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/2017%20Race%20Reports/2017%20Race%20No%2024%20Luckenbach%20Outlaw%205K

A couple of the photos came out a bit blurry, sorry about that, I am definitely no professional photographer, lol, but at least the photos are free.

BEFORE MY START

My 24^th race of 2017 was the Luckenbach Texas Outlaw 5K. There was also a half-marathon, which was the main event.  Luckenbach is quite a famous little venue for music, events and, of course, that famous little song of its name. Very laid back venue, quite a nice place to relax, and a really nice place for this event, which has been going on for 5 years now, if I remember correctly.  Luckenbach is about an hour and 20 minutes from where I live, so I was up early for the drive, arriving onsite with just under an hour to go to the 8 am start time.  Since I’d already picked up my packet the day before, I had plenty of time to wander around and get some pre-start photos.

The quiet start/finish line before everyone was all lined up..

These were the awards for the half folks

Ring this bell if you get a PR today

Shortly after I arrived, one of the first people I encountered was this fellow cancer survivor.  We had a nice chat.

He and his wife were doing the half

Saw one of my favorite running ladies in San Antonio, my friend Daisy.  She did the half.

I also encountered a few of the Animal Kingdom Luckenbach residents.  The cats and chickens all seemed to get along.

Want a massage before or after the race?  These folks were here to do just that for you.

Others

Getting ready to start and climb some hills....

ON THE COURSE

It was a bit chilly this April morning out in the country, so I wore a top shirt, and then the shirt I was going to do the race in.  Took off my top shirt and got lined up, and then we were off.  Half and 5K folks all started together. This was an out-and-back course for both distances. Course began on a dirt-and-gravel road, took us up a small hill to a paved road, went down that and turned left onto another paved road, climbed another hill, then level for a short bit, then down a hill, then level to the turn-around point for the 5K folks – the half folks went on their way here, and they had plenty of hills on their course, both out and back – and then back the way we came. Of course, that downhill we 5K folks did on the way out to our turn-around point was now our uphill, which was our longest hill of our course. And we had a bit of a downhill too, right before we hit the level ground that finally took us into the finish line.

I think this photo turned out well...about 1/4 mile into the race.  We had some dark clouds hovering, but it stayed dry for us. As a retired old vet,  Love the flag right in the middle of the pack.... God Bless America!

I have made the 5K turn-around now and am heading back to the beer!

My friend Daisy, heading for those half hills..

AFTER MY FINISH

Glad I had that top shirt to put back on since the wind was blowing a bit.  Got that, got some water, did a cool down walk, sat for a bit just relaxing, and then off to get some random photos of the happy finishers, volunteers, supporters, etc.   I was there for a while so got a few photos too of a few of the earlier half-marathon finishers.  All the half-marathon finishers got a finisher medal.  5K folks got a medal if they placed in their age groups.

Done!

Yeah, this guy had the right idea, post-race.  Where's the beer?

Found it!

Ahhhhhhh.....

There was also two types of sausage, along with beans and potato salad

This guy is modeling the race shirt

Willie would have loved these ladies, they were a hoot!

Race Director Mitch, cracking me up...

iRun Texas in the truck...doing the results, etc.

My favorite shoe company!  I love my ASICS Nimbus.

Mitch getting ready to do 5K awards

The age places went 4-deep, which was nice...cuz I was 4th in my age group, with a time of 34:02

A few of the half marathon folks that had come in...

This guy carried the flag for the entire half course

Half marathon finisher medals/5K age group medal

EPILOGUE

This is a very fun event.  I’ve done 3 of the 5….missed one last year because of an injury and one I was out of town for; but, whenever I can, I try to do this one.  Lots of really great people turning out for this one, very unique location, lots of post-race goodies, several vendors, really nicely designed and unique tech tee race shirt, unique age group awards for the half folks which, in my opinion, is as it should be, they earned those with their hilly course.  Definitely – for me anyway – a fun event.  Of course I only do the 5K so I’m sure a few of those half folks might disagree with me, lol.

MUCHO thanks also to all folks that made this one possible for we participants; the sponsors, the volunteers, the law enforcement/security folks out there for us, iRun Texas for putting on a great event, and doing the timing, results, etc, the folks of Luckenbach for letting us invade their space– they actually do have a population there…I think it’s “8” or something like that, lol -, the musicians who entertained us, the folks who prepared and served all the food and beer …et al…all the folks who contributed for we participants.     THANK YOU.

Hope you enjoyed the report and photos!