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.

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%2084%20San%20Antonio%20Rock%20n%20Roll%205K?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 84th race of 2018 was the San Antonio Rock n Roll 5K on Dec 1^st.  There was also a 10K.  These vents were part of the San Antonio Rock n Roll races held on Dec 1 – Dec 2, with the half-marathon and full marathon held on Dec 2.    This is a popular race series held in San Antonio, so there were quite a few people. My weekend for this one started with me and my wife, Gail, going to the Expo on Friday to get our gear – my wife walked the 5K – and then lining up with a mass of people on Saturday for the 5K/10K.  Start time was 7:30 a.m at the start location of Sunset Station, an event venue in Downtown San Antonio near The Alamodome Stadium and Tower of the Americas.  I arrived with about 45 minutes to start time and got a few pre-start photos – a couple of them a bit blurry, sorry, my camera skills are not great and my old-time camera does not like the low-light, lol, before the sun comes up.

Start for this one was at Sunset Station, near The Alamodome

Tower of the Americas

With friends before the start

Various participants, volunteers, etc.   Sorry about some of the photos being a bit blurry.  My old-fashioned camera doe not like the low light before sunrise.

In the start crowd

One of the guys controlling 'people traffic' as the waves were let go every couple of minutes.

Right near the actual start line now

ON THE COURSE

Based on predicted finish time on the race entry participants were assigned specific corrals.  5K and 10K entrants all started together.  Well, not exactly together.  There were so many participants that after the elites and the speedy folks in corral 1 started, other corrals were released to go every 2 minutes.  I was assigned Corral 5 and after the gun went off, it took me nearly a half hour to actually get to and cross the timing mat.  Race was chipped time, so wasn’t a big deal for me –  I’d find out my actual time from the time I crossed the matt; and it wasn’t like I was going to win anything anyway at my pace, lol.   This was a point-to-point event, stating at Sunset Station and finishing On Navarro Street at Travis Park, a popular inner-city park about a ¼ mile or so walk from The Alamo on Alamo Street.   All done on paved roads and there were a couple of musicians out on the course playing as participants went by, as well as some music along the way heard from huge speakers along the course.  Pretty nice course and flat for the 5K.  I did the 10K last year and that course had a few inclines. As I came up to the corner to make the last turn to the finish, I noticed my friend Don a bit ahead of me; caught up to him and said “C’mon, Don, let’s go!”  And we both took off for the finish line, neck-and-neck, and pretty much finished that way too, chip time for me 34:29.  I think Don – who is in the 70+ age group and still going strong – was about 2 seconds ahead of me.

And we are off.  A little over a half mile on the course, my 1st walk break.

2nd walk break,  almost to the halfway point now

We had a very bright day

After that, nonstop to the finish! 

AFTER MY FINISH

Got some water and walked around a bit, and saw and chatted with lots of friends in the finish area and, of course me being me, got several after photos too.  Very nice little after party with all kinds of snack foods, various fruits, bottled water, and also Michelob Ultra, and other items to enjoy, accompanied by a guy playing music for us.  All pretty nice and we really had a nice day for all of it, with some sunshine, a slight breeze, very low humidity and dew-point, and the temp in the low 60s.  Much different from last year when it was colder.  With San Antonio, you just never know in the winter, lol.  It could be 72 degrees one day and then drop to the 30s the very next day, lol.  Thankfully, cold does not usually last a long time around here.

With friend Don; we raced side-by-side to the finish.

With my canine pal, Azula.  I have no idea who the two ladies are.     Just kidding, friends of mine.

My friend's son did his 5K in under 30 mnutes

Happy finishers, 3 old dogs....

Happy finishers, et al...

Finish line area volunteers

Important volunteers...the beer servers!

Beer and finisher medal

And before I left, a photo of one of the city Christmas Trees in the center of Travis Park

EPILOGUE

This is a really nicely done event and the packet pickup this year at the RnR Expo went like clockwork for me and Gail. We got there early and there was a bit of a long line, but once the doors opened to let everyone in it went pretty darn quickly.  Got our stuff in what seemed like no time at all and then went and enjoyed the expo for a while.   The 5K course was nicely laid out with roads wide enough to accommodate the large group of participants and also wheelchair and baby jogger friendly for those who needed that.   Several volunteers/course marshals/water stop folks cheering us along the way, and lots and lots of police officers at all the intersections keeping us safe.  This is an enjoyable 5K.

Thanks to all the people that made this one happen for us, including all the volunteers, sponsors, law enforcement, organizers, The Rock n Roll staff and their associates, and anyone else I may not have mentioned here.  No event for we participants without you, so mucho gracias!

Did Gail walk the race?

She did, in about 40 minutes.