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Report and Photos - Carnival of Venice 5K and Half in San Antonio (Read 12 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.” Here is yet another of my Race Reports with Photos.  I am not exactly a good photographer but hey, at least all the photos are free so my ‘subjects’ can save and share their photos if they so desire. Mucho thanks to all the people I interacted with at this event for their graciousness, patience, and good humor in letting me take photos of them.    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, and conversation forums for runners and much more!

     

    My 24th race of the year 2016 was Carnival of Venice 5K held on Friday, April 8th.  This was a night-time event with a half marathon and half marathon relay starting at 8 PM and the 5K starting at 9:15 PM and then a great after-party.  The race was put on by my friend Bart Childers and his great Scallywompus folks, with a really great local race management  company, iaapweb.com, doing the course set up, timing, results, etc.   The local Fleet Feet store also helped out by having packet pickup at their place.  The venue was Brackenridge Golf Course in San Antonio, a very flat course with maybe a couple of very minor inclines, which I walked up.   I am still recovering from an adductor muscle issue, so wore compression shorts for this one and that did seem to help.  I was able to run pretty consistently  - though slowly, as I did not want to push it yet - during my running segments and took my walk breaks when my watch beeped at me.  No speed record, but i managed to finish in 36:51, which was good enough at this event for 2nd in my age group.  My leg felt pretty good the whole way, too, no pull, no pain, nada, so I was happy about that and it seems I am on the path to getting back to 100%. Meanwhile, I will just enjoy what running I can do and the rehab exercises my PT gave me and take it easy for a while, no pushing it;  and NO hills for a while, not even walking, per my doc and PT - which was pretty disappointing news for me as, on the Saturday morning after the Friday night 5K I was supposed to do the Luckenback, Texas 5K, put on by my friend Mitch Allen and his great  folks from iRun Texas.  However, that course is EXTREMELY hilly, so I opted to behave myself and not do it.  Probably the wise choice for me, but still disappointed, as that is one of my favorite events of the year, with a great after-party, similar to the Carnival of Venice 5K.   Well, this too shall pass, and I will be back out there eventually doing all my favorites once again.

     

    BEFORE THE START

     

    I arrived at the staging area at around 7:20 pm and wandered around getting a few pre-start photos.  Watched the half-marathon folks take off at 8 PM and then we 5K folks had until 9:15 pm to wait for our start - I guess the long wait because the half-marathon folks had to do a few loops, whereas the 5K was only 1 loop, so if we had started earlier, we probably would have gotten in the way of the half runners, as the paths on the course are not really all that wide - so I wandered around and too a few more photos.

     

    Encountered some of my Team RWB teammates there

     

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    I actually am in this photo; peeking up like "Kilroy", lol, in the back row, you can just see the top of my head and headband.  You young folks who don't know "Kilroy"...ask your grandparents.

     

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    Ahh, there I am, a little better view; well, maybe not...

     

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    Some of the RWB folks volunteering

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    And our 4-legged RWB member, Rocky, is getting his drink early, lol

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    Rocky found a friend

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    One of our littlest RWB members 

     

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    Me and my friend Moni on the 'fashion runway", lol

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    The ladies rockin' the sunglasses...or maybe they are night-shades

     

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    Welcome to this Scallywompus event!

     

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    The pavilion where lots of activity was going on before and after.

     

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    Our MC, Paul.  He did a great job.

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    Some of the participants, vendors, volunteers, etc.

     

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    I think this guy was serving up Bloody Marys

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    See these folks at races I do during the year.  They are a very inspiring team to see in action.

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    These ladies getting in a little dance warmup before the start

     

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    Then it was time for we 5K folks to go.  We did a short walk from the clubhouse area over to the start/finish line and off we went.

     

     

    ON THE COURSE

     

    Some half marathoners were still on the course coming toward what was their finish line as we went away from what was our start line, so we had to be careful right near that area to give way to them as they came toward us, which made for a bit of a slow start; but that was okay with me, I wanted to take it a bit easy anyway for this one.   Where I was, I did not see any of the half people get interfered with and I hope that was the way it was for for all of them along the whole course.

     

    My camera is not the best night-time photo camera so I did not take many on-course photos.  Just enough to give you and idea what it was like out there.  It was dark!       With about a mile to go, one guy near me tripped a bit on the side curb of the path and went down, but as he did, he 'veered" himself to the right and made a softer landing on the golf course grass.   A couple of us stopped to make sure he was okay, but he jumped right back up and we all were off and running again, so that was good. I did not see anyone else fall where I was at any given time, but I bet there were a few more out there.  As said, that course was pretty dark - and we were forewarned about that in the race instructions on the race website and via e-mails, with  headlamps strongly advised.  I think most participants took that advice.  Glad I wore my headlamp for this one!  Especially as, even in bright sunlight, I am somewhat of a klutz at times, lol.

     

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    This is mainly what I saw most of the way....lots of lights!

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    And lots of dark...

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    AFTER THE FINISH

     

    My first stop:  my favorite local brewery, Alamo Beer, was represented and I got my "Golden" there from these good folks.

     

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    Yeah, beer, and finisher medal.  Everyone who finished got a Fiesta finisher medal.  Fiesta San Antonio is starting pretty soon - one 10-day city-wide huge party! -  and medal-collecting of the various Fiesta medals is a big thing around here. I don't personally collect them so this one will go to my friend Dawn, as I owe her a medal or two.

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    There were also lots of other types of adult beverages, plus free Monster energy drinks, water, gatorade,  free pizza and other foods, music playing, just lots of stuff going on.  One really nice after-party, one of the best of the year among our local races. In spite of the late hour, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.  Sipping my beer and wandering around taking photos.

     

     

     

     

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    This one came out a bit blurry..sorry ladies...and yet, you two still manage to look beautiful

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    These are all the lady age group award winners.  A lady walked right in front of me as I took the photo..but i managed to get it just by a head... 

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    My friend, Tanya, first place woman for the 5K.  She is speedy!  Souvenir glasses were given as the awards.

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    My friend, Michelle (left) with friends.  Sorry about the bit of dark; as said, my camera is not the greatest night-tme photo taker, even with a flash.

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    EPILOGUE

    Very fun event, one I will definitely be doing again in the future.   I did the inaugural one 2 years ago, last year I was a volunteer for the 2nd one, and this year I ran it again.  Bart and Scallywompus throw a heck of a bash and their other races during the year are also quality events.  If you are in the area when one of their races will be scheduled, definitely give one a try; I have no doubts you will not regret it.

     

    Mucho thanks to all the sponsors, vendors, EMT, law enforcement, volunteers, etc., all the people who made this event happen for us.  Thanks to Brackenridge Golf Course for the use of their facility, and thanks to the patience of the golfers who were out on the course  and at the clubhouse when we runners and walkers, volunteers, vendors, etc, began 'invading' their space before the races started.

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

    GinnyinPA


      I'm glad your injury is healing so you can continue to enjoy your races.

       

      This looks like a fun event.  We never get beer at our races.  I can't imagine running a half in the dark though.  That's a long way.

      Half Crazy K 2.0


        Glad your abductor is feeling better. That sounds like an interesting event, I'd be a little nervous trying to run at race pace in the dark.