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.

 Photos Slideshow is here: 

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2019%2520Race%2520Number%252054%2520Taco%2520Trample%25205K?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 54^th race of 2019, and my 2^nd race after my pace-maker implant surgery this year, after being cleared to run again – was held on October 5 in Floresville, Texas, was the Taco Trample 5K and 10K put on by the Wilson County Road Runners.  Location was a place called The Beer Warehouse – which was not really a warehouse and did not have any beer in it, lol.  Nice building though, with inside A/C and inside restrooms and a large community room where post-race food and drink was served and the awards ceremony was held.  Since I did not exactly know where I was going – even with my phone directional finder, I am still directionally challenged, lol – I left early and still managed to get myself misdirected after I got to Floresville.  Thankfully my wife had worked packet pickup the previous day at the race location, so I called her and she managed to get my confused self to the right place.  I had a little over an hour to go until the 8 a.m. start time so got a few pre-start photos.

Welcome to the event!

Various participants, volunteers, etc.

ON THE COURSE

One of my friends who did this last year told me this course was FLAT – which is a good thing, since I am supposed to be taking it easy this month, just racing and running easy while I get ‘adjusted’ to being active with my pacemaker.  Apparently, though, he did a different course last year, so there were hills.  Not greatly steep hills  like Helotes has, but even so, I could feel them a bit.   So I tried to behave myself by running only the bottom portions of the hills and then taking a couple more walk breaks than I usually do for a 5K, to just walk the steeper upper parts of the hills.  Of course, this increased my finish time – I had anticipated about 36 – 37 minutes – finishing in 39:21, averaging about 12:42 per mile.  The first mile I actually did in 11:54.  Even so, I enjoyed myself, the pacemaker seemed to be performing well and, although I was a bit tired after, I actually felt better for this one post-race, than I did post-race for my first pacemaker event last week.  So I am making progress.   

Getting ready to start

And we are on the course...

First water stop

The majority of hills were in this neighborhood

Thank you, volunteer!

Thanks, volunteers

Around this curve, up another hill, and then to the finish line.  Almost done.

After My Finish

Finisher medals for all and the awards went to 1^st place in each age group – my age group was 60 – 99, lol.  Nice post-race spread with two different kinds of tacos, cold beer, water, Gatorade, and other various food choice, enjoyed in that nicely air-conditioned community room.  I did indulge in a cold beer – after first hydrating right after my finish with some water and a small Gatorade I had brought – and that beer and a taco hit the spot.  From the time I finished through the awards ceremony I did wander around here-and-there chatting with friends and taking a few more photos.

These guys did the 10K in the 40 minutes area.  I told them their 10K time was my 5K time, lol.

Happy finishers, etc.

Our DJ and Race MC

2 more 10K finishers. Part of the 10K was on that trail behind them, a 'rails to trails' trail in Floresville.

Two 10K participants heading back to the road part of their course to finish up.

Inside the Beer Warehouse

With the Race Director .  Nice job and nice event!

With friend Carolyn...have to behave when I am with her, she is a Bexar County deputy working for the Sheriff's office

Modeling the finisher medal all finishers got

My friend was first in the 10K 60-99 age group

With the President of Wilson County Road Runners and one of the volunteers.  Thanks so much for a nice event!

EPILOGUE

I have never done this event before, so it was a new course experience for me.  I don’t know how the 10K course was for those folks, as they veered off from we 5K folks at one point, but the 5K course was well thought-out, gave us a nice tour of some of the Floresville area, including part of downtown, and was on nice wide streets with plenty of room for all.  Now that I know there are hills, I need to come back and do this one again next year when I am “completely” active again and improve my time.  So, Ms. Race Director – don’t change the course again!  😉

Thanks to all the folks who made this event happen for we participants:  Wilson County Road Runners; volunteers; all the sponsors; the medical and law enforcement folks out there for us; the Floresville residents and the drivers who were very patient with us on the course; and anyone else I may not have mentioned.