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.

Below is yet another of my photo reports.

Link to photos only:

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%20Race%20Reports/2019%20Race%20Number%2045%20Texas%20Too%20Hot%205K%2015K

Full report below.    

BEFORE THE START

 My 45^th race of 2019 was  tjeTexas Too Hot 5K held on July 14 at Boerne Lake Park in Boerne, Texas. This event is put on by iRun Texas a really great local running, training, and race management company, which is actually my favorite running store in the San Antonio area for getting my running shoes, GU, and running insoles.   There was also a 15K and a Kids 1K.  Race start time of 7:30 a.m, so up early to make the 40-minute or so drive to the park, but got delayed a bit as there was a pretty bad accident on the highway to Boerne, so had to make a loop around that.  Finally got to the park with about  35 minutes or so to start time, so was glad I had previously picked up my race packet.   Chatted with friends and wandered around a bit getting a few photos before the start.

Start line

iRun crew prepping for the race

Our race MC, Mark

Various Participants

In the start crowd

 ON THE COURSE

 The course is a mix of trail and paved roads, with the trail being fairly rocky along some parts.  Start is from one of the paved park roads, then a climb up a short but fairly steep hill. Once atop the hill we had a flat-and-rocky trail section that gave participants some nice views of Boerne Lake.  Down another hill, fairly steep, but short, that took us along short flat part of the trail, leading to some paved road. The paved road took the 5K folks to their turn-round point – for which we had to go up an incline – and then went back the way we had come out.  The 15K participants continued straight ahead on this road to get to their turn-round point.  The 15K, per what participants later told me, is REALLY hilly with some quite steep climbs.  Tough course.   Of course, the short steep uphill near the start was now a downhill for everyone on the way to the finish, and it was a bit rocky too, so kind of hard to pick up some speed until you hit the park road pavement again for the last  .1 that went to the finish line.  I ended up with a pretty slow 36:56 chip time, for 2^nd in my 65 – 69 age group.  There were only 2 in my age group and the first guy did 32-something.  The young man who was first overall – 20 years old – did it in 17:56, averaging 5-something minute miles, zowie!

Silhouetted runners on the small steep hill we climbed on the way back to the finish.  This was downhill on the way out

Lightened the photo up to see some of the hill we climbed

Looking behind me from the hill. After this photo I went nonstop to the finish.

AFTER MY FINISH

This event is certainly named correctly, it was pretty warm, even with a 7:30 a.m. start.  Nice touch at the finish line handing out iced-down small towels to each person after he/she crossed the finish line.   Put that on my neck, got some water, did a cool-down walk, then found where some food was and just sat in the shade for a while, sipping water and eating a banana.   There was also Shiner Beer, but unfortunately due to the idiotic Texas Blue Laws, beer can’t be served on Sunday until 10 a.m.  So the beer sat there, icing down, until that time.  I was thinking, ‘well, it’s there, what if you just took one….that would not be violating the law because it was not SERVED to you, right?”   😉  But I behaved myself, did not want to get anyone in trouble so waiting until the 10 a.m. allowed time to finally enjoy a post-race cold one.   Until then, after my cool-down, chatted with friends, enjoyed views of the lake, played with some dogs that were there, and got some after-photos, including the awards being handed out for each race.   There was also this automatic computer photo thingy where you stepped on a pedal on the ground, waited a minute and then the puter took a photo of you.  I turned with my back to it – my friends calling out to face the thing, but I waved them off – and stepped on the pedal, and got a nice photo of me from behind.  “See?” I told my friends,  “I just got my best side.”  😉 

Relaxing a bit, post-race

Sat by the lake for a bit, too.  Nice views.  These houses across the lake...part of that area was where the 15K folks had to climb up to for their route

Various finishers and supporters, volunteers, sponsors, etc

This one a bit blurry, sorry.  I blame these guys...even standing still they are speedy, lol.  These guys were very speedy on the course.

Me and Bernadette here with Race Director Mitch

Some of the age group award winners

I think my fellow age-group guy thought I might fall down, lol.  He may be right...I don't like "heights"  

These ladies did the 15K

Overall male winner, 17-something.  Probably has to wear fireproof underwear..

Shiner Beer time!

Race singlet...this is a women's large I got and gave to my wife, since my men's large did not fit me so well.   The age-group medal  age group placers is at the bottom of the shirt.

Back of the shirt - thank you sponsors and iRun! 

EPILOGUE

Very nice quality event put on by iRun co-owner Mitch Allen and his iRun crew. Course is challenging – especially for the 15K folks – but also a really nice one with, as noted previously, some nice views of the lake.  Post-race the lake can also be enjoyed for a cool-down swim and several people brought things to make a day of it after the race, grilling food, picnicking, swimming, etc.  It’s a bit of a drive from where I live, but a pretty nice park to visit and relax in. This event is also dog-friendly – and some of those dogs with their human runners are pretty darn speedy too, left me eating their dust. Iced-down bottles of water immediately right there in bins right after you cross the finish line, so you don’t have to go looking for water when you finish. I wish every race director would get a clue about this and all do it for their events; it’s nice not to have to go looking for the water after you finish, when you are hot and tired.

For the goodie bags, a cap and a nice quality race singlet – although the shirt tended to run a bit small from what the tag size on the shirt listed - but that’s on the shirt company, not iRun, they need to label more accurately – and several of us had to go up a size or two from what we initially requested so the shirt would fit properly. There was also a raffle for prizes – none of which I won, darn the luck – including several gift certificates for free New Balance running shoes from iRun, nice – and pretty nice-and-colorful award medals.  All-in-all, this is a quality event and one I have done for several years and will continue to do in years ahead and I certainly would recommend it to others.

Mucho thanks to all people who made this one happen for the participants: iRun staff, all the volunteers and sponsors – including the massage folks that were out there, Promotion Physical Therapy, which I bet several of the 15K folks appreciated after their tough course – and anyone else I may not have mentioned here. Thanks for all you folks do so we participants can have this event!