Beginners and Beyond

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Report and Photos: Head For The Cure 5K San Antonio for Brain Cancer (Read 17 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.

     

    The Details

    • My 52nd race of 2014.
    • Head For The Cure, supporting brain cancer research, etc.  This event is held throughout the year at various locations in the US. This was the inaugural Head For The Cure race in San Antonio.  Nice turn-out for a first time event, 1100+ runners and walkers. 
    • Sponsored by local TV station KSAT, an ABC affiliate.
    • Race time:  8 a.m.  Weather was threatening rain, but Mother Nature was kind to us, we did not get rained on.  It was cloudy and overcast, and actually pretty comfortable out there.
    • I ran this one for "Luke" a young lad of 2 or so whose parents I met post-run in my favorite San Antonio park.  They told me Luke had a neuroma-blastoma - an extracranial cancer most common in childhood and infancy.  So when I saw this race advertised, I signed up and dedicated this one to Luke.  For my race shirt size, I selected a youth shirt to give to Luke the next time I see him and his parents.
    • I ended up with a chip time of 32:17. 

    BEFORE THE RACE

     

    Local news had warned about street closures early in the morning, so I headed downtown early.  Got to the race area with about an hour to start time.  Glad I got there early, because parking filled up pretty darn quick.   I parked in the parking lot of a funeral home, which was quite close to the start/finish.  However, I thought to myself "At my age, should I really be parking in a funeral home lot?  The workers see me, they might come out and offer to embalm me now."    Oh well, made for convenient walking to and from the start/finish area.

     

    It was still a little dark when I got to the start area and began taking some pre-start photos.  My camera is not the best 'night-time' camera, but these came out fairly okay.    However, it is probably a good thing I am not a PAID photographer, lol.  There were lots of 'teams' at this event, some of them running for the cause, some running in the name of a specific person.

     

     

    Boy Scouts getting the post-race goodies area ready

     

     

    Lady on the right is one of my neighbors in my subdivision.  Nice to see her at a race again.

     

    Flashback from the reflective vest!  I guess those vests really are reflective, lol.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Me and friend, Jim.  Jim took a little nap from having to get up early this morning. 

     

    Me and David Sears, KSAT reporter.  KSAT staff folks are some of the nicest people ever.

     

     

    As noted on their shirts, this is "The Brainy Bunch."   Very clever.  lol.

     

    Our race MC, who did a great job.

     

     

     

    Two of the MANY officers who were out there doing traffic control, etc., for us.  Mucho thanks to all of them!

     

     

    yeah...where was that wagon at the last mile, when I needed a ride?

     

    In the starting area

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    We were also near San Antonio Currents building.  Currents is a local magazine of ongoing San Antonio events, dining, music, etc.

     

     

     

     

    And away we go....

     

    ON THE COURSE

    We started in front of KSAT-studios building and then did a 2-lap course on streets that were near the heart of downtown San Antonio. The course was really well thought-out so participants did not fee like 'hamsters on a wheel' going round and round.  Very flat course, which was nice.   2nd loop was just a tad annoying at times as the folks doing the walk were out and we runners for the 2nd loop had to negotiate through them.  The majority of the walkers - at least where I was running - were accommodating for the most part and moved out of the way of runners, but a few were walking in a broad line across in the street and I just had to shout real loudly at them "ON YOUR LEFT!" and so forth before they moved over.   Maybe next year, the organizers can have some kind of  "Walkers Lane" coned off to the far right of the course, so as not to impede any runners on that second loop.  But, as said, the majority of the walkers were okay, just a very few 'rude' ones - or ones unaware of 'race etiquette'  - that I saw that got  a few runners impeded in their progress.  Overall, nice course.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    AFTER THE FINISH

     

    First, some of the nice post-race goodies....Boy Scouts were doing most of the serving up for us..

     

    mmmmm, brownies...and bagels....

     

     

     

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    Cupcakes, pound cake, cookies...

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    Sausage rolls....and I told the young lady on the right that I was going to tell all my friends that I traveled back in time to get a photo of "Young Whoopi Goldberg."    Of course, this young lady is probably way too young to remember the very talented Ms. Goldberg when she was younger.

     

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    Yummy!

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    Cupcakes and other treats...

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    Folks from "Nothing Bundt Cakes"....thank you!

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    "Happy Finishers", supporters, et al....

     

     

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    This is the lovely 'sister' of Catherine, a friend of mine who owns "Run Wild",  a very good local running specialty store

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    Part of George's team...with survivor  George in the middle photo 064_zps739ccf26.jpg

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    My friend Jim got 1st place in his Age Group..

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    ..and then took another nap.....  Meanwhile, I found a friend....

     

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    EPILOG

     

    For a first-time event, a GREAT turnout (1100+), especially considering there were about 4 or 5 other races going on today in San Antonio too.   Nice course, live music being played for us, great venue, super post-race goodies, nice shirts and nice medals.  And, of course, what really makes the race for me, some super-nice and friendly people.  Mucho thanks to KSAT and Head For The Cure getting this one going.  And, of course, thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors, law enforcement, Boy Scouts, etc. - all those folks that were out there for us, helping to make it all happen for we participants.  This was a very well-organized event which went very smoothly - practically a "miracle" for a first-time event, as many 'old-hand" runners who do lots of races can tell you.   This event is definitely a keeper, looking forward to doing it again next year!

     

    Next up for me:  My 53rd event of the year:  Siclovia 5K on September 28, 2014.

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

    JerryInIL


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      Congrats on #52.  Everyone is smiling for you.

          

      GinnyinPA


        I'm glad they had such a good turnout for this inaugural event.  Looks like a good one.

          Cool pics Scotty, good cause too.

           

          <Grumble> In my youth, we scouts would have never been allowed in public with unbuttoned collars, unrolled neckerchiefs, and/or untucked shirts. </grumble>