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

I don’t have great camera skills and take photos with a camera that is like me  - old fashioned, lol - so sorry if a photo appears a bit blurry, etc.  However, they are free to save, share, etc.

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

Photos Slideshow is here: 

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2019%2520Race%2520Number%252063%2520Leftover%25205K%25208M?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 63^rd event of 2019 was the inaugural Leftover 5K, held on Nov 30.  There was also an 8-miler.  This is a fun-run put on to help raise funds for Parents Academy, an organization that empowers parents with positive parenting skills to help reduce family stress and build family successes.  Location was at a recently completed San Antonio Greenway trail near The Olive Garden restaurant near the intersection of highways 1604 and IH-10.  Start time of 8 a.m.  I arrived with about 40 minutes to start time and got a few photos.  For an inaugural event, this one had a pretty nice turn-out.  Weather folks had called for rain, but it did not rain on us. However, it was near 70 degrees at star time, with near 100% humidity.  And by tomorrow (Dec 1) San Antonio temps will be down in the 40s again.  Crazy South Texas weather!

Various participants, volunteers, supporters, etc

Athlete Guild, timing, results

Race Director

ON THE COURSE

Still nursing a sore left foot, so I decided to just let everyone go ahead of me – 8 milers and 5K folks all started together – and then just walk slowly on my own for maybe a mile or so and then just come back.  As it turned out, once I started, my foot ‘twinged’ a bit, but I was fairly comfortable, so I ended up walking the whole darn 5K, averaging a blazing speed of about 24 minutes per mile, lol.  I actually ended up with negative splits, first mile in 26-something, 2^nd mile in 24-something, and 3^rd 1.1 mile in 22-something, finishing in 1:16:08, with my only goal just TO finish.    I was pretty much dead last for the whole course – the turn-round volunteers were happy to see me, lol, since they could pack up – but that was okay, it was a nice walk and I enjoyed myself.   This was also a nice mental confidence booster that my foot is healing; slowly healing, but it is healing.  I got lots of on-course photos, especially as I was going toward the turn-round point and all the other participants were coming back toward me.

Water stop volunteers right near the start/finish.  I think this one was set up more for the 8-miler folks than for we folks doing the shorter 5K distance

My hour+ time walking the course allowed me to get some course viewpoints of participants and the course that I don't normally see or take photos of when I am running it.  Since I was dead last, I saw just about all the 5K folks, lol.  This is a really nice recently opened trail, as part of the San Antonio Greenways trail system

First lady/first runner I saw heading to the 5K finish, so I think she was first overall.

I thought this turned out pretty well....2 runners silhouetted as they go underneath one of the highway overpasses

My friend coming toward me...so fast that I only caught her hand in the frame, lol.

At last, the turn-round point!  The volunteer was happy to see me; since I was last he could now pack it up

On my way back to the finsh, this was pretty much it... only me and a few cyclists along the way

These were volunteers at the 1-mile water station point.  Thank you!

After My Finish

Since this was a fun run – no awards, but finisher medals to all finishers – a lot of folks had already taken off, but there was still a nice little crowd of finishers, and some 8-mile folks still on the course and also coming into the finish. After relaxing a bit and getting some water in me, I wandered around taking a few photos of some of the participants and supporters still there.

Well, being the 'speedy walker" I am, lol - NOT - it took me a while to finish, but I got my finisher medal

Happy finishers, volunteers, supporters, etc

This guy did the 8-miler, pushing that stroller

My friend here did the 8-miler

Race tee shirt

T-shirt, medal ribbon and the finisher medal

Finisher medal close-up

EPILOGUE

Really nicely done inaugural event on a recently opened greenway trail that is very nicely done, going over bridges, under bridges, near some nice “woodsy’ scenery, and so forth  Very wide trail, so nicely accommodating for other runners, cyclists and walkers not doing the event, with enough room for them to get  around the racing folks.  Will definitely be doing some future training runs on this trail, especially as it is only about a 5 minute or so drive from where I work at UTSA.  After-event goodies included a choice of bean-and-cheese or potato-and-egg breakfast tacos.  Nicely designed cotton tee quality race shirt and a unique finisher medal to all finishers.   I would recommend this to others and would do this one again.  Well done, organizers, well done.

Many thanks to all the people who made this one happen for we participants, including all the sponsors, vendors, volunteers, police officers out there for us – I saw a couple of bike police when I was doing my ‘lonely walk’ on the way back -  Athlete Guild race management company for timing, results, helping with course setup, etc.; restaurants Olive Garden and Lone Star Steak House for the temporary use of their parking lots; and anyone else I may not have mentioned here

I'm surprised there weren't more walkers, usually there are at 5ks. Looks like a nice location though. I hope your foot continues to heal. What was wrong with it?

Bone bruise and tendinitis on my 5th metatarsal, left foot.  Looks like I will be out for about  month.  Have to rest up and come back strong in 2020.