INTRO

I am Scott aka Scottydog aka Scotty Dogg, 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 their photos.

SHORT REPORT

Held on August 30, 2015 at Olmos Basin Park in the Alamo Heights and Olmos Park area.  This was not a race but an event t is part of the "Brooks Power Hour of Running".   This is a partnership program of Brooks running shoes and Fleet Feet in which Fleet Feet Inc, on August 29th and 30th, donates $3 to Team RWB  from  customers' purchase of any New Balance 880 or 860 pair of shoes.   This event was part of the 9-week Fleet Feet "Power of Running For Good" program, in which Fleet Feet donates a portion of the sales of certain hand picked products to its charitable partner, Team RWB (of which I am a member), a veteran's organization with a mission to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.

The plan for today's social event was quite simple on this Sunday morning.  Fleet Feet and Brooks time the event for one hour and you just run, walk, crawl, or whatever your chosen mode of moving forward on your feet is as many miles as you can in that time, and then all the recorded miles are given to Fleet Feet for the donation program of which Team RWB is the recipient for it this year.  The course was laps on a cement paved trail at the park that went around the parks soccer field for 3/4 of a mile.  Or you could just run your own course within the hour in the surrounding neighborhoods, etc.; but only any miles you completed within the single hour are counted. 

I did a 5K on Saturday (Aug 29) and my legs and back were a tad tight on Sunday morning; so I opted to run/walk 1 full lap on the cement and then a half lap more, and then I headed out onto the paved roads and some natural trails to give my legs and back a break from the cement pounding. I made a loop on the paved roads of another nearby park, then up into an adjacent neighborhood where I 'connected' with some off-road natural trails in a wooded area there - and those dirt trails felt REALLY nice on my legs - although, as this was the first time I'd been on these trails, I did get a little discombobulated, lol, and ended up behind some nearby baseball fields.  From there it was back to the road, and then back onto the 3/4 cement trail to finish up.  I ended up with 4.3 miles in  48:11 and did not quite run the whole hour, as my "old man legs" were telling me they were done, lol, so I did not want to push it and risk screwing up my back.

PHOTO REPORT

Before the Start

Start time of 7:30, so most participants arrived around 6:30 - 7 a.m. - except for the organizers and volunteers who had to get there REALLY early to set everything off.  "Hand Salute!" to them for doing this for we participants.

Checking in and signing the participant waiver

Some of the participants, volunteers, etc.

Getting run information and instructions

Getting ready to start

On  the Run

This was the official photographer, in the middle of the field taking photos of all the runners and walkers lapping around him

After the Finish - I didn't realize for a while I had a sweaty spot on my lens for the first few photos, but I think they still came out okay; at least nobody looks like they're in Witness Protection, with their face blobbed out. 

Team RWB San Antonio - I took this photo so am not in it.  I did get in the one the official photographer took.

Recording the times of the runners and walkers for the hour.

The lovely Brooks ladies....they sure look a lot better than the Brooks Brothers, in my humble opinion.. 

EPILOG

As many races and events in a year that I do, I am a little bit known in my running community so I enjoyed lots of pleasant interaction with several people at this one.  I am also definitely going to go back and explore those trails too, which are 'new' for me, as I've never been on those particular trails.  So not only did I get to enjoy a nice social run with good running friends, I also found a new running route for me, sweeet!  Post-run there was  Starbucks coffee, for those who like coffee - personally, I can't stand the stuff; even the smell of coffee makes me nauseous; I have to wait outside, lol, when my wife goes into a coffee store to get hers - and there was fruit and breakfast tacos - now those I like! - of various types.   Very well done event and a nice way to spend a Sunday morning, running and walking  and chatting with friends. Mucho thanks to Brooks and Fleet Feet and everyone who got this one put all together for we participants.