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 15^th race of 2016 done on Feb 28^th was the Red Run Spa Day 5K and 10K put on by Carrera Races, a very good local race management company, with course set-up, timing and results provided by iaapweb.com, another very good local race management company. Race venue was O. P. Schnabel Park in San Antonio. I did the 5K. My legs were feeling a bit the 5K I’d done on Feb 27^th so I slowed down a bit for this one, taking a few more on-course photos and one more walk break than I normally do for a 5K. Even so, in my age group of 60-69, I managed to finish first – there were only 2 in my age group, lol – with a chip time of 35:36 “winning out” over my fellow age group runner by 22 seconds.

I tend to go a bit “camera crazy” when I am at these events and never really know how many photos I’ve taken until I get home; but it is usually a lot of photos! Which makes my reports a bit long at times, when included with my commentary on various photos. This event is no exception. So if you’d rather just see photos only without my comments, you can check out the slideshow of this event at this link:

BEFORE THE START

My wife the Scentsy Consultant

Some of the pre-start participants, volunteers, supporters, vendors, etc.

My buds at Run Wild Sports...a bit blurry long-distance

There you are!

My friend Minni and her 'little brother..."

Race Director, Virginia, of Carrera Races

Getting ready to go...ahead of me and behind me...

ON THE COURSE

The Carrera 5K course at this park is a bit hilly in places. Start/finish is near one of the parking lots in the park. We go up a paved trail incline to one of the park pavilions, make a right that takes us on a down incline to a fairly steep hill. Down this hill, then onto another paved trail – with a few short but ‘you can feel it in your legs” inclines to a turn-around point; and then the course in reverse to the finish – which meant that short steep downhill and downhill incline on the way out was now one long uphill on the way back, right up to the pavilion we had passed on the way out; at that point the last part of the course now became, thankfully, a downhill to the finish. The 10K folks had to go out a bit farther for their turn-around. A bit of a challenging course, but also nice, with lots of shade trees, river to our left on the way out and to our right on the way back. O.P. Schnabel also has several off-road trails; and the paved trails – part of San Antonio’s ‘greenway system” go a pretty long way out, some even connecting with other trails in the system, so this park is a pretty nice place to get in a run, walk, bike ride, etc.

On the way to the turn-around point

Made the turn-around, now heading back to the finish

Let the up inclines and 3-part hill begin on the way to the finish

Steep hill, Part 1

And part 2

And Part 3

After that a long uphill incline to a park pavilion; left turn and downhill to the finish.   Done!

AFTER THE FINISH

I got some water and then went and sat at one of the picnic tables just chillin’ for a bit. Then it was off to take post-race photos of the “Happy Finishers”, supporters, volunteers, vendors, etc.

First, though, checked out some of the goodies...

Party space

Yay for beer from Black Lab Brewing Company - named for their black lab dog.  Nice!

Keep pouring!

Yeah, beer!

Thank you guys!

Sausage wraps...

And then some of the people....  

These ladies were nice enough to give me one of those 'wavy thingys' on the table; or..."how to drive your cat crazy with a new toy." 

Lana and Mini doing results.  The dog is supervising, making sure they get it right.

I'm with her...I needed a nap after this course too.

Me and my fellow 60 - 69 age group guy, whom I just barely managed to finish ahead of by 22 seconds.  Super nice guy, I see him at various local events that I do over the year.

Why isn't this lovely  and speedy young lady on a Runners World cover? 

Me and one of my favorite people, Race Director Virginia

And finally, right before I left for home, I got a photo with these lovely young ladies.  Cuz, you know, that's how we old men make ourselves look good, hang with lovely ladies.     One of the many reasons I married my own lovely lady 31 years ago...I knew as we got older, she'd stay beautiful and make me look good when I was beside her.... see?

EPILOGUE

Love Carrera Races! My experience with their events has always been good and they also throw one heck of an after party, with lots of post-race goodies. I don’t exclusively do Carrera Races events, but I do a darn lot of them during the year and have never regretted it. Definitely would recommend one of their races to my fellow runners/walkers.

Mucho thanks to all the volunteers, law enforcement, sponsors, vendors, etc. – all the people who made this one happen for we participants. Y’all dun good for us!