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.

Below is yet another of my lengthy photo reports.

Link to photos only:

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2019%2520Race%2520Number%252030%2520Gabriella%2520Cupcakes%25205K?sort=2

Full report below.    

BEFORE MY START

My 30^th race of 2019 was the Gabriella’s 5K Cupcake Run on May 18.  This was a fun-run 5K with finisher medals for everyone and awards to the overall male and female.  The event was founded and named for Gabriella Torres who was 5 years old when she was found to have an inoperable brain tumor and died at 6 years old.  She loved cupcakes so the Gabriella’s Smile Foundation was named for her and established to raise funds for pediatric brain cancer research. And, of course, a variety of flavored cupcakes are served to participants after the run.

Location for this 2^nd annual event – which got a nice turnout of over 400 people – was held at Bluebonnet Palace in Selma, Texas. Rain was threatening but Mother Nature was kind.  Although it was pretty darn humid with a warm temp in the lower 70s, it did not rain on us.   8:30 a.m. start time.  I arrived with about an hour to go until start and got a few photos.

Gabriella's Dad, who did some MC duties today for the event

The "Cupcake Squad" people were some of today's volunteers

Start/finish line having a quiet moment by itself before the start.

iRun Texas, an excellent San Antonio-based race management company, did the course setup, timing, results, etc.  Love these guys. Co-owner Mitch has been a good running friend for a long time.

Me and Mitch

Heroes on site

Various participants, volunteers, supporters, etc

Two lovely ladies I am privileged to know.  Daisy, on the right, I have known for a number of years.

At the start line area, with a few minutes to start time

 ON THE COURSE

Start in front of the Bluebonnet Palace, then down a road to a nearby industrial park area which we made a loop through and then back to the finish the way we had come out.  A couple of road inclines along the way, but nothing you could seriously call a hill.  I have done this route several times at other races that had their events here, so was familiar with the course. I ended up with a 33:06 chip time.

Not a very 'scenic' course, but very functional. Wide roads accommodated a lot of people, letting us spread out a little.

The dark clouds hung over us the whole time, but thankfully we got neither rain nor lightning.

My friend, Daisy (blue socks) and I played tag, lol, me catching up to her on her walk breaks, her catching back up to me on my walk breaks.  She and her friend passed me near the finish and ended a good 2 - 3 minutes ahead of me.

None of the folks out there pushing a sroller had the courtesy to offer a tired old dog man a ride to the finish. 

After that last photo, last 1.2 miles of nonstop running to the finish.

AFTER MY FINISH

As said previously, pretty darn humid so the first thing was to get some water.  Sat for a bit sipping my water and eating a banana, which hit the spot, and then wandered around enjoying the after-party – DJ music, various refreshments, lots of vendor booths, some with games to play and prizes to win, and, of course, cupcakes served up.  

Storm trooper at the finish

These two ladies left me in their dust at the finish

This beautiful lady is professional  Christian singer/songwriter Debra Elana from San Antonio who sung for us beautifully the National Anthem.  She kindly let me have a photo with her.  I jokingly told her we had something in common, I was a song-writer too, with co-credit with friend Rick Cavender who put music to a song I wrote for Gail and Rick gave me co-writing credit on the CD it came out on.  This song was Gail's  30th anniversary present to her from me, even though I actually wrote it when I was in Somalia in 1993, thinking "if I don't make it back..what can I leave her to let her know what I feel for her?"  30 years after we were married, Gail finally got it.   My 10 minutes of fame, lol.  Debra got a kick out of the story. Super nice lady.

With friend Jessica.  We share a bond in that we both lost children, my 4-month old son to a drunk driver, and her teenage son to cancer.  Her son was a really good kid; I had the privilege and pleasure of meeting him at a few events before he was taken from this world.  I don't think you ever get over the loss of a child, but life goes on and so you just learn to live with it and just try as hard as you can to do the best you can to be a good person.  It took me years to learn that....I was not such a good person in my younger years - and I still have a long way to go - and have a lot to answer for.  As for Jessica, well, we are not buddy-buddy, but as long as I have known her through running, social media, etc., she has always been a good person and a kind and caring one.

We can stlll laugh...

These were not bakery cupcakes....I think several people made various kinds and then there was a flavor contest in which Batman gave each one the taste test and pronounced a winner.

Inside Bluebonnet Palace...a little dim in here since it only open for the event and not for business, so very few lights turned on.

Cowhide in the shape of Texas

Why we were all here this morning...

Big team at this event.  There was a contest for the biggest team coming out and the winning team got reserved patio seating after the event to enjoy goodies, etc.

With Gabriella's dad, his wife, and friend Mitch, of iRun Texas

The race shirt and the medal.  When you hit the legs of the medal, they actually spin around, as if the medal is 'running."

I got a Youth Medium shirt and will be taking that and the medal down to the local children's hospital to give it to a young pediatric brain cancer patient down there.  Just feels right for me to do that.

Close-up of the medal. Gabriella's Dad was joking post-race and said he didn't know how they were going to top this medal for next year's event. 

EPILOGUE

Definitely would do this one again and recommend it.  Supports a very good cause; nice quality race shirt; very unique finisher medal; nice course with plenty of room for everyone; and nice start/finish venue with lots of parking availability.  Local race management company, iRun Texas did their ‘as usual’ great job with the course, timing, results, etc.  Bluebonnet Palace kindly opened their doors for participants. This dance hall/bar/performance venue-and-more hosts all kinds of events, including live music performances, bull riding, and more; and the place is filled with memorabilia of various performers, artists, and so forth, as well as flags, Texas souvenir items, and more.  For today’s event there were several items laid out on display. I may be mistaken but I think these were ‘silent auction’ items to help raises funds for the foundation.

Mucho thanks to all the people that made this one happen for we participants: Gabriella’s Smile Foundation and all the volunteers, sponsors, vendors, organizers, police officers that were out there for us, iRun, Bluebonnet owners,  managers and staff and anyone else I may not have mentioned here.  Thanks for what you do so we participants could have this event.