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.  Full report below.    

Link to photos only: http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2017%20Race%20Reports/2017%20Race%20No%2049%20Orange%20Leaf%205K

A couple of the photos may not have come out so well; sorry about that.   Plus, at times post-race I forgot to wipe my sweaty lens - duhhhh - so there might be a smudge or two on some of them.     All in all, I think they came out fairly well.  I am certainly no professional photographer with skills; but at least all the photos are free to save.

BEFORE MY START

My 49^th race of 2017 was the Orange Leaf 5K/Half Marathon on July 22 in New Braunfels TX.  Primary sponsor was Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt.  Local race management company Athlete Guild did the course setup, timing, and results.  Race supported Chosen, a nonprofit supporting foster and orphaned children.  This event was also dedicated to a young man named Conrad Kuntz, a 17-year old of New Braunfels who was sadly recently shot to death recently.   The race shirts bore his name on the back of them.   The Half started at 6:30 a.m. and the 5K started at 7 a.m.  I arrived onsite a little after 6 a.m. and got some pre-start photos and a couple of photos of the half marathoners heading out onto the course.

Race shirt, front and back

Conrad Kuntz, may he rest in peace, and may his family find peace and comfort.

Athlete Guild folks doing computer race prep

Our MC and announcer

Color Guard for the National Anthem

Some of the participants

Half marathon getting ready to start

And there they go...

It is I!  Waiting for the 5K start

And others waiting too...

Wearing "Conrad Kuntz" hair in his honor and memory

No 5K for this guy...but he came out to support the rest of us..

Here we go....lined up...

ON THE COURSE

Course for the 5K was the same as the half-marathon course, except of course that we 5K folks went much shorter.  Start in shopping center area where Orange Leaf was located, out onto a local road to a turn-around point and then turn around and come back the way we had come out.  For New Braunfels, this was a pretty nice course as it was totally flat; unusual for a race in New Braunfels area as most races held here include a couple of hills.  It was warm, already in the low 70s, and sun shining brightly, but there was a nice little breeze blowing at times. Not bad for we 5K folks as we were not out there that long; the half participants probably felt that warmth more than we did.  This is a popular event – and also because it was ‘in memoriam’ for the local young man, there was quite a nice turn-out this year.   I ended up with a chip time of 32:14, but didn’t even come close to placing in my age group (60-64); I was 6^th; the top 3 in my age group all finished in the 20s. It’s all good.  Placing is nice but it’s not really one of my priorities like it was when I was 30 years younger. I enjoyed myself, doing my own thing, interacting with people and taking photos.  And, at my age, I met my two primary goals these days:  finish standing up and have no ambulance waiting for me specifically at the finish line.

This is what happens when you have to take walk breaks...it gets lonely sometimes.. 

No worries, I was soon surrounded again

This was our turn-around point road, people coming and going..and the sun really started to beat down on us here...

After the doggie photo, back to the finish line non-stop for the last 1.2 miles.

AFTER MY FINISH

Drank some water, did a little cool-down walk, found some shade to sit in for a bit, and then it was off to get the ‘after’ photos.

Athlete Guild folks still at it..

We're done, we have our printed results as proof!

Found the beer!

My favorite volunteers at that point!

Ohhhhh yeahhhhh...

I feel like I'm in a Mutt-and-Jeff comic strip standing next to my taller friend,  lol.  You old folks like me will know who Mutt and Jeff are.

Two old guys...one of whom placed, anyway... 

Where's the Beef?  Team Beef all around!

Yes, she did run the whole race barefoot... 

With pal Bernadette, who was first in her age group

Friend Bill cooling off after his half

Found the pizza!

Thank you, young lady

Enjoying some of that free frozen yogurt

Friend Kim...half is done!

Ditto for friend John

Awards presenters...thank you ladies.

With friend Elaine, who also did the half

EPILOGUE

Always enjoy this one, especially the early start for a summer event.  I wish all Race Directors would get smart and do this for Texas summer events, that early start can really make a difference.  Every race done in Texas summer should start around 6:30 a.m. or 7 a.m.  Nice quality tech-tee race shirt, and lots of nice post-race goodies…yogurt, pizza, Shiner Bock beer,   - I think there was coffee available too, with the early start, but I did not notice that as I  don’t drink coffee - and some of the sponsor vendors were giving away some freebies too.  A very well-organized well put on event.  Definitely would recommend it to my fellow runners/walkers.

MUCHO thanks to all the people who did all the hard work to make this one happen for we participants and were out there for us:  Athlete Guild for the timing and course set up, all the volunteers, sponsors, law enforcement that was out there for us, etc.  Kudos to Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt who gave each runner/walker who wanted it a free cup of frozen yogurt, which really hit the spot after a warm run.  Without all of you doing what you do, there would be no races for us participants, so thank you very much for what you do!