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.  Full commentary report below.     

Photos Slideshow is here: 

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2109%2520Race%2520Number%252055%2520Cleft%2520Strong%25205K?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 55th race of 2019, was held on October 12t at Los Patios, a local San Antonio area restaurant that borders on the off-road paved trails of Lady Bird Johnson Park. Start time of 8:30 a.m.  This event supports Cleft Strong, an organization that helps children and infants born with cleft palates.  Los Patios is only about 7 miles from where I live, so it did not take me long to get there, find some parking, and then get a few pre-start photos.  There were about 150 or so participants for this event. There was also a kids’ run and a Disney-themed costume contest for both adults and kids.

Welcome to the event

Kids Run start line

At the event with friends

Friend Deborah

Various

ON THE COURSE

A “cold front had blown into San Antonio from Canada, dropping our temps from the 90s down into the 50s – so thank you Canada.  It was very pleasant, with very low humidity and a start temp of 59 - 60 degrees. We started in the parking lot in front of Los Patios, made a right turn onto off-road paved trails and then proceeded below an underpass that goes under local Highway 410.  We then went to a turn-round point and then came back the way we had come out, finishing back at the Los Patios parking area.  I was feeling pretty good and so pushed myself a bit after the turn-round point, running nonstop for the last 1.2 miles.  I ended up with a chip-time of 35:01 and was very happy about this; my first below 12-minute miles since I got my pacemaker inserted. Still not quite where I want to be, but I am making progress.  I got 1^st in my age group of 60 – 69 males.  Of course, it did help that there were only two in my age group.

My camera us not great at catching things in motion, but managed to get a blurry image of this deer crossing in front of us on the course.

Dog friendly event.   Git along lil doggie!

A bit blurry image of my Longhorn friend on the course

Mr. Incredible was going so fast I blame him for the blur..  

After My Finish

Nice post-race event.  Goodies included a variety of breakfast tacos, bottled water, various fruits and other stuff, and a local brewery – if I remember correctly, it was Weathered Souls, a perfect brewery for Halloween month - was even on site with a nice ‘blonde’ locally brewed beer.  It’s pretty good too. Between munching on a taco and getting some water and beer in me, I wandered around taking some various photos.  Lots of vendors at this one, and also one of the local animal shelters was there to promote dog adoptions.  There was also a nice ceremony before the awards were given in which one of the cleft palate kids ‘read’ a poem he had written about his experience and his mother read it aloud also.  Pretty moving and you really get a ‘personal’ look about what this event is all about and who some of the kids are that are being helped.

Done! Hydrated and now it's time to enjoy a beer

This lady won the adult female costume contest

Our MC, who did a great job

Our Race Director, who also did a great job

Various happy finishers, volunteers, etc

Me and Deborah with our age group award medals

Age Groups medal design

EPILOGUE

I’ve done this race a couple of times in the past.  Well organized, with a nice opening ceremony – in which a kid’s choir did the National Anthem acapella and did a heck of a job – a really good course, lots and lots of vendors giving away free stuff, and very nice post-race food goodies.  Nice quality race shirts and pretty nice-looking age-group award medals too.  The overall winners got nice trophies.  I will definitely be doing this one again in the future and would recommend it to others.

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.

I'm so glad you are getting back to your normal running again. Does it feel much different, running with the pacemaker?