INTRO AND SHORT VERSION REPORT

I am Scott aka Scottydog aka Scotty Dogg; 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 - finish every race I start and have fun at every race I do.  So far so good..in all my years of running I have never been DNF.   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.

This was my 18th race of 2015. Put on by the San Antonio RoadRunners (SARR) on April 18th at the venue of Wheatley Heights Sports Complex, a local area complex that hosts many types of various events. Course set-up, timing, and results done by AthleteGuild, a very good local area race company.  This race is part of the events for 2015 Fiesta San Antonio, which just started this week - 10 days and nights of party, Viva Fiesta!    There was a 5K and a 10K and a total of 456 finishers.  The 10K folks started about 5 - 8 minutes before the 5K participants.  Then we 5K folks were up and running.   I managed to finish in 32:45, which put me in 6th place in my age group, as this is a popular local event and there are lots of speedy old guys in my age group (60-64) that show up for this one.  I guess my strategy is just going to have to be to outlive them all. 

LONG VERSION REPORT WITH PHOTOS

Before the Start

I live pretty close to the complex - only about a 20 minute drive, so got to sleep in a bit.  Showed up at the start/finish area with about 40 minutes to go to start time and wandered around getting some photos of the venue, participants, volunteers, etc.

The club I belong to was the organizer for this event

Race Day Registration

My lovely friend - and one of my many local 'running crushes" - Sally Rios, with friends

Tom the SARR official photographer.  He takes a LOT of photos before, during, and after, and then puts them altogether into a great slideshow.  Check out the SARR website where you can see the show after he has it posted.

A little blurry on this one, but...my beautiful friend and co-SARR club member, Debra and friend

Yours truly, with lovely friend Sandra

Now that's she gotten rid of the Beast in the Beauty and Beast photo above...much more lovely! 

My good and speedy running friends, Bill and Chris.  Bill is - (insert big sigh here ) one of those 'speedy old men" in my age group tht helped knock me down to 6th place.  He ended up 3rd in our age group.  If I remember correctly, I believe Chris got a medal in her age group too.

These beautiful people are wearing the very nice tech tees that all participants got

10K folks lining up for their start

My speedy pals Gene and Loyce, who were also doing the 5K.  Gene - who is not in my age group, thank goodness! - and Loyce both got medals

National Anthem...as you can see from the flags we pretty much had 'dead air."  Nearly 70 degrees at 8 a.m, start time, dew-point of 76, and 100% humidity due to threatening thunderstorms - which never developed during the race, thank goodness

5K folks lined up and waiting to go...

On the Course

Both races started on the stadium track.  Participants did about 3/4 of a lap around the track, then through part of the complex asphalt parking lot, and then onto paved trails that are part San Antonio's now greatly developed Greenway Trails System, a system of various paved trails that inter-connect with each other all around the city; using the connections for some of these trails you can go quite a long ways! We go to a certain point on the trail, then did a turn-around and back the way we came, finishing on the stadium track.

The guy in the gray shirt is floating, yeah!

Notice Tom, on the right in the green vest, the official photographer, running with his tripod and camera.  He'd then stop at points and take photos.  I think he got more exercise than all the rest of us, running up and down and all over that course, and carrying that tripod.

After the Finish

Some of the post-race goodies and goodies volunteers

Our sausage chef...

Post-race beer, oh yeah!

Beer and a running crush hug, now that's the way to finish a race! 

Cookies!  I love cookies!  I had 1...ok 2...ok, 3...

Sausage wraps, yummy

And, of course, some of the "Happy Finishers", supporters, volunteers, etc

One of my lovely lady friends from the Brak Pak group..and some beast of a guy.    But it's all good, she makes him look good, doesn't she? 

The lovely Sherri, RD for this event - and, of course, another of my local 'running crushes".    My beautiful wife, Gail, has a lot of patience, lol - and thankfully also knows she is the love of my life and can never be replaced.

Two of the nicest people ever...SARR members Joan and Julie

I made a new pal today...and made friends with his humans too...

My speedy friend John was first in his age group.  First place winners each got a sombrero

Ok, this was the last photo I took for the race and, if I do so, myself, I think it came out pretty great.  Now one of my favorite race photos of all the many photos I've taken over the years.  This little man did the 5K with his Dad. I was near them for most of the course, and joking around with the young fellow, telling him he was making me look bad by passing me all the time.  He was a speedy little guy too, he got a medal in his age group.  I took this photo of them just before they left and I left.  Love this photo, they look so good and happy together, and what a great smile the little guy has!  He and his Dad are really nice people and I really enjoyed interacting with them.

He and his Dad are really nice people

Epilog

This race is named for the San Antonio old 17th century Spanish Missions, and the venue is usually Missions Park along the San Antonio river, but no missions this year - I guess maybe some other race already booked the venue for the day because, during Fiesta, there are several events going on; today, for example, I think there were 3 or 4 other local 5Ks being done.  No worries, though; even without being around the Spanish Missions, it still was a very Fiesta-y atmosphere, lots of smiles, post-race goodies, unique awards, etc.  Mucho race comradery!  The SARR volunteers and organizers for this one really put on a great show!  Definitely a race to put on your 'to do' calendar.  Mucho thanks to SARR, AthleteGuild, all the volunteers, sponsors, law enforcement, etc., all the folks that made this one happen.

Next up for me:  Dream 5K in the a.m. on April 25th; Fiesta Fandango Fun Run in the PM on April 25th; and Clark High School Sunday Funday 5K on April 26th.  I better get extra camera batteries! 

I wondered what happened to the Missions.  Looks like a lovely course anyway.  I like the t-shirts.  It's something I would wear everyday and not just for training runs like most of my race shirts.