Beginners and Beyond

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2018 Race #18 San Marcos Scallywompus 5K (Read 6 times)

scottydawg


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

     

    A couple of the photos may not have come out so well; sorry about that.    All in all though, I think they came out fairly well.  I am certainly no professional photographer with skills; but at least all the photos are free. 

     

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

     

    Link to photos only:

    http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2018%20Race%20Reports/2018%20Race%20Number%2018%20San%20Marcos%205k?sort=2

     

    Before My Start

    San Marcos 5K was my 18th race of 2018.  Held on March 11, this event is part of the Texas Hill Country Series, 4 hilly races put on by Scallywompus race company. Scallywompus events are always a lot of fun, especially as their motto is "Come for the race. Stay for the party."  And they aren't kidding about party either.  The main event of this outing was a Half Marathon and there was also a 10K.  Staggered starts, with half beginning at 7:30, 10K at 8 a.m., and 5K at 8:30 a.m.   San Marcos is about a 45 minute drive from San Antonio.  Race venue start and finish was Tanger Outlet stores, a very large shopping complex of outlet stores such as New Balance, Tommy Hilfiger, and many more.  I arrived around 7 a.m., got my bib and timing chip and got some pre-start photos.  With the time change, it was still a bit dark when I got there.  My old-time camera is not so great in the dark, lol, so apologies.

     

    I am a member of Team RWB (Red White and Blue) - a veteran's group. I don't usually wear my shirt to races but for this race I did in honor of a team member we lost last week, killed in a motorcycle accident, so sad. I did not know really know him super well, but well enough that when we did the same races, we'd chat a bit before and after and I did take photos at times at races of him and him with his twin brother, friends, etc. He was a really nice and outgoing guy.  Very sad loss for our running community and especially for his family and close friends.  May he rest in peace.

     

    With my sister from another mister

     

     

     

    Arrived on location to be greeted by...

     

     

     

     

    Our Music Man

     

    iaapweb did the timing, results etc

     

     

     

     

    Various participants, volunteers, etc..

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Half folks getting ready to go...

     

    and they are off....

     

    I though it was funny, and appropriate for the half marathon starters, that there was a store behind them with the letters H M...

     

     

    Doggie knew I had treats, lol.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Time for the 10k folks to get started

     

    Just the 5K folks waiting around now...two Old Dogs waiting for the start

     

    My walker friend.  She walks about as fast as I run, lol.  And looks a lot better than me too.

     

    OK, almost time to start...got a photo in front of the Scallywompus signage

     

    On The Course

    Finally for the 5K folks our turn at 8:30 a.m.  By that time nice and light.  We started in one of the Tanger Outlet parking lots, did a short bit past several stores and then made a turn onto the adjacent country road by the Tanger Outlet area.  Right off the bat after that turn, up a hill, then a downhill, then a very short level part, then up another hill to the 5K turn-round.  On the way to the turn-round, saw several of the 10K folks heading back to their finish, and a few of the speedier half marathon folks heading back too.  After our turn-round, back the way we'd come. Of course that downhill we had before the turn-round now became an uphill on the way back.  It was not that steep, but it was long and the wind had picked up and was blowing right into our races.  I kept thinking about those half-marathon folks who had a LOT of hills on their course and then right before they finished had to climb this last hill.  After most of us had finished, some of the half folks told me they had a LOT of hills, one of them which was really crazy, which several people ended up walking up; so that last hill before the finish must have been hell on the legs for some of them, especially those that were out there a while.  Probably for some of the 10K folks too. After that last up, then it was downhill for a bit, then a turn into a service road that went behind the stores and it was flat all the way to the finish.  I ended up with 32:51, good enough for 1st in my age group.  There were only two in my age group, lol, 5K was the smallest event participants-wise.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    5k turn-round, by that orange sign ahead

     

     

     

    Old Glory flying over Tanger Outlet - letting us know we are closing in on the finish area.  Down this hill, left turn, and flat to the finish.

     

    After My Finish

    Stood near the finish and got a few photos of some of the people I'd interacted with on the course doing their own finishes.  Wind was really blowing by now.  Yesterday, near 70 something for my race; today's race, cooler with the wind...Mother Nature really can't make up her mind with Texas this year, lol...hot-cold-hot-cold-hot-cold, good grief

     

     

     

    This guy did run/walk with me until a little after the half-way point.  He had a goal of doing under 40 minutes, and he made it.  He's only been running 3 weeks and this is his 3rd race already, good grief.   Congrats!  Super nice guy, made a new friend.

     

    Black numbers - half marathon folks

     

     

    My good friend Bernadette (white shirt) coming in.  Very unusual that I ever finish before her, but she had some leg issues today.

     

     

    After that, off to get some of those post-race goodies....

     

     

    Good racing weekend...Saturday race, Guinness and sausage....Sunday race, Alamo Beer and sausage...oh yeah...

     

    A little vodka mix, anyone?

     

     

     

     

     

    And take photos of various volunteers, vendors, sponsors, happy finishers, etc.

     

    Oops, I cut the guy's head off....the doggies cracked me up...

     

     

    I am an honorary Black Girls Run member...I guess they need to think up a name for me now, lol

     

     

     

     

     

     

    These mugs and glasses were the race awards

     

     

     

     

     

    We two old dogs, me and friend Don, got glasses

     

    Don is quite speedy for being 80... 

     

    Group photo of the Men's 5K award winners

     

    Even with bad leg - wrapped up - Bernadette still got 1st in her age group for the 5K

     

    Epilogue

    Love the Scallywompus events.  Always well-organized, great after-party, unique age-group and overall awards - and for the awards, Scallywompus goes 4-deep and they also have a competitive walking division so the walker participants are not competing with the runners.  Very nice race shirts, finisher medals for everyone, music man on hand, lots of post-race goodies, all kinds of food, drink, and freebies.  I thought the 5K course was pretty good, well planned out, and the hills were not that bad at all, at least not for me; of course I do hill training regularly once a week so that might have made the difference for me.  I have done several Scallywompus events in the past and plan to continue doing them in the future.  Definitely would recommend them.

     

    MUCH thanks to all people that made this one happen for us: volunteers, law enforcement, sponsors, vendors, Tanger Outlet for allowing us to invade their venue for a while, Scallywompus folks, etc.   No race for participants without any of you, so thank you very much!

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

    GinnyinPA


      What's with the Beef t-shirts? Is it a running club?  I see them at many of your races, but this race had more than usual.