Beginners and Beyond

1

Report/Photos/Costumes: San Antonio Road Runners Fiesta Fandango Fun Run (Read 5 times)

scottydawg


Barking Mad To Run

    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%2029%20Fiesta%20Fandango

     

    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

     

    On April 29th, my 29th race of 2017 was the Fiesta Fandango Fun Run put on by the San Antonio Road Runners.  This event is was my 2nd night-time event after doing the Carnival of Venice 5K on Friday night.  Like the Carnival of Venice, the Fandango Run is also part of the 10-day Fiesta San Antonio activities.  The run is a 2.6 mile evening run that goes along the route of the San Antonio Fiesta Flambeau parade, the largest night time parade in the US.  Runners and walkers park near the San Antonio Zoo and then are bused over to the start.  Prior to the run, there is a costume contest, so lots of participants are in various get-ups for this one.  I arrived at the busing are around 4:30 pm. and got a few photos.

     photo 001_zpsduowbuvv.jpg

     

     photo 002_zpstypit7ve.jpg

     

    the official photographer

     photo 003_zpsotgwhodg.jpg

     

     photo 004_zpsuo3yzi4q.jpg

     

     photo 005_zps1rgh5mtt.jpg

     photo 006_zpsvtxkjvrd.jpg

     

     photo 007_zpsak2n6ylg.jpg

     

     photo 008_zpsnq0w2zew.jpg

     

     photo 009_zpsron0wkmv.jpg

     

     photo 010_zpsv7vw35vn.jpg

     

     photo 012_zpsw5c7emha.jpg

     

     photo 013_zpsmcxnoqis.jpg

     

     photo 014_zpsmpbdxyqn.jpg

     

     photo 015_zpsoietwvi8.jpg

     

     photo 016_zpsb0chqjmz.jpg

     

     photo 017_zpsm942onyx.jpg

     

     photo 018_zps8omqzmza.jpg

     photo 019_zps32zn58rg.jpg

     

     photo 020_zps1n9muund.jpg

     

     photo 021_zpsuruz1rkp.jpg

     

     photo 022_zpsh43bivar.jpg

     

     

    After taking the shuttle over to the start area, got a few more photos.  One of the bennies of this event is the start area is near some of the parade floats and participants in the parade, so you get a nice close-up look at some of them.

     

     photo 023_zpshyettzxc.jpg

     

     photo 024_zpspau3gxpb.jpg

     

     photo 025_zpsf9lwsj6y.jpg

     

     photo 026_zpsljnvadk3.jpg

     

     photo 028_zpsuuv94k3j.jpg

     

     photo 029_zpsrnbulczc.jpg

     

     photo 030_zpsp6yot87l.jpg

     

     photo 031_zpsverkqet2.jpg

     

     photo 032_zpsoeiiixiv.jpg

     

     photo 033_zpskeo6kd4y.jpg

     

     photo 034_zpsrncom40s.jpg

     

     

    Near the start area...

     photo 027_zpsr7ikcwb6.jpg

     

     photo 035_zpsobqfyonv.jpg

     

     photo 037_zpsnczpfsio.jpg

     

    At the start area

     photo 040_zpsundwg4tt.jpg photo 038_zpsxxnyr8qa.jpg

     

     photo 042_zpsdqnwbscd.jpg

     photo 043_zpsrrylwsyh.jpg

     

     photo 044_zpsaxy9jyij.jpg

     

     photo 045_zps3gioom8h.jpg

     

     photo 046_zpsduan5n2k.jpg

     

     photo 047_zpsbldqkjak.jpg

     

     photo 048_zpsdzurb64m.jpg

     photo 049_zpshnon6uo5.jpg

     

     photo 050_zpsbs7tveis.jpg

     

     photo 051_zpswnm6hvbx.jpg

     

     photo 052_zpsnui4up2w.jpg

     

     photo 053_zpszzyogzwm.jpg

     

     photo 054_zpsmipbxjcp.jpg

     

     photo 055_zpsrca4fxm6.jpg

     

     photo 056_zpsjadwl2rr.jpg

     

     photo 061_zpsgb3fsob6.jpg

     

     photo 063_zps21plrosg.jpg

     

     photo 064_zpsqoxxn7z1.jpg

     

     photo 065_zps5ehokssc.jpg

     

     photo 067_zpsl3qgrppg.jpg

     

     photo 069_zpsuzmdlukd.jpg

     

     photo 070_zpstrh5y8ro.jpg

     

    this guy had to be warm, wearing that spurs coyote head..

     photo 074_zpswfwjbs1p.jpg

     

     photo 075_zpswftmsvus.jpg

     

    LOTS of people waiting to get going on the course..

     

     photo 058_zpsznvab6f6.jpg

     

     photo 059_zpshgc8jkuw.jpg

     

     photo 060_zpseaogq9sk.jpg

     

     photo 062_zpssvnr22ov.jpg

     

     

    Tower of Americas in the distance

     

     photo 072_zpsecuf6knv.jpg

     

     photo 073_zpslcbdkyoc.jpg

     

     

    ON THE COURSE

    With a 6:40 start time for the run, pretty darn warm, about 80-something, and no wind either, so very humid too; normal for this event, so everyone pretty much expects it.  It is pretty rare we get a cooler day for the run.  I’ve done this one several times and out of the many I’ve done, there were very few where we got a cooler day.  Some of the participants in elaborate costumes, I just don’t see how they do it, had to be quite warm for them.  Even so, this one is a lot of fun, running or walking along the parade route with thousands of spectators already in place for the parade, all cheering you on, kids holding out hands to get low-and-high fives, sometimes kids shooting at you with those big water guns – which, in this heat, was actually pleasantly received by some of us runners, lol; just a whole lot of crowd interaction and a whole lot of fun.

     

    Going down Broadway

     photo 076_zps9blco3eh.jpg

     

     photo 077_zpsbtnlgvqd.jpg

     

     photo 078_zps6ee4o5yc.jpg

     

     photo 079_zpsdxo92sak.jpg

     

     photo 080_zpsj8jsvmb4.jpg

     

    On Alamo Street

     photo 082_zpsoi7s63kk.jpg

     

     photo 083_zpsqwnl7eov.jpg

     

    Going down Commerce Street

     

    This spectator is enjoying Fiesta

     photo 084_zpseblmtbmk.jpg

     

     photo 085_zpsjzjq2tnf.jpg

     photo 087_zpsqoqxu3b2.jpg

     

     photo 088_zpstpb0juzt.jpg

     

    More crowd support.  That beer that young lady was holding sure looked good to me at about this point, lol.

     photo 089_zpsch46dqj2.jpg

     

     photo 090_zps5uoi6zqf.jpg

     

     photo 091_zpscmsc1het.jpg

     

     photo 092_zpstglfvkw4.jpg

     

    Finishing up on Santa Rosa Street

     photo 093_zpsswjahcj5.jpg

     

     photo 094_zpsffrg5det.jpg

     

     photo 095_zpspfdma8in.jpg

     

     photo 096_zps8igyh3oq.jpg

     photo 097_zps1wbwrgj0.jpg

     

     

     photo 099_zpsh0zm30c4.jpg

     

     photo 100_zpswyrc7kwg.jpg

     

     photo 101_zpsdnuk01vq.jpg

     photo 102_zps8dmwix5y.jpg

     photo 103_zps2bvgr72g.jpg

     

     photo 104_zpssvgbgx6k.jpg

     

     photo 105_zpsjlrrmtwz.jpg

     

    AFTER PARTY
    Post-run festivities were at a park near the San Antonio Children’s Hospital.  Having done this so many times before, I knew where everything was and went right to the wading pool with the Gatorade to hydrate, drank a couple of those down, and then off to get a nice cold beer. There was also cotton candy, popcorn, and other stuff.   Wandered around sipping my beer and getting some after-photos.   After that, back onto one of the waiting shuttle buses for a ride back to the Zoo area, and then home for the night.    After I got home and relaxed a bit, I slept pretty darn well when I finally went to bed.

     

     photo 106_zpsfc6vk26s.jpg

     

     photo 107_zpsuavtd4um.jpg

     photo 108_zpsligf7yck.jpg

     

     photo 109_zpszrjleqpf.jpg

     photo 110_zpss7idhsia.jpg

     

     photo 112_zps8kjpgsrm.jpg

     

     photo 113_zpsqwpfgp7i.jpg

     photo 114_zpscybbg9nl.jpg

     

     photo 115_zpsmc4wc6dr.jpg

     photo 116_zpsgx280luk.jpg

     

     photo 117_zpsbggwubyx.jpg

     

     photo 118_zpslpw0tag3.jpg

     

     photo 119_zpss7xfxwcc.jpg

     

     photo 120_zpsgmogirwh.jpg

     

     photo 121_zpstnt4fzib.jpg

     

     photo 122_zpskgjgxlul.jpg

     

     photo 123_zpstpkyuukc.jpg

     

     photo 124_zpsv4ye8eah.jpg

     

     photo 125_zpsvchxdghx.jpg

     

     photo 126_zpsgkkcmxvz.jpg

     

     photo 127_zpszbhlqka8.jpg

     photo 128_zpstjwjb2j7.jpg

     

     

    EPILOGUE

     

    Such a fun event, one of my favorite runs of the year. This race has made the Runner’s World magazine "Runner's Bucket List of “200 Runs you must do before you die.”  If I remember correctly, this race started in 1983 – the year I actually became a runner.  So both me and the run are celebrating 34 years.   I never heard of it until I got to Texas in 1994 but since 1996, when I retired from the Air Force, I have done this event as many times as I could.  I’m not sure how many that is – I know it’s pretty close to 20, maybe even a little more – but one thing  I know, I sure will keep on doing it in the future.  What’s not to like?  Well, aside from the heat.  Nice race shirt, nice Fiesta medal, really fun course, great participants, nice after-party, fun and imaginative costumes to see, super crowd support. Oh yeah, this one is a keeper!

     

    MUCHO thanks to all who make this one happen for us participants each year:  The San Antonio Road Runners, all the volunteers, all the sponsors, all the law enforcement folks that were out there for us, etc.

     

    Hope you enjoyed the report and photos.

    "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt

    GinnyinPA


      The costumes and outfits are great.  Looks like people were having a lot of fun, but some of them must have been melting.