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.”

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; conversation forums for runners; and much more

Here is yet another of my photo reports.  This is a very popular race, so I took a LOT of photos; if you don't want to see them all individually below and read my full report please go to the slideshow link for faster viewing and no commentary.

Full report below.   

Slide show of photos only: 

http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2017%20Race%20Reports/2017%20Race%20No%2083%20Santa%20Antonio%205K?sort=2 

BEFORE MY START

This was my 83rd race of 2017, held on Nov 26 at Sunset Station in downtown San Antonio.  The Santa Antonio 5K is the oldest 'Santa Clause" 5K in the area and with your registration a free Santa Suit is provided.  This is a very popular event so always a really good turnout for this one.  The 5K started at 9 a.m and the kids run was at 8:30.  Also onsite were many photo-ops - both Santa and Mrs. Claus were there - and massage service was available too. You could also buy Santa Suits and/or a pretty nicely designed Santa 5K shirt.  A couple of the local news stations were on hand, taking video and interviewing a few people. I live pretty close to the race location so got to sleep in a little bit.  Arrived with a little more than an hour to go to start time and there were sure lots of photo-ops with this event.  The weather was pretty nice - in the low 60s, but somewhat chilly with a bit of a wind blowing, so I wore a top-shirt to keep comfortable pre-start and then took that off and ran in my singlet for the race.

Historic train at historic Sunset Station.   This track area is still an active site for current trains coming and going.

Lone Star Pavilion as Sunset Station, where most of the post-race activities took place

Some of the iaapweb folks and volunteers that did timing, course setup, race registration, etc

Our MC and sound man

In every race contract, there are Clauses - especially in this one!

Various participants, volunteers, etc - with me in a few of them

Next week I will be doing the San Antonio Rock n Roll Half-Marathon relay and the lady on the left is my partner, who will be dong the back half of the race.

With mascot Buddy of H-E-B, a huge fortune 500 company in San Antonio that supports a lot of community events.

Not only did this guy carry the flag for the event, he is also very speedy - did 7-something miles carry the flag and first in his age group. Heck, he may have even been first overall.

lol...these guys had cardboard "sleighs' so they could walk around with them...and then when they sat down...they....sleighed!.

With NBA San Antonio Spurs mascot - Spurs Coyote

In the start area

ON THE COURSE

This course is usually a pretty flat out-and-back from-and-to Sunset Station, with the exception of climbing historic Hays Street bridge.  However, with some ongoing construction in the downtown area, the course had to be changed a bit, so there were a couple more hills for this year.  This was more of a loop-course with one out-and-back part after we climbed a hill, turned around, went back the way we'd come and then down the hill, made a turn and headed for the finish. It was actually a pretty nicely thought-out course.   I was feeling pretty good and ended up being done in 33 minutes-and-change.  As this is a pretty large event and the age groups were 10-year groups - mine was 60 - 69 - I knew I wasn't getting any award as there are some very speedy old guys in this age group, lol.  My friend, Jim, for one, who does a 7-8 minute mile, compared to my 10-something per mile, lol.  All good, I never expect awards at races anyway and for me awards when I do a race are not my main goal, so if I happen to do get one, then I just count it as a bonus.

Up one side of Hays Street Bridge

looking behind me

On the bridge

Down the other side

Climbed the next hill, on my way to the turn-round of the out-and-back part of the course

One of the "Village People" Santas

AFTER MY FINISH

Got some water, did a small cool-down walk, put a dry shirt on underneath my singlet and then was going to wander and get some photos...but then a friend of mine told me one of the news guys had found out this was my 83rd race of the year, so wanted to interview me.  Well, okay....so off I went.  Hope I did not disappoint him, I am not exactly 'camera-pretty' in the TV way;  probably not in any way, lol.

With the guy who interviewed me and several other people too

And then...."happy finishers", volunteers, supporters, and more...

"Village People" Santas, lol

The Grinch unmasked....it was warm today, had to be nice to be able to breath again...

Go UTSA - the university I work for

Santa beer!

My friends with their recently rescued shy dog

There's the little fellow...he is very lucky to have these two as his parents...they are two of the best people I know...the dog, of course, not the guy on the left...    

Pulled pork sandwiches - thanks food people!

Our live music guys.  Thanks!

EPILOGUE

This event is one of the main-stay 'keepers' on my race calendar.  It is one of my favorite races of the year and I participate quite consistently. The B.I.S.H. Foundation does a great job with this one and the funding is for a great cause, cancer research.  As for the course change this year, well, quite frankly I hope they keep this course in the future. Yeah, there are a couple of hills, but not bad.  The historic Hays Street Bridge is always a nice touch; as I was going along I heard several people who had not done this one before making a lot of positive comments about this part of the course, and several people stopped to take photos on the bridge; as for the larger hill climb and the out-and-back part, well, the course planner did have his/her name taken in vain a few times, lol, but when we did the out-and-back part, friends were seeing friends coming-and-going, there were lots of calls of support-and-encouragement and high-fives and fist bumps as friends and family members passed by each other, and so forth; I think most of the participants enjoyed this part.  So I think this course may be a keeper.  Plus, since we pretty much avoided the primary downtown area, I bet this was a lot cheaper for the organizers - it gets darn expensive to pay for closed roads around, for example, The Alamo - so that's always a good thing, that means a bit extra for whatever race needs there may be, and so in the end, we participants benefit.   Such a good event and so much fun.  Great post-race food-and-drink that included pulled pork sandwiches, Alamo Beer, various energy drinks, live music, and more.  Definitely an event worth doing, most assuredly would recommend it to others.

MUCH THANKS to all the people who make this one happen for we participants:  volunteers, sponsors, vendors, law enforcement out there for us, Sunset Station staff and any other city employees that helped get this one going, and so forth.  And, of course, to the B.I.S.H. Foundation, the driving force behind this event.  Apologies if I missed anyone. Without ALL of you involved, no race for we participants, so thank you very much!