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

Here is yet another of my photo reports.

Link to photos only:

http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2018%20race%20reports/2018%20Race%20Number%2069%20Brave%20Pajama%205K?sort=2

Full report below.    

BEFORE MY START

 My 69^th race of 2018 was the Brave Pajama 5K on Sep 30^th at McAllister Park in San Antonio.  Project Brave is an education and prevention assistance organization against domestic violence.  This was a late starting race that included a kid’s run at 9:15 a.m., a 10K starting at 9:30 a.m. and the 5K starting at 9:45 am, so everyone could sleep in a bit on a Sunday morning and then enjoy a mid-morning event.  McAllister Park is only about 2 miles from where I live, so I got to sleep I quite a bit Sunday morning.   Arrived at the park in time to get a few photos before all the race starts.  After nearly 16 inches of rain over the month of September, Mother Nature finally gave us a semi-clear day with even some sunshine coming out, and it did not rain on us at all during this event.  This was a smaller-sized event participant wise -83 finishers for the 5K, 20 finishers in the 10K, and I’m not sure how many in the kid’s run; small, but a nice event.

Welcome to the event

The deer in this park are so used to people, this fellow gave me a photo op as I walked  from my car

I have arrived.  With friend Mitch, who is co-owner of iRun Texas

Bouncy castle for the kiddies

Various volunteers, participants, etc.

My 3 speedy friends - Bernadette (her 80th race of the year), Don (his 81st race of the year) and Ric, who all were first in their respective age groups. 

Jill, lady on the right, was Race Director.

10K folks getting ready to start

Love the guy with the beard, lol.  He told me "Yeah, the season is coming so Santa has to get in shape for the ride"  lol.

We 5K folks lining up for our start

This lady carried her live parrot with her as she walked.  Apparently she's been doing it for a while and the parrot seems to enjoy the walks from its protected enclosure with enough mesh around it so it can see everything and breathe comfortably.

ON THE COURSE

This was supposed to be a loop course with the 5K folks doing one loop and the 10K folks doing two loops;  however due to all the rain this month, one part of the course was still a bit flooded, so we ended up doing part of the loop and an out-and-back part right before we headed to the finish.   McAllister Park is the 2^nd largest park in San Antonio with both paved and natural off-road trails, as well as paved park roads.  The race course was a mix of the paved park roads and one of the paved park trails.  Lots of shade trees along the way, not much water on the course at all, and sometimes a deer or two – pretty used to people since this is a wildlife protected park – observing the passing runners and walkers.   I ended up 2^nd in my 60-69 age group, with a chip time of 35:15.

Uh, oh, did I come too far, lol.   This was one of the 10K course markers.   Young man apparently glad to rest on it for a minute.

One of our deer observers along the way

On the off-road paved trail part of the course

Back on the paved road.  I am heading toward the turn-round point to go back to the finish.  Bernadette here already heading to the finish.

My friend Ric not far behind her

After that, nonstop to the finish for me.

AFTER MY FINISH

Got some water and a banana and just sat for a few minutes relaxing, rehydrating and chatting with people around me.  Then it was off to get some after-photos of the happy finishers, supporters, volunteers, etc.

Ran with this little family for a bit on the course

This sponsor is wearing the race shirt

Post-race with Bernadette....no it was not planned we'd wear the same shirt, lol.

My "long-haired hippy freak" Don not only was 1st Masters in the 5K, he won the men contest for Best Pajama outfit too, lol.

My friend here did the 10K

All the first place lady winners.  Small race so only 1st place in each age group got a medal

EPILOGUE

As said, small but nicely organized event done for a good cause.  They might get more participants if it was done a bit earlier – most runners and walkers like to get their Sunday morning runs and walks done first thing – but I get the reason for the later starts, especially as this one was kind of geared around the kid participants.  Nice race venue – even the mosquitos for this event cooperated and were not too bad at all – nice quality cotton tee race shirts, and some nice goodies that included various fruits, cookies, and donuts – the donuts were a big hit and were gone pretty soon.  Local race management company iRun Texas did a good job with the timing and results, and also in evaluating the course for the safety of all participants and adjusting as necessary.  For what they had to work with, what with a flooded part of the original planned course, they laid out a well-thought out course.  I would certainly do this one again and would recommend it to others.

Mucho thanks to everyone out there who made this one happen for we participants;  all the volunteers, sponsors/vendors,  iRun Texas, law enforcement out there for us and anyone else here I may not have mentioned.  Thanks for doing what you do so we participants can have an event.

That parrot is definitely something new at your races.

 

Do you, Bernadette and Don coordinate which races you do, or is it just chance that you end up at the same ones so often?

Pretty much just chance....but at the same races we end up at we do talk about what's coming up and sometimes do arrange to do some of the same races  We are all 3 good friends.

The parrot is a new one. Interesting. Was it talkative? I lived somewhere once where the owner of the house had a parrot that liked to whistle the Andy Griffith theme song. A lot. And in the middle of the night.

 

What is the most races you've done in a year?

The parrot was actually pretty calm and just seemed to enjoy the walk.  She said she walks with it about 3 or 4 times a week and it seems to enjoy it.

My all time-high for races in one year was 90 races done in 2017.