     

     

     

     

    Photographed the photographers who were there taking photographs. Big grin

     

     

    And let's not forget the post-race goodies!

     

    Banana nut bread

     

     

    Strawberry banana smoothies

     

    Pastries from La Madeleine, a really good bakery/restaurant in San Antonio

     

     

    And, of course, at every Carerra race....cold beer!

     

    There was also breakfast tacos, which were quite good too.

     

    EPILOG

     

    This was a really good event with a really nice course that had good paths and lots of shade.   I hope Carerra Races continues to use this one in the future, and other races start using it too.  These trails are probably some of the best in San Antonio and not relatively well known yet.  Lots of friendly folks at this event, lots of good vendors, plenty of post race goodies.  Lots of shade and places to sit post-race too, which was nice.  MUCHO thanks to Virginia and her volunteers, and all the folks at Carerra for this event, and thanks to iaapweb.com staff for the course set-up, timing, results, etc.   If you get a chance to do this event in the future, do so!

     

    Nap time now.  I have yet another race coming up...a 5K tomorrow, on July 14th!  Report and photos soon to be posted.

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


    SheCan

      Wow, you got this RR up quick!   You are really are much more speedy then you give yourself credit for! Joking

       

      Congratulations on your 41st race, and the sub-hour finish on it.  Looks like a nice shady course, and that early start time probably helped some that way.  Its nice though that San Antonio puts money into such a good trail system for their folks.  Those treats at the end of the race, sure makes this race look like a winner to me.  Great job on the race, and report, Scotty!

      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

      redrum


      Caretaker/Overlook Hotel

        Maybe I missed it but........Did you get any pics of said event? Wink

         

         

        I am amazed at how many friggin races San Antonio puts on.  Especially cuz I know it's hot out there.  I live in So Cal and I swear we don't have this many.  At least not in as condensed an area!

         Randy

        Brrrrrrr


        Uffda

          Great running Scotty! Not a bad time to boot. It looks like a fun race.

          - Andrew

          Zelanie


            Another great race!  And speedy, too!  Congrats, Scotty!

             

            That's neat that they're working on getting all of those trails to connect without having to cross streets.  We have some really beautiful running/biking paths around town, but generally have to either do loops in one spot or cross some streets to get from one to another.

            GinnyinPA


              Nice RR Scotty.  That looks like a lovely place to run, let alone race.  Good job on your speed.  You're much faster than you give yourself credit for.

              Docket_Rocket


                Tutus, Too Hot to Handle shirts, awesome RR!

                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

                  4? (or more) pics of people in Nike shorts.... and Brooks shoes.  Love it.

                   

                  Did you not get the tutu memo? Haha.

                  So_Im_a_Runner


                  Go figure

                    Nice to see you can still surprise yourself, even at your advanced age Smile  You really killed that time prediction you had!  Quite the ladies man you are, sir.  That Gail had better keep an eye on you.

                    Trying to find some more hay to restock the barn

                    kristin10185


                    Skirt Runner

                      Great job improving your time!! Great pics!

                      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

                      JerryInIL


                      Return To Racing

                        41 races....no sweat ???

                            

                        Awood_Runner


                        Smaller By The Day

                          Every time you put up a time that is better than expected, I usually assume there were some great legs to chase.  Now, I'm starting to think it's because there is Miller 64 at the end.  I'll figure it out one of these days...lol  Either way, congratulations on another race.  You rock!

                          Improvements

                          Weight 100 pounds lost

                          5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)

                          10K 48:59 April 2013

                          HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013

                          MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013

                          wcrunner2


                          Are we there, yet?

                            And I thought from the title you had braved the weather  and the distance to run both the 8K and 15K. Big grin

                             2024 Races:

                                  03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                                  05/11 - D3 50K
                                  05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                                  06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.