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.” Here is yet another of my Race Reports with Photos.  I am not exactly a good photographer but hey, at least all the photos are free so my ‘subjects’ can save and share their photos if they so desire. Mucho thanks to all the people I interacted with at this event for their graciousness, patience, and good humor in letting me take photos of them.    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, and conversation forums for runners and much more!

Held on May 15, 206, my 27^th race of 2016 was Girls On The Run 5K, supporting the Bexar County Chapter of the national Girls On The Run program - http://www.gotrsanantonio.org/ .  Venue was Martin Luther King Park in San Antonio.  Weather for the event started out pretty nice, around 69 degrees at the 9 a.m. start time, cloudy/overcast with no wind. Mother Nature was kind to us and held off the rain until after the race was finished.  Then, right before the awards started, we all got a heckuva downpour.  The drive home was very interesting, to say the least, lol.  Splish-splash, I’m taking a bath!    Nice turn out for this event on a Sunday morning. I did not place in my age group as (a) I am still nursing my sore hamstring and piriformis along and (b) even if I was 100%, today some of the really Speedy Old Guys in my age group (60 – 649 for this race) showed up and all of the top 3 finished with 20-something.  I was dead last in my age group with 36:39 chip time and was quite happy with that as my piriformis and hamstring behaved and that’s only about 3 - 4 minutes off my “when I’m healthy” usual 5K time, so it is getting better slowly but surely.

On to the photos!  I do tend to take a LOT of photos at the events I do.  So if you’d rather just see photos only without my commentary you can check out the slideshow of this event at this link:     http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2016%20Race%20Reports/2016%20Race%2027%20Girls%20On%20The%20Run%205K

BEFORE THE START

A pretty short drive to the park for me from where I live – about 20 minutes – so got there around 7:40 and took some pre-start photos.

First, some photos of the “Glam Potties.”  These were 10 porta-potties that were “sponsored” for $100 each and then the sponsors ‘glammed’ them up. There was a contest for the best porta-potty – race participants voted for the ones they liked – and the sponsor got a nice prize.  Unique way to help raise funds for the race, and some of the sponsors really went to town, even decorating the inside of the porta-potties too.

This one even had Santa-tizer outside the door.

C'est Moi!  Your host for this report

Selfie with my pal Bernadette.  I have a 'regular' camera and it took me a while to get the knack of taking a selfie with it when you can't see your image like you can on a cell phone.

The long view, taken by a friend

Activity Pavilion for the event

Santa showed up for this one, promoting the original San Antonio Santa 5K. One of the very best 5K in San Antonio, held in December, with a great after-party at Sunset Station.  Definitely a good one to do.

Street2Feet folks - part of another inspirational running program, in association with San Antonio's Haven for Hope shelter, with the yearlong training program culminating in the Street2Feet 5K, another one of my favorite yearly events.

Everyone says my pal Arturo (far right) never smiles in his photos.  Of course he does!  You just can't see his butt cheeks smiling.

Another one of my favorite yearly events:  Freda's 5K put on by iaapweb.com  My friends Rog and Ceci here with Freda.

Freda turned into a photographer

Color Guard for the National Anthem

Race Director Valerie with friend.  I swear, as many years as I've done this event and seen her, she just never ages.

Valerie and my good friend Sally Seeker, one of the race organizers, another lady who never seems to age.

Various Participants, Sponsors, and Race Volunteers

Photo-Bombing Santa!

My beautiful friend - inside and out - Lana, doing her MC thing.  Truly one of the most gracious, caring, and lovely ladies it has ever been my pleasure to meet.

ON THE COURSE

A 5K at MLK Park is an out-and-back, and one of the flattest courses around in San Antonio races, so a good course to shoot for a PR for those so inclined. Done on park paved cement and asphalt trails and with the out-and-back we crossed one short bridge over the river (creek?) that goes through part of the park.  Pretty nice course, overall.  One of the reasons I chose to do this event – no hills, which my leg is very not ready to do yet.

Water Stop volunteers - My friends from Black Girls Run

AFTER THE FINISH

Chocolate milk, anyone?

Me and Lana; me cooling off with the nice chilled towels everyone got going through the finish line chute; nice touch.

Me with one of those speedy guys in my age group, Ed (2nd in our age group) and his wife, Maria - who was also speedier than me, lol

A whole bunch of people speedier than me.  Bob (far right) is one of my personal inspirations - 70 and just keeps going and going and going...I want to be like him when I grow up.

Me and Bernadette post-race.  As usual, speedy Bernadette placed in her age group.

EPILOGUE

My friend, Sally Seeker, and Race Director Valerie always do a great job with this event. I usually try to do this event every year, and it’s nice that it’s on a Sunday because that way it gets very little competition from other local events.   Great volunteers and participants, nice course, post-race door prizes (none of which I won, darn the luck), and a wide variety of post-race refreshments, including water, chocolate mile, Gatorade, and other stuff  – no beer, though, darn the luck – but I get it, lots of young people at this race; I guess I can live without a post-race beer for one race.   This one will definitely be on my race calendar again; and if you are a parent with a young girl interested in running, or know of a young girl interested in running, learning self-confidence, and believing in her own potential, this is one good program to get her involved in.  Definitely check out the Girls On The Run website.

Mucho thanks to all the volunteers, law enforcement, vendors, sponsors, etc. who made this one happen for we participants. Thanks to iaapweb.com for their usual great job with course set-up, chip timing, results, etc.

Good to see your abductor is healing. Love the sponsor and decorate a POP.