Photos are here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TeTaw6TSfRFKABeb8

Before The Start:   My 31^st race of 2022 was the Y’all Means All 5K held on June 11 at South Side Lion’s Park East in San Antonio, with a start time of 8 a.m.South Side Lion’s Park East is a very nice city park with a man-made lake and off-road paved trails.  The park’s trails connect to other San Antonio parks – such as Comanche Park – so if you are so inclined you can get in quite a distance run, walk, or cycle ride.  I’ll just stick with the 5K distance.  This event was put on by In The Loop Crew, a social running organization open to runners and walkers of all levels. Managed by San Antonio Wellness, LLC, they put on a variety of training runs and walks and various social events primarily for all their members, but everyone is free to participate.  San Antonio has been having a series of days and weeks with temps hitting the 100s in the late afternoon so this race morning was pretty warm, already in the upper 70s by race start time.  This event sold out with 300+ participants, so I made sure to leave home early, getting there about an hour before start time and found some good parking. I had already picked up my packet the day before giving me on Race Day nothing but time until the start time.  I took advantage of that time to get a few pre-start photos.  As I wandered around doing this, more and more people started showing up and the parking area closest to the start/finish line filled up pretty quickly.  Glad I got there early!

On The Course: We started near one of the park pavilions and made our way around part of the lake trail. We then diverted away from the lake and went onto a paved off-road trail that took us to a turn-round point.  After doing the turn-round, we then went back the way we had come and then back onto the paved trail around the lake. Once on that, we went in the opposite direction of the way we had come out and this looped us back to the start/finish line.  I did my usual 8-min-run/2-min-walk thing and took photos during my walk break.  I ended up in the ER twice during the past week – thankfully results showed I was okay – so I did not push myself for this one. I ended up with a 41:18 chip time, averaging 13:18 per mile and was first in my 60-69 males age group…what, at that slow pace?  I found out there were only 2 in my age group, lol.  I’ll take it.  Got nice little medal for me efforts.  I did positive splits too, lol, probably because I was trying to take it a bit easy after my ER adventures, like my doc had told me to do – so for once I behaved, lol, and took a few more on-course photos than I normally do, and a couple of exrtra shorter walk breaks.  Also, during my transit from Mile 2 to Mile 3, a cyclist was trying to pass we runners and slid a bit and took a fall off his bike.  Well, shoot, I had to stop and check on him.  No race time is worth leaving a potentially injured person laying out there.  He was okay, thank goodness – and so was his bike – just a bit of skinned elbow, and was soon on his way again.   I was too, and plodded along until I saw the finish line and then sped up bit – that means I went a whole whopping 10 seconds faster than my normal pace  – to get across that.

After My Finish:  Cool-down walk first.  Then got a banana and some water and sat for a while with two very nice guys who also did the 5K and let me share their picnic table with them, and we had a nice conversation.  Next, time to get some post-race photos. I enjoyed myself doing that; chatting with friends and other participants and supporters too, watching the awards ceremony – really surprised when they called my name, lol – and, as this was a dog-friendly event I handed out quite a few doggie treats, making more 4-legged friends for life. Quite a very relaxing and enjoyable time post-race.  Sadly, we did have one participant down in the finish area post-race and an ambulance had to be called.  Hopefully, nothing serious.  Wishing her all the best and hope she has a speedy recovery.

Epilogue:  I really enjoyed this event.  In The Loop Crew – their staff, volunteers, vendors, sponsors – all did a really great job with this one. Iaap did their usual great job with the course setup, timing, and results – go to their iaapweb.com site and they have all the results already posted there – and my Craaaazy friend – in a good way – Anthony Zamora did his usual great job as MC and entertaining everyone. Finisher medals to all finishers, and very nicely made medallions for the age group placers.  Sponsor Fleet Feet was there and, courtesy of Saucony -three pairs of Saucony running shoes were raffled off by the Fleet Feet crew, using race bib numbers for the raffle, nice. There were also prizes from Rollga Foam Rollers; and Trail Toes.   All kinds of post-race goodies including popsicles, various brands of beer courtesy of Black Laboratory Brewing – which also hosted the day before race day packet pickup – Athletic Brew, Second Pitch Brewing, Real Premium  Hard Seltzer, fruits, CForce Water – I really like this water – assorted fruits, nutrition bars, and much more.  Quite the nice turn-out of participants and vendors/sponsors.  I would definitely do this one again and certainly would recommend it to others.  Much thanks to all who made this one happen for us, In The Loop Crew, all the volunteers and sponsors, park police that were out there for our safety, iaap for the timing and results, etc., and everyone else involved.

Looking  good, Scotty.  Still getting out there.

Is your buddy Bernadette still racing? I always thought I wanted to be her when I grew up.

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