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.
the official photographer
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.
Near the start area...
At the start area
this guy had to be warm, wearing that spurs coyote head..
LOTS of people waiting to get going on the course..
Tower of Americas in the distance
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
On Alamo Street
Going down Commerce Street
This spectator is enjoying Fiesta
More crowd support. That beer that young lady was holding sure looked good to me at about this point, lol.
Finishing up on Santa Rosa Street
AFTER PARTYPost-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.
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
The costumes and outfits are great. Looks like people were having a lot of fun, but some of them must have been melting.