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

This was my 11th race of 2014 and my 3rd 5K of this weekend, after having done two 5Ks on Saturday morning, Street2Feet5K (report and photos: https://www.runningahead.com/groups/BF_and_Beyond/forum/7285d19027b44df98bd36cde37616160/resume#focus  ) and Be My Valentine 5K (report and photos: https://www.runningahead.com/groups/BF_and_Beyond/forum/8d6d8fa3e3d84d519e4d048e84d15b39/resume#focus )

This 5K was part of the celebration activities of the McNay Art Museum's 60th anniversary.   Start time of 10 a.m., so got to sleep in a bit.  Weather was pretty nice, 62 degrees at start time, but overcast and kind of humid with rain threatening, but that never did show up thank goodness.   I wasn't sure if my legs would behave themselves after doing two 5Ks on Saturday, but they did fine, surprising me by getting a finish time of 32: 42, giving me 4th in my age group..my NEW age group, as I just turned 60 years old. The guy who won my age group did the run in 27:01.  We have some speedy old guys in my age group!

Long Version Report With Photos

Because the museum grounds were going to be very active for the day, no parking there.  So I caught the shuttle bus from a nearby local high school that took us to the grounds, and began wandering around getting some pre-start photos.

Before The Race

Yours Truly, your host for this report

Entrance to the McNay

Sculpture in front of the McNay

You could also bring your race shirt to the front lawn of the McNay and get it printed with a design.  Then shirts were 'hung to dry' with your design of choice and you could pick it up before you left.  Designed include a birthday cake (for McNay''s 60th birthday), a shoe imprint (appropriate for runners!) and an ART ART ART logos design.

These 2 folks are wearing the race shirt that was in the goody bags.

The race shirt design was modeled after this sculpture at the McNay

More participants, supporters, volunteers, etc., pre-start

Getting ready to go...

On The Course

When I saw the McNay brochure for this event, they had the course marked on the brochure as a circle on the museum grounds.  The McNay grounds are not all that large so my first though was "Uh oh...how many laps do we have to run on the grounds to get to 5K distance?"  I was imagining us doing a lot of circles!  However, the course actually did a lap around the grounds, then went off the grounds where we did a route through an adjacent neighborhood, then back to the museum grounds to finish.  Very well designed and -  big relief for me, as I hate doing loops and loops, lol, to this day I simply cannot run on a short track - no running in multiple circles!

I was not even to the halfway point yet and the leader coming toward me was already heading back to the finish.   He ended up finishing in 17:44.

Our EMT guy who cycled up and down the course making sure all participants were okay.

I was now heading back to the finish myself and got this photo of some folks running toward the 'turn-around block" that would bring them around to heading toward the finish.

Runners and walkers coming towards me on their way to the half-way point, and others heading in the same direction as me toward the finish.

Some runners and walkers coming up from behind me

Back on the museum grounds, heading toward the finish.  This downhill was an uphill on the way out.

These two guys and I were in proximity of each other for most of the race.   I took this last photo and then the guy in the green shirt caught up with me and we ran to the finish together and had a nice chat on the way.   The last part of the course was a short but slightly steep uphill on the front driveway of the McNay.  Green Shirt Guy  surged ahead of me up the hill and crossed the finish just ahead of me.  Nice way to finish, a nice chat along the last part of the course and a strong finish.

After The Race

Green Shirt Guy, whom I ran in with, his Friend in Blue, and another friend of theirs who finished WAY ahead of we other three, with a 26-something time.

Blue Shirt Guy and the Two Green Shirt Guys

Uh oh..forgot to wipe my lens for this one and "Witness-Protectioned" the guy on the right a little bit

More Happy Finishers, Supporters, et al...

The awards ceremony was held on an outdoor patio that had some various pieces of sculpture

The awards were these very unique artist renderings, limited edition "screen prints" designed by artist Chris Davila.  One of them displayed here by my speedy friend, Bernadette, who got 2nd in her age group...and so got the number '2" as her award...and the award screen prints were all signed by the artist.

This lady was on the same shuttle as me coming over to the grounds.  Very nice lady, we had a nice chat.  She won First Female overall in a time of 20:24.

Bernadette told me I should get a '1-2-3-" photo and so I did...and I think we started a trend, lol, because then lots of other folks with cameras, including the official race photographer, came over to get a photo too.

I got a photo of  me and museum's fountain on the grounds

Sherry Purnell and Scott Woods of AthleteGuild that took care of the timing, course set-up, etc.  Sherry was the one who laid out the 5K course for today and a darn good job she did!  Thank you SO MUCH, Sherry, for NO loops!

The AthleteGuild Crew...thanks for doing your usual great job at this race, folks!

EPILOG

This was the first time the McNay has held this event and for an inaugural event it was quite well done. Participants in the race also got free admission to the museum for the day and there were all kinds of various activities going on throughout the day until 3:30 p.m. MUCHO thanks to all the sponsors, volunteers, organizers, AthleteGuild staff, McNay Art Museum staff, etc. who worked hard to put this all together, and thanks to artist Chris Davila for taking the time to do the award screenprints.  I would hope they keep this race as an annual event because it is quite an enjoyable one and held at a very unique venue.

Nice RR, Scotty. It looks like you had fun, as usual! That's what it's all about.

Beautiful grounds for a race!   Congrats on #3 for the weekend!   How many are you running next weekend?   ;-)     Thanks for sharing!