INTRO

I am Scott aka Scottydog aka Scotty Dogg, runner since 1983, cancer survivor, retired Air Force, employee of University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), friend of dogs, fun-runner, and all-around 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.  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, hence my nickname “Scottydog.” Here is yet another of my Race Reports With Photos, and my thanks to all the people I interacted with for their graciousness and good humor in letting me take photos of them.

Held on October 17, 2015, this was the Big 5-0 for the year, my 50th race done in 2015.Paint The Parkway Pink is a breast cancer awareness event held by North Central Baptist Hospital near Stone Oak Parkway in San Antonio.  Reagan High School, adjacent to the hospital, kindly offers its campus grounds for the start and finish of the 5K.  Beautiful day for it too, low humidity, low dewpoint, and a temp at start time of around 68 degrees.  Start time of 9:15 a.m., with  races for kids held before the main start, and lots of activities, vendor/sponsor booths, etc.   There were a few hundred participants, runners and walkers.  I ended up with a finish time of 37-something, which was good enough for 1st in my age group division of 60 - 69;  I think there were only 3 in my age division, lol.  Pretty slow for a 5K for me - I usually finish in around 33 - 34 minutes; but I forgot my darn energy gel for this race - at my slow pace, I take one a bit before the race and it usually 'kicks in' for me for the back half of the event - so I was 'not feeling it' like I usually do for the back half of the race.  Oh well, it's all good, and I just said heck with it and took more photos than I usually do. I chose to do this event because my supervisor and friend at work, Sarah, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, had her surgery and is recovering.  So the medal is a bonus, which I will give to Sarah, along with one of the pink race shirts I got for her.

BEFORE THE START

With a 9:15 a.m. start, it was nice to sleep in a bit.  Arrived at the race festivities with about 40 minutes to go to start time and wandered around taking some photos.

Welcome to Paint The Parkway Pink

Getting the start/finish line ready

Thank you, North Central Baptist Hospital for hosting...and giving us indoor restroom  facilities in The Atrium

This was an area where breast cancer survivors and their family members could relax a bit pre-and-post race

Our lovely MC who did a great job

Some interesting characters there...

Some of the participants, supporters, etc.

Getting ready to start

Behind me in the start chute

ON THE COURSE

Start was at nearby Reagan High School.  We went out of of the school gates into an adjacent neighborhood, went to a turn-around point, and then back the way we came, finishing back at Reagan High School.   The course was a bit hilly in places, as you can see from the photos.

Downhill on the way out; of course on the way back we had to climb up it.

I have made the turn-around now and am heading back.  People on the left are heading to the turn-around

This was a downhill for us to the turn-round; uphill on the way back

This was downhill going back.....uphill going to the turn-around....it was a TWO-PART hill...on the way to the turn-round point when we crested this hill, there was another little uphill part waiting for us after the crest;  the person who laid out this course for us obviously has a warped sense of humor.     These next couple of photos, I'm on the right side of the yellow stripe.

Umm, yeah..this was fun going out...

Yeah, as you can see, looking behind me, we had that last hill to climb - that was the downhill in the first photos - before we were finished with hills

Whew...big hills over, finally....about a half mile to go to the finish, maybe just a tad more, and we had just a very small down incline before going back onto the Reagan High School campus..

Some of the great on-course volunteers that were out there for us

AFTER THE FINISH

This gentleman and I were in proximity of each other for most of the course.  We finished almost together - me coming in about a minute behind him.   He gives a nice view, too, of the tech-tee race shirt participants got.  For breast cancer survivor participants, their shirts  had SURVIVOR also printed on the shirt.

Survivors and their family members post-race in their own area...they also got some very nice post-race food and other goodies...well earned too after what they've all had to deal with...

Some of the "Happy Finishers", supporters, volunteers, vendors, etc.

Some of the age group winners

My speedy running friend, Tony, got a medal

I managed to get one too, even at my slow pace;  my strategy:  outlive the competition...

This guy must've lived in England for a bit - as I did too, for 4 years; I can tell cuz of his shirt, which is a play on the underground/tube railway system  over there, which, every time you got on or off the train, there would be a loudspeaker telling you "Mind The Gap"...lol.

EPILOG

This is the 2nd time I've done this event.  Always and enjoyable event with lots of stuff going on, lots of post-race goodies, nice course - even with the hills - lots of nice people attending, activities for the kids there, INDOOR restroom facilities (always nice at a race not to have to use a port-a-potty), nicely designed race shirts for the cause, and nice medals.  Most certainly would recommend this one to my fellow runners, run-walkers, walkers.

Next up for me:  Race 51:  Pink Heals 5K in San Marcos on Sep 18, 2015.  Yep, this is a double race weekend for me.   Good thing for me that my running pace is so slow that I can do these back-to-back events. 

Another great RR with lots of great pictures.  Thanks Scotty!

Great cause, nice report. Next time wear pink!

I had on pink underwear... 

Very cool of you to give your medal to your friend with breast cancer! *thumbs up*  Nice report as always Scotty.