Beginners and Beyond

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Report and Photos: PODER 5K (Read 21 times)

scottydawg


Barking Mad To Run

    INTRO

    I am Scott aka Scottydog, runner since 1983, cancer survivor, retired Air Force, employee of University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), friend of dogs, fun-runner, and all-around 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.  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, hence my nickname “Scottydog.” Here is yet another of my Race Reports With Photos, and my thanks to all the people I interacted with for their graciousness and good humor in letting me take photos of them.

     

    SHORT VERSION REPORT

    This was my 28th race of 2014, held on May 3, 2014. This 5K was for PODER - Parks Diabetes Education Research - and was held in downtown San Antonio, finishing and starting at Milam Park.  A pretty nice turnout considering there were several other local area races ongoing this morning too.   As for the weather:  we had a 'warm-up' right before the 5K started and I thought it was funny when the guy leading the warmup said "Do your warmup nice and slow today, as it's a little chilly, we don't want any pulled hamstrings."  Funny because, you see, the temp at start time was 61 degrees.  And yes, there actually were some participants with sweatshirts and jackets on before the start.  I just sucked it up and wore a regular short-sleeve running shirt.  We South Texans definitely are cold-weather wimps, lol.  Humidity somewhere in the 30 percent range and dewpoint really low too.  Sweet morning for a run!   I ended up finishing 2nd in my age group for the race (60 - 69) and also thought it was funny that the guy who finished first in my AG actually finished 7 minutes before me at 27-something.   See, you live long enough, you sometimes get a medal by 'default' - which happened for me today as I think there were only 4 people IN my age group.   Never-the-less, I'll take it - another medal for me to donate to the cancer kids at the local children's hospital.

     

    LONG VERSION WITH PHOTOS

     

    Before The Start

     

    Milam Park, for those of you who may be familiar with San Antonio, is a pretty little park on Houston Street and right across the street from San Antonio Children's Hospital (previously known as Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hospital).  The park is named for one of the heroes of the Texas War for Independence, Benjamin Rush Milam, who has a statue of him in the park:

     

     

    The park has a nice gazebo where all the race activities were centered around

     

     

    Sun rising behind the Gazebo

     

    The local "Girls On The Run" group were well represented at this 5K

     

     

     

     

    I got a photo with the mascot

     

     

    Race Director Virginia (right) of Carrera Races, which put on this event, and a couple of her great volunteers who were out there for us.

     

    Others Pre-Start

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    This guy had a great sense of humor.  He too is a cancer survivor and he is also a doctor - the back of his shirt had on it "Dr. Johnny."   I jokingly asked him if he treated himself and he said "No, a guy who works for me did the surgery," and then jokingly added, "So you know he didn't want to mess up, working on his boss!"  lol.  Very nice couple,  I enjoyed chatting with them.

     

    My friend Sally S. with some of the Girls On The Run.  Sally is one of the mentors for the local group.

     

     

    Getting ready to start...

     

    Umm, okay, unlike me this guy on the right under the tree at the top of the photo must be a PAID photographer, because he climbed up on top of that stone thingy to get a better shot of the crowd.  Umm, no...I am not doing that....because with my 'agility skills'  I'd end up falling right off, lol.

     

     

    On The Course

     

    Nice course, very flat, taking in a view of the San Antonio Riverwalk, some of downtown San Antonio, and we ran in front of The Alamo.   We basically made a big loop through the downtown San Antonio area.  Well laid-out course.

     

    On Houston Street

     

    We made a right turn off of Houston - I think onto Presa Street - which took us over a bridge and gave us a view of the San Antonio Riverwalk below...

     

     

     

     

    And the Frost Tower ahead of us (I think it's the Frost Tower) which at one time was once the tallest building in San Antonio.

     

     

     

    Left on Crockett Street and then left on Alamo Street and passed in front of The Alamo

     

    Two of our race volunteers on Alamo Street

     

    The Alamo

     

    An 'in character'  vendor at Alamo Plaza selling an array of items on the table behind him

     

    Runners passing in front of The Alamo

     

    About halfway done now...

     

     

     

     

    On the way back we passed our unusually-colored downtown Main Branch of the San Antonio Library.

     

    After those last 2 photos I huffed and I puffed and I managed to catch up to and pass several folks that had passed me during my photo break.  Caught up to my friend Sally and ran with her a bit, and then headed for the finish..back onto Houston street, a straight shot past the Children's Hospital, a quick left turn, over the finish line..and DONE!

     

     

    Post-Race

     

    Nice wide walkways in the park to wander around and get some of the post-race goodies

     

     

    Yum.....cookies....

     

     

    and sandwiches....

     

    These folks were handing out free frisbees to everyone

     

    And these ladies had a choice for us of bean-and-cheese or potato-and-egg breakfast tacos.  Potato-and-egg for me....it was delicious!

     

    We had live music while we enjoyed the post-race goodies

     

    "Happy Finishers", volunteers, supporters, et al...

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The folks in this family are the humans that belong to "Liberty", my favorite doggie on my "Dog Alley" run at Fort Sam Houston, where I run in the housing area there and hand out treats to the doggies in the neighborhood.  Liberty is a very feisty and lovable dachshund who has a big heart - and in her mind I believe she thinks she is a lot bigger doggie, lol,  the way she barks at everyone who passes her yard.

     

     

     

    This lady was 1st woman finisher in 19-something and the guy was 1st male finisher in 18-something, I think.  Dang, I was just a little over the halfway mark at that point, lol.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Race Director Virginia with all her "little sisters"...The lovely Virginia is the not-so-much-older sister....

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The Greatest Legs of iaapweb.com, a very good local race event company.  Well, actually, she's in a Great Legs tie with Ceci, the co-owner of the company.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Me with my medal...and they made my tired old man legs climb up the steps of the gazebo to get it too! 

     

    My friend and co-worker at UTSA also got a medal...MUCH quicker than me.  My last mile I saw him running the course in reverse direction, I assume looking to run in with his family, who are in this photo with him.  Or just showing off that he was done already. 

     

     

    EPILOG

     

    I've done this event before and it's always one of my favorite races.   Good cause, good course, we usually get very nice weather for it, very nice post-race goodies, lots of friendly folks doing this one.  Mucho thanks to all the great organizers, sponsors, and volunteers who put this one all together for us and thanks to the local police officers for being out there doing traffic control for us. Definitely one to do here if you are a runner visiting San Antonio at this time of year.

     

    Next up for me on my race calendar:  LLS Doggie Dash 5K on Sunday, May 4, 2014.

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

    GinnyinPA


      Looks like a nice race.  It's great that they are able to stop traffic for the race, so you can run through downtown.  I'm glad you had such good weather for it.  Congrats on the AG award.  The one advantage of getting older.

        Looks like you had a great day for it, nice pics!

          Cool photo of the library.  2nd place while running and taking photos, still a pretty good accomplishment.  BTW, my wife visited San Antonio several weeks ago for a few days visiting a girl friend, so I always share your photos with her.

          “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” - T.S. Eliot

          LRB


            As for the weather:  we had a 'warm-up' right before the 5K started and I thought it was funny when the guy leading the warmup said "Do your warmup nice and slow today, as it's a little chilly, we don't want any pulled hamstrings."  Funny because, you see, the temp at start time was 61 degrees. 

             

            Hilarious, gotta love our southern states peeps!

            happylily


              Scotty, I've got to tell you, I only see the sun in your pictures. Here, it's been nothing but grey skies and rain for the last 6 months. If I didn't see sun in your RRs, I would start to believe that it has disappeared from the universe.  Thank you for another great RR! And congrats!

              PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                      Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

              18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010