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

Here is yet another of my photo reports.  Full report below. 

Link to photos only:  http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2016%20Race%20Reports/2016%20Race%2066%20Scallywompus%2015%20and%2010%20Miler%20and%205K

BEFORE MY START

This was my 66th race of 2016 and my second 5K of the weekend of Nov 19 - 20. Scallywompus (www.scallywompus.com) has a series of races that gradually build up distances for those who are training for the San Antonio Rock n Roll Marathon/Half Marathon/10K in December.   Before the program starts, you can sign up to do all 4 events of your chosen distances at a discount price.   For those who want to participate but may not want to do the longer distances, there is also a 5K event at each of the races.  If you do all 4 of the race series, any distance, at the last event you get a nice medal signifying you did all 4 of them.   I did the 5K in all 4 of them so got a nice 'bottle opener' medal for that.

This particular event, the last of the year, had a 15-miler, a 10-miler, and a 5K.  As said, I did the 5K.  The 15-mile folks started at 7:30 a.m., the 10-miler folks started at 8 a.m. and the 5K folks went at 8:30 a.m. Event was started and finished at Hill Country Apartments, quite near University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA; where I work) so, since I was doing the 5K at 8:30, I got to sleep in a bit. Arrived with about an hour to go to 5K time - missed the start of the15-mile folks but got to see the 10-mile folks start - and wandered around taking some photos.

iaapweb.com race management team members; they did course setup, timing results, etc.

Our MC...he does a great job at all the Scallywompus events

10-miler folks getting ready to start

Petey, a very speedy doggie.  He did the 10-miler too.

Two supporters here to cheer on the guy's wife who, I think, was doing the 10-miler also.

He's got his drinks all ready for whenever the finishers come in...

Race Day registration volunteers

Water/Gatorade station volunteers, pre-start and at the finish line

Music Man

My friend here is a speedwalker...he walks faster than I run!

I asked these two if they were representing that ref that 'stunk' with a bad call during the Texas-Kansas State football game; they told me no...they were 'roadkill", lol.

In the crowd at the 5K start...getting ready to go...

My friends Karen, Daisy, Jill, who all walked the course.

ON THE COURSE

Course was on what is commonly called the "Valero Trailway" (unofficial title) as Valero Energy Corporation is headquartered quite near this trail, as is UTSA.  It is an off-road paved 'greenway' trail that is part of the multi-trail system San Antonio has built up over a number of years. From the apartment complex the 15-and-10-mile folks went down to the trailway and turned right to do their out-and-back routes.  We 5K folks turned right to do our out-and-back.  I am quite familiar with this trail as I run often on it, via other races, and also training runs since it is quite near my workplace.  The 5K was mainly flat, with a few short inclines to climb, but  nothing you could really call a 'hill."  Unless you don't do hills when you run or walk; then, of course, every incline is a hill for you.     I made the turn-around point and was heading back..and then my darn headset battery died.  I hate running without my music - luckily I always put an extra battery in my pocket just in case - so I stopped to change my battery...and then, klutz that I am, dropped the new battery in the grass beside the trail, so had to find that, lol.  I ended up with a 4-minute walk break instead of my usual 2-minute one. After I finally got myself together again, I ran non-stop all the way back to the finish. I figured with my extra walk break minutes I'd finish at about 38 - 39 minutes or so, as it usually takes me about 34 - 35 minutes to do a 5K.  But I surprised myself...I marked on my watch when I got to the 2-mile mark...and then when I got to the finish, I was really surprised to see I had done the 5K in 34:34 chip time.  That last 1.1 mile I did in 10:22...dang...I didn't even know I could do under an 11-minute mile, lol.  Guess I was feeling pretty good this morning; legs behaved well, even after already doing a 5K the day before.  Sweet.  I ended up 1st in my age group (60 - 64).  Of course, it DID help that there were only two IN my age group for the 5K, lol.

Our course monitor, who made sure all we 5K folks went the correct way; and then rode along on the course checking on us.

AFTER MY FINISH

Happy finisher with finisher medal.

Finisher medal for this event

2016 finisher medal signifying you ran one of the distances in all 4 races

First place award for each age group winner

Where's that Alamo Beer tent?  And the Kiolbassa?  Oh yeah....

Thanks, Alamo Beer Guys!

"Mr. Scallywompus" himself...Bart Childers

I look GREAT..when I stand next to a pretty lady, like my friend here...

5K female award winners

Umm, yeah, I better pass on this...

And there was wine too...served up by this lovely lady...who looks great even when you don't drink alcohol... 

And lots of "happy finishers", sponsors, supporters of the runners and walkers, volunteers, etc.

Thanks for your service!  After the race, some of these folks were scheduled to deploy this same night

These guys are all cancer doctors....ironic that I should encounter them, lol

Project Phoenix San Antonio - community action group, volunteering for lots of various causes

Team RWB Veterans Group....a lot of the folks here are members of both Team RWB and Project Phoenix.

EPILOGUE

The motto of the Scallywompus events is "Come for the race.  Stay for the party."  And they aren't kidding.  Besides the 4-series of races for marathon/half training, there are also other races throughout the year such as "Carnival of Venice 5K" and the "Midummer's Night Women's 5K."  All the races have really nice after-parties with tons of post-race goodies, including beer from major sponsor local brewery Alamo Beer, sausages from Kiolbassa, a whiskey concoction from Rebecca Creek, free give-aways from lots of other sponsors, and even a raffle for some very nice door prizes - at one event I recall that someone won a big-screen TV.  DJ (is that even a term anymore?  I'm old, I don't know what the new 'trend' is now) playing music for everyone; really unique hand-made 'bottle awards" of various sizes for the age-group places; very nice tech tee race shirt for each race; and much more. Another nice thing at these events is what is done for the walkers.  For these events, walkers are not included in with the runners for awards; the walkers are classified as 'competitive walkers" and they get their own awards too, in each 'competitive walking" age group.  Nice.  What's not to like?  Scallywompus events are GREAT!! Their events are definitely a continuing 'staple" on my race calendar of the races I do each year.

MUCHO THANKS to all the folks who made this one happen for we participants:  all the sponsors, volunteers, the apartment complex residents and management who let us invade their space for a while; UTSA for allowing the use of their parking facilities; and a shout-out to Bart Childers and his helpers, who organize all these events each year - putting all these together every year takes a lot of work!