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.”

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 report below.     

Link to photos only:

http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%20Race%20Reports/2019%20Race%20Number%2015%20San%20Marcos%20Half%2010K%205K?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 15^th race of 2019, held on March 10, was the Scallywompus 5K.  The main event was a half marathon.  There was also a 10K and a Kid’s Run.  Location was Tanger Outlet Stores in San Marcos, Texas, which is about a 40 minute to 1 hour drive from San Antonio, depending on your San Antonio location.  Since the time change to DLS was on Saturday night, with the clock going ahead, I think a few people were a bit tired, losing that hour of sleep, including me, so I was thankful I was only doing the 5K.  The Half started at 7:30, the 10K at 8:15 and the 5K at 8:35.  I arrived in time to get a few photos of some of the half people too before they took off. I then wandered around taking more photos until it was time for the 5K start.

Welcome to the event

Race Day registration and timing chips

Cooking up the sausages for post-race

Our music man

Our MC

Various participants, supporters, etc.

little blurry, sorry

ON THE COURSE

As you can see from some of the course photos, Mother Nature was kind of fickle yet again with our weather.  Saturday in the pm was beautiful and sunny and 70+ degrees.  Race morning brought dark skies and a bit of drizzle – which only lasted for a short while, thank goodness – and, while it was not cold, it was very humid and ‘muggy-feeling’ with a temp in the mid-60s and some fog around too as we were on a ‘country road.”   I can’t imagine how the half folks ran that distance in this stuff.  All the courses were out-and-back. We started in the parking lot of the Tanger Outlet stores, then made a turn onto the ‘country road’ – which was open to traffic; all the drivers I saw at any given time were pretty polite and patient about it all, being very careful with us, so thanks drivers! Everyone went to their race turn-around point and then came back.  Since the 5K was last, we did encounter some 10K folks and some of the speedier half folks already heading back to the finish. All the courses were pretty hilly, with the half, of course, having the most hills. The 5K had one pretty short uphill to start; then a long downhill, then a short uphill to the turn-round point; and then that long downhill became a long uphill on the way back. After that, it was downhill, then a turn into a driveway that took us on a service road behind the Tanger stores and from there it was flat all the way to the finish.  I ended up finishing in 33 minutes and change, and was 3^rd in my age group of 65 – 69.  It didn’t hurt that there were only three IN my age group, lol. The other two guys both finished in the 20s.  After I finished, I stood for a bit by the finish area, getting some photos of others coming in.

My friend here won the competitive walking division for the 5K.

This lady is wearing the tech-tee race shirt

My amazing friend Mary Kaplan - look her up.  75 years old and going strong and has done umpteen races and also has done a race in EVERY county in Texas...and that is a lot of counties.

Coming in after pushing a double stroller on that course.

AFTER MY FINISH

The motto of Scallywompus Races is “Come for the race. Stay for the party.”  They are not kidding either.  They throw one heck of a party.  DJ playing music, Alamo Beer on tap as well as some other type of canned beer and there was also mixed drinks, vodka, Jim Beam and I can’t remember what-all.  Sausage-on-a-Stick was the main grilled food, and other vendors were serving up various fresh fruits, these mini-pancakes, and there was a lot of other stuff. There were also various games to play too; all kind of like a carnival atmosphere. I love Scallywompus races, some of my very favorite ones. Between downing beer and sausage-on-a-stick, I meandered along taking random various photos.

With  friend fernando and Roger Soler (right), co-owner of Soler Sports and one speedy guy.  He was an Olympics Time Trial runner back in the day.

Happy birthday, Josh!  He finished and then got birthday cake and birthday song.

I found the beer

Yessss, my precious....

3rd in age group...souvenir glass and beeer

This guy was first overall for the 5k - 18-something

Bernadette was first in her age group

enjoying some Enchanted Rock vodka.  Named for the Enchanted Rock in Enchanted Rock state park.

Don't like vodka?  Plenty of other options

The official photographer

With two of my favorite pals, Joe and Wonder Dog Yeti.  Yeti knows right where I keep the treats too, lol.

EPILOGUE

Very nice quality tech-tee race shirts, finisher medals to everyone, lots of post-race goodies, souvenir mugs and glasses as very unique race-awards and, of course, all that post-race food and fun.  Definitely will continue to do Scallywompus races and would recommend them to others. The only bad thing that happened, sadly, is that one runner went down right at the finish line, and our MC quickly called for an EMT to go there, but there was no EMT around.  A nearby deputy sheriff in his car came over to help and he called an ambulance.  Scallywompus is usually pretty good about having at least one medical person around, so I don’t know what happened here; maybe the EMT was out on the course checking on people. Well, I I don’t know the full story, but the guy did get some attention pretty quickly from those around him, so just hope the guy came out okay.

Thanks very much to all the people who made this one happen for we participants:  Race Director, volunteers, bike leads, police officers out there for us, all the sponsors and vendors, of course.  Also, thanks to the Tanger Outlet management for allowing the race to be here; I am sure at a cost, of course, but at least they give use of the venue.  Also thanks to the patience of all those drivers on the course road and around the parking lot area where we were.  And thanks to anyone involved I may not have mentioned her.  Thank you all!