Beginners and Beyond

1

Secret Squirrel 5K and Photos (Read 8 times)

scottydawg


Barking Mad To Run

    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%2037%20Secret%20Squirrel%205K

     

    A couple of the photos may not have come out so well;  sorry about that – I am certainly no professional photographer with skills; but at least all the photos are free to save.

     

    BEFORE MY START

     

    Secret Squirrel 5K, put on by the Military Intelligence Corps Organization, was my 37th race of 2017.  Held on June 3 at the Ingram Transit Station trailhead in San Antonio, part of San Antonio’s system of greenway trails. Timing and course set up done by Athlete Guild. Race start time of 7:30 a.m.  I got there with about 45 minutes to go to start time.  Storm front moving in, so weather was very cloudy/overcast, and rain drizzled on us before the start.   I wandered around in the drizzle getting some pre-start photos.

     

    I am in disguise today...wearing my mustache-and-glasses socks..

     

     

    Apparently my friend Karen here had a very early morning, she got in a short standing nap before the start.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    National Anthem with our RD holding the flag

     

    Getting read to start

     

     

    ON THE COURSE

    Out-and-back course on an all CONCRETE surface.  Slick in some spots with the rain we had gotten before the start.   Quite a varied course too, with flat spots, some downhills, some uphills – but nothing really majorly hilly, and we even crossed a bridge.  Pretty interesting course, especially for me as this is the first time I’d run this part of the greenway.   I ended up with a time of 33 minutes and some change, good enough for 2nd in my age group – and my age group, since it was a smaller event, was 60 – 98, lol.  The guy who came in first beat me in by a good 10 minutes.

     

    Across this bridge and away we go....

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    This is the guy who finished first

     

     

    Water stop volunteers

     

    I am heading back to the finish

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    AFTER MY FINISH

    I did a bit of a cool-down walk and after that stood near the finish line and got some photos of some of the others finishing. Then I wandered around taking more photos of the ‘happy finishers’, supporters, etc.  I don’t know if I got a photo of everyone there – probably not – but with this smaller event I think I captured quite a few of the participants.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Oops, blurred up my finishing friend...because she was moving so fast!  Yeah, that's it...

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    EPILOGUE

    This was a small event with 64 registered, but I think we had less than that show up, some people probably stayed away because of the storms threatening. Their loss, because this was a pretty nice little event and by the time we did start the rain had stopped.   Nice course, lots of friendly participants, fruit and some other stuff as post-race goodies, cotton race-shirt, not something to run in, but a pretty nicely designed shirt, something to wear when not running.     Definitely going to run this location again, and definitely would do this event again too.

    MUCHO thanks to all the people who did all the hard work to make this one happen for we participants, our RD Johnny Purnell, Athlete Guild for course set-up, timing, results, etc; all the volunteers, sponsors, our law enforcement bike pacer, etc.,  everyone who did packet pickup duties and were out there for we runners and walkers on race day for race day registration, water stop, etc.   Without all of you, there would be no races for us. Thank you very much!

    "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt

    GinnyinPA


      Where does the name, "Secret Squirrel" come from?

       

      It looks like a nice place to run, especially when it's not raining.