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 photo reports.

Link to photos only:

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2019%2520Race%2520Number%252049%2520Alamo%2520Beer%25205K%252010K?sort=2

Full report below.    

BEFORE THE START

My 49^th race of 2019 was the Alamo Beer 5K.  There was also a 10K.  This event is the first race of the Alamo Beer series of 4 races that gradually increase distances over each event in preparation for the San Antonio Rock n Roll Marathon and Half Marathon in December.

Put on by local race company Scallywompus, these are quite popular events, especially as the motto of Scallywompus is “Come for the race. Stay for the party.”  They are not kidding, either, Scallywompus throws one heck of an after party.  Between the 10K and the 5K there were about 1100 registered, so it was quite filled up. Blue number bibs were 10K; green, 5K

Event location was Alamo Brewery near downtown San Antonio.  Parking is kind of crazy near the brewery – especially with some street repairs around the brewery going on – so I got there pretty early, found a parking space and got some pre-start photos.

Empty start line, with the historic Hays Street Bridge overhead.  The bridge overlooks the grounds of Alamo Beer brewery

Air Force volunteers at the event

Air Force NOW and Air Force Way Back When

Our MC

Crew of local race management company iaap, that did timing, results, etc.

Ainsley's Angels were finish-line and  on-course water stop volunteers for this event

Me and friend, Woody, who did the 10K

Local race organization San Antonio RoadRunners had a presence

Race day packet pickup/registration

With friend and Race Director Tony.  Alamo Beer had  air conditioned area open if you needed to get out of the heat for a bit, nice.

Souvenir items on sale by the brewery

Various participants, volunteers, etc.

In the start crowd for the 5K, saw these 10k runners crossing Hays Street bridge above us

Almost ready to get the 5K going

My speedy friend, Pat, wating  to get started

 ON THE COURSE

 The 10K started at 8:10, doing 2 loops of the course.  The 5K started at 8:20. This being Texas summer in August, it was quite warm by the time we all started, already in the low 80s – with our expected high later in the day going up to 102 degrees.  The course was changed a bit due to the streets construction, so we ended up doing 3 hills instead of the usual 2 this course has.  It was all good though, I actually liked this course better than the original course.

On Mile 1

Up the ramp to Hays Street Bridge

On the bridge

View behind me from on the bridge

Climbing the hill that took us to Mile 2 and a turn-round point

Right side, going to the tun-round; left side folks are heading to the finish if they were 5K folks or, if  10K folks, some were  heading back to do their second loop of the course

I am gong downhill now, heading for the 5K finish

Ladies coming up behind me

After that, nonstop back to the finish.  My results below.  Surprisingly, i ended up first in my age group, even though I did 11-something minute miles.  I guess all the super speedy folks in my age group were at another event, lol.

AFTER MY FINISH

Finisher medals to all.  Got my medal, got my timing chip removed and then went to my car where I had some ice-water waiting and just sat for a bit, relaxing and rehydrating.  Then it was off to enjoy some of the post-race goodies – which included Alamo Beer, sausage-on-a-stick, and various other thing from both the race operators and the vendors – and get some post-race photos.

The Village Idiots team....don't let the name fool you...these are very speedy people.

T

Yeah, post-race beer

These Alamo Beer glasses were the age-group awards

Our Music Man

Happy finishers, et al.....

Had to get the doggie in the photo too, lol

One thing about Scallywompus races...Old Glory is always flying somewhere...

Finisher medal all finishers got

EPILOGUE

Scallywompus always puts on good events and this one was no exception.  Nice location, nice quality race tee, great post-race goodies, DJ playing music, a crazy but very entertaining MC, and lots of freebies from a whole slew of vendors and sponsors that were there.  For Texas in August, kind of a really warm event with an after 8 a.m. start –   I think if we’d started between the 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. hour, it would have been better for we participants; but maybe not for the set-up guys and the sponsors, they probably would have had to been there super early to get everything ready – but we all managed and got it done, and I did not hear of anyone have problems with the heat, so that’s always good.  The course was well-manned by police officers, and I saw a couple of medics bike-riding the course, and there was also a well-manned and large water station on the course at a good location; the 5K folks passed it twice, the 10K folks 4 times.  Post-race  party was very well done, as usual for Scallywompus events.   All-in-all a very well done event, which I have done many times in the past and will continue to do in the future.

Thanks so much to the race director, Scallywompus staff, volunteers, sponsors, law enforcement and medical folks out there for us, food vendors, Alamo Beer staff, and anyone else I may not have mentioned here.   Also, thanks to all the residents of the neighborhood we invaded for a few hours for their patience, and to anyone else I may not have mentioned here.  Thanks for all you do, so we participants can have this event.