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 report below.     

Link to photos only:

http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2018%20race%20reports/2018%20Race%20Number%2079%20Boerne%20YMCA%205K?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 79th race of 2018 was the Boerne Family YMCA Thanksgiving 5K held on Nov 17 at the town center in Boerne, Texas, about a 40-minute drive from where I live in San Antonio.  There was also a 10K and a 1-mile walk.  1-mile walk started first, as it was on a trail that went along the river.  10K and 5K were done on local roads, with the 10K starting at 8:05 a.m. and the 5K starting at 8:10 a.m.  I got to race location with about 45 minutes to start time, got my race packet, and then wandered around getting some pre-start photos.    Thanksgiving week is a busy one for the Y, so they usually have their Thanksgiving 5K the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Clock Gazebo at the Boerne Town Center, where the main activities took place pre-and-post race

Christmas decorations at the square

With my amazing friend, Mary, who is quite the runner.  79 years old - or  "79 and a half" as she likes to say - and still going strong.

With the Race Director and also associated with the Y as local manager or board member, can't recall which. Nice guy who, with all his staff and volunteers puts on a great race.

Packet pickup volunteers on race day

Various participants, supporters, etc.

Doggie knew i had treats, lol, looked right at me

ON THE COURSE

The weather first thing in the morning was a bit chilly for we South Texans, at 46 degrees – yeah we are cold-weather wimps, lol – so I had a base layer on under my running shirt; but by the start time the sun was out, beautiful blue skies and about 51 degrees, so I put aside the base layer before doing the race to have a dry shirt to get back into after my finish.  I have done this event several times in the past few years, but this year the course was done in reverse – I think because of some traffic situations and other things – so that was interesting.  I actually liked the reverse course better than the usual course we did in the past years.  It was very nicely thought and going in this direction just felt better to me.  The course took us through a really nice neighborhood area and then back to the town center. On this course, instead of looping around part of the town center grounds to the finish like we had to do previously, we had a straight road finish right to the finish line, which was nice.   Hope they keep this course for the future.  I ended up doing 34-minutes and change, good enough for 2^nd in my age group.  I probably might have done 33-something but there was this beautiful and friendly Great Dane with his human in his front yard out along the course, so I stopped to give him – the dog, not the human 😉 -  a couple of doggie treats and then was on my was again.    I thought it was funny that right before I got to the finish line, two guys doing the 10K passed me on the way to their 10K finish. After we had all crossed the line, I told them their 10K time was my 5K time, lol.

Thanks, course volunteers!

AFTER MY FINISH

The first time I ever did this event I thought, since it was the Y, it would be pretty laid back and not have a whole lot of stuff; but was I ever wrong.  There were all kinds of vendor booths – even a beer booth from a local brewery, the Dodging Duck Brewhaus – my first stop post-race and their beer is really good; and also a booth from Whataburger, the most popular burger place in Texas; and for those who wanted it a “Cowboy breakfast” – biscuits and gravy, etc – was also served up to everyone.  The whole park field in the town center was just filled with all kinds of vendor booth with just a variety of stuff, very nice.  While wandering around sampling quite a few things, I took some after-photos of the happy finishers, supporters, sponsors, volunteers, etc.

A few more folks coming into the finish

This lady I think was first overall 10K

My old bud finishing up the 5K  70+ and going strong

These participants did the 10K.   They passed me  on my way to my 5K finish.  If I remember correctly, I think the guy on the far right was first overall.

The official photographer - whose photos are a lot better than mine, I'm sure

Oh yeah, post race beer from Dodging Duck Brewhaus local brewery.  Good stuff too.

Serving up a Cowboy Breakfast to everyone who wanted it

Various participants, volunteers, etc.

Ran on the course a bit with this young fellow.  He is pretty speedy too, he was ahead of me most of the way.

Same participants as above, now with "The Boss"

Clowning around with a participant and a volunteer

Awards ceremony about to begin

My friend was 2nd in his age group

Amazing Mary was first in hers

EPILOGUE

This has quickly become one of my favorite races to do during the year.  Long-sleeved nice quality race t-shirt, good course, great atmosphere, lots of friendly people, great post-race goodies, and you can get in a ‘turkey trot’ a week before the actual Thanksgiving holiday.   If you want to make a weekend of it, there is actually an ‘inn” right on the Town Square that is right by the race venue, Ye Kendall Inn, - an historic place going back to 1859 if I remember correctly – and then you can go exploring in Boerne after the race.  Lots of very nice parks, and a Riverwalk you can stroll along and, of course, several really good breweries and eateries.  I will definitely continue to do this event and certainly would recommend it to others.

Thanks to all the people that made this one happen for us, including Boerne YMCA management-and-staff, all the volunteers and sponsors, law enforcement out there for us, and any others I may not have mentioned here.  Also thanks to the residents of the neighborhoods we invaded and to the vehicle drivers we encountered for their patience as we runners and walkers did our thing.