INTRO

I am Scott aka Scottydog aka Scotty Dogg, runner since 1983, cancer survivor – caught very early, so I actually had a fairly easy time of it - , retired Air Force, employee of University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), friend of dogs, fun-runner, and all-around punster and 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.  My only goals for a race these days are finish everything I start, have fun along the way, and finish standing up with no ambulance waiting for me. 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 – unless it’s a mean dog; then the biscuit goes in one direction and I go in another. Hence my nickname “Scottydog.” Here is yet another of my Race Reports with Photos. I am not exactly a good photographer but hey, at least all the photos are free so my ‘subjects’ can save and share their photos if they so desire. Mucho thanks to all the people I interacted with at this event for their graciousness, patience, and good humor in letting me take photos of them.  And a big thanks to runningahead.com for allowing me a “home” for my many many MANY race reports and photos. Great site, free training log; calendars; running routes, maps, and conversation forums for runners and much more!

My 12th race done in 2016 was Street2Feet 5K done on Feb 20 in downtown San Antonio. This was the 7^th time for this event and my 7^th time doing it, so my streak for this one continues. This is quite a popular local annual event. Per its website (www.street2feet.org) Street2Feet, a Haven for Hope partner, is a 5K training program that promotes health in spirit, mind and body among individuals experiencing homelessness. Street2Feet participants pursue a short term goal of training for and completing a 5K race. The program promotes goal setting, self compassion, confidence and discipline through the joys of running.  At that 8 a.m. start time, it was 95% humidity, cloudy and overcast, with virtually no wind blowing. I wore one of my warm-weather short sleeved running shirts – appropriately a shirt I got from a past Street2Feet race. As much as I sweat when I run, I probably would have been more comfortable in one of my singlets.   But it was all good, even with my photo-taking walk breaks I managed to do okay, finishing in 31:40 chip time, which is pretty speedy for this old dog.

I took lots of photos for this one!  If you would rather bypass my "commentary-and-photo-report" below, you can go here for a show of just the photos - which are NOT in the order below, because for my reports, I rearrange the photos in an order to match my 'story".

Slideshow - http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2016%20Race%20Reports/2016%20Race%2012%20Street2Feet%205K

BEFORE THE START

In my gear and ready to go to the race site....

...right down to my 'Dancing Doggie" socks...of course, my lovely wife is that beautiful white one...I'm the mutt.... 

Race start time 8 a.m. I arrived about an hour before that, got a nice parking space close to the start/finish area and wandered around taking some pre-start photos. The staging and start/finish area was near the Presbyterian church on 4^th Street.

It was still a bit dark when I arrived and Ed here was 'lighting it up' with his reflective jacket when my flash went off...

Race Day registration volunteers.  The volunteers in the white shirts with red sleeves are wearing the race shirt participants got for this event

Nice of Ronald to keep my friend Ivette dry in the smidgen of drizzle we had before the race

Husband-and-wife running team Bill and Chris

The lonely start line before the participants start lining up

iaapweb.com folks who did the course set up, timing, results, etc.  Except for that lazy guy on the left with the bib...he did the race and let all his co-workers do all the work.    Just kidding, Jose!

Selfie! Which is hard to do with a regular Canon camera, since you can't see yourself like on a phone camera; but I've used this camera so long I think I'm getting a knack for doing a selfie with it.

The speedy old guy on the right does a 6-something minute mile...and happens to be in MY age group, darn the luck!  My friend, Jim.

Brak Pak group

National Honor Society members.  After the race they had to take a quiz. 

Street2Feet 5K course volunteers, etc.   Thanks for being out there for us!

Uh oh..here's trouble...  

..and double-trouble...

The bike pacers for the lead runners

Our race organizer and MC, the lovely Lana

Team RWB San Antonio, veteran's group of which I am a member

RWB San Antonio Team Leader Roy and his son, future Team Leader.  This was his son's first 5K.

Four Old Dudes

Four Old Dudes and two lovely ladies

Husband-and-wife team ready to race

In front of me at the start, and behind me

ON THE COURSE

Done in the downtown San Antonio area, this course is very flat – so a good PR course for those who have that as a goal – and goes by the colorful downtown library, crosses a couple of bridges giving a nice view of the San Antonio Riverwalk below and right before the finish passes in front of The Alamo. Course map for those interested - http://www.street2feet.org/2016-s2f-5k--kids-k.html

A bit past the halfway mark now...

Near the 'uniquely colored" downtown San Antonio Library

Part of the San Antonio Riverwalk below us

Just before made the last turn to the finish...past The Alamo with a mariachi band playing in front of it

AFTER THE FINISH

Got some water and did a short cool-down walk. Got some photos of some people who were finishing after me, and then wandered around getting random photos of “happy finishers”, volunteers, supporters, etc.   There were some food vendors there selling food and there was also one local eatery – I never did see their signage name, sorry – that was dishing out a paper plate of food to finished participants. Looked pretty good – but smelled pretty spicy, so as me and my digestive system have a problem with spicy – about the spiciest thing I can eat is very mild mustard, lol – I passed and kept on taking photos.

My friends Margaret and Rocky.  Rocky is one speedy little dog.

My friend, Sally (left) did really well for her first post-surgery race

yeah...where was this stroller guy when I needed a ride into the finish with about a half-mile to go? 

Hurache Turbo team.  Lovely team Leader Ceci (front, kneeling next to lady with bib 59) told 'em to get into the photo or else!

These two ladies were course volunteers and then ran in after that.

This is MC Lana's boyfriend.  I don't know who that guy on the left is. 

Me and my friend Arturo.  I'm always joking with him that he never smiles in his photos.   So today I tried to pull an "Arturo" pose with him..

..but obviously I'm just not as good at it as 'the original' , so I had to laugh...and I got a bit of a smile from him, lol.

I told the guy beside Arturo to tickle him...and still got nada smile...that Arturo is disciplined! 

My friend and co-worker, Alma, and her daughter

Lana doing awards presentations

At every race I see this lady, I always think she is Lana's twin....hmmm...is Lana's mom (next photo, she is on right) not telling us something? 

My lovely friend Cecy, and some guy she picked up   ....years ago...I can't remember how long they've been married.  Cecy and Victor are both great people.

Speedy Bill placed in his age group; well..he IS a lawyer...and there was this ambulance in front of him...    ok, he's not that kind of lawyer, lol...he's just darn speedy.

My friend, Sally, placed too. Way to go, good comeback!

EPILOGUE

Love this event!   Always well organized, great sponsors and patrons, really nice race shirts, always unique each year, great course that even has ‘cheer teams’ along the way for participants, and there is even a ‘team contest’ with the team having the most participants in the 5K getting an award. Also, always done for a great cause, supporting SAMM Ministries, people in Haven for Hope, and the Street2Feet program. Big shout-out to my friend – and, of course, one of my ‘running crushes’ – the lovely Lana Hernandez who always does a great job organizing this event – of course she does get a little help from family, friends, and volunteers - and this year she was also the MC for it. This year was no exception, she did great again.

Mucho thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors, law enforcement, etc, who were all out there for us participants today; all those folks that made this one happen for all the participants. All of you did great for us!