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

I don’t have great camera skills and take photos with a camera that is like me  - old fashioned, lol - so sorry if a photo appears a bit blurry, etc.  However, they are free to save, share, etc.    Also, i picked up my 'wrong' camera for this event, my older camera that I need to get rid of, so that contributed to some of the photos being blurry, sorry about that.  Most of them came out okay.

Here is yet another of my photo reports.  Full report below.     

Link to photos only:

http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2018%20Race%20Reports/2018%20Race%20Number%2037%20Paleta%205K

Before The Start

My 37th race of 2018 was Paleta 5K on May 19.  Put on by Andiamo Race Productions, this event is one of the races in a series of races Andiamo offers during the year. This event was a newly added race to the series, so this was Paleta's inaugural debut. Race location was McCallister Park in San Antonio, which is about a 2-mile drive from where I live, so got to sleep in a bit before the start of this one.  Start time of 7:30 a.m.   I arrived at the park with about 45 minutes to go to start time and got some pre-start photos.

Welcome to Paleta 5K!  Paleta in Spanish, if I remember correctly, means 'small stick' and often refers to the tasty Paleta dessert, like the ones pictured here on the welcome screens. 

The unofficial photographer with the official photographer

Our MC, Bob Ratliff - Great job, Bob!

iaapweb staff getting set up for timing, results, etc

Various Other Participants, Etc.

These two are wearing the race shirt

Start crowd

On The Course

Course was a mix of  paved park roads and paved off-road trails in the park. The course was GREAT! Very well-thought out and a nice loop course through a park that has lots of shade trees and lots of deer too, as this is a protected park. Some of the paved trails were recently renovated/repaved, so some nice smooth surface on those parts.  The paved trails were a mix of asphalt and concrete, but mostly asphalt.  The  temp was near 70 degrees when we started and a bit humid, as some rain was predicted for our area, but we never did get rained on during the race; might have been a blessing, with that humidity, especially as there was no wind either. Even so, very nice route,  and whoever laid out the course wisely  took us first up a very wide park road, so by the time we got to the off-road paved roads, everyone was strung out quite nicely, so plenty of room on the off-road paved trails - at least where I was, anyway, in the mid pack area. Super job Course Design Person!!  I ended up 2nd in my age group, with 33 minutes and change.  Age group awards to first person in each age group, so no medal, but everyone did get a uniquely designed finisher medal.

After The Finish

Stood by the finish line - and out of the way of  others finishing - and got a couple photos of people coming in.  Then wandered around getting some photos of the "happy finishers" - I call them that because...you ever notice...more people are smiling after they are done than before the start and on the course - and the volunteers, supporters, vendors, etc.

Getting those chips off the shoes...

Bob announcing the runners coming in to the finish

Bare-headed doggie

Fashion Statement doggie, lol

Long line post-race to get a paleta,

So wandered around and got some more photos

No more Paleta line...thanks to these volunteers for handing them out...

Yummy.  Nice and cold and tasty....hits the spot after a humid run.

My friend, Tanya, first woman overall, holding "Paleta Award"

Epilogue

One very nicely organized event.  For an inaugural run this one went off without a hitch, as far as I could tell.  Really nicely designed tech-tee race shirt, lots of goodies after, including tacos, gatorade, water, paletas (popsicles), and some Heineken beer, nice. There were also a couple of food trucks on site too.  Super nice course in a great location.  Also had a guy - I don't remember his name - playing live music for us - he is pretty good too - and the Age Group awards were unique too - hand-carved wood paleta-on-a-stick, very appropriate. Definitely a race worth doing if you are ever in San Antonio when it is being put on.

Mucho Gracias to all the people that made this one happen for us, including sponsors, vendors, volunteers, Andiamo Race Productions, iaapweb for doing the  course layout, timing, and results, Bob Ratliff for doing his usual great MC job, park police officer for being out there for us, and any others I may not have mentioned here.  No race for we participants if you don't do what you do, so thank you very much!