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.”

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.

Here is yet another of my photo reports.

Full report below.     

Link to photos only:

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2019%2520Race%2520Numbers%252020%2520Wanderlust%25205K%252010K%2520Half?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 20^th race of 2019; moving right along this year!  The Wanderlust 5K, 10K, and half marathon was the last of a series of 4 “Hill Country” races put on by local race company Scallywompus, which has some really great events and even better after-parties.  I did the 5K.  Event was held in Fredericksburg, Texas – hometown of Admiral Nimitz of WWII and the home of the National Museum of the Pacific War. Very interesting museum to visit if you ever get to Fredericksburg.  Depending on where you live in San Antonio  the drive is about 58 – 90 minutes, depending on which part of town you live in.  Mine was a bit over an hour.  Start times were staggered, with the half folks going at 8: 01 a.m.., the 10K at 8:46 a.m., and the 5K at 9:01 a.m.  Owner Bart Childers, aka “Mr. Scallywompus” never starts his events right on the hour, lol. All good fun. The night before the event our San Antonio weather forecasters were going all nutso about how we – and Fredericksburg – were going to get a ton of rain on race day morning, and also lightning.  I don’t care about rain, but lightning is something else. Well, I got my stuff ready and went to bed hoping for the best. Woke up to a light drizzle, not lightning; and when I got to Fredericksburg about an hour before my start, there was no rain and nothing even close that resembled lightning, good grief.  It was actually pretty pleasant conditions, about 62 degrees, a tad humid, lots of cloud cover, and a slight 5 mph wind.  I guess our forecasters were using the Magic 8-ball for their predictions, lol.  I had previously picked up my packet, so wandered around getting a few pre-start photos.

Upon arrival, parked near the historic courthouse.

This carving is in front of the courthouse.  Not exactly sure what it represents.

I think this is a community meeting house/event area

With friend Tony when I arrived.  "Psssst, Tony...your fly is open.."

My two friends here are speedy competitive walkers

Race day volunteer; actually, I think she is Scallywompus staff and the right hand of "Mr. Scallywompus".  These events don't get done without her doing what she does. With a runner friend in the 2nd photo.

Race day volunteers

Our sound and music man

My friend here may be out for a while, but he still comes out to volunteer, support, etc.

My friend Carolyn recovering too.  They have two good legs between them...

Jason, our MC having a Saturday Night Fever flashback.....or a bad Elvis impression... 

Various participants, etc

Dog friendly event

My friend Dan the Man and wife Dee.  Dan was helping cookup the post-race sausage wraps.

Thanks for grilling, Abe!

Abe and his lovely lady, who did the 5K

ON THE COURSE

The 5K was pretty darn flat, with just a couple of inclines that you could not even call a hill.  The half marathon folks got the brunt of the hills on their course, and the 10K folks had a few too.  We 5K-ers just soared right along at the ‘bottom’ of the neighborhood on a loop course – okay, more like a kind of weird-shaped rectangle course, with some ‘sticking-out-edges, as we made several turns along the way – eventually getting back to the road we started on and then finished on.  I ended up first in my 65- 69 age group with a 33:45 chip time, so I guess all the fast old guys in my age group slept in on race morning, lol.

The neighborhood we ran through has nice wide streets, room for everyone.  The 5K was the smallest, in numbers, of all the events.

Tis the season....bluebonnets in Texas, coming out in the spring....

I wish I had his knack, being able to take a power-nap while running...

The official photographer on the course....blurred up by the unofficial photographer

Better....

About the halfway point...but no beer... 

Thanks course volunteers!

AFTER MY FINISH

I stuck around the finish line for a bit, cheering people in and getting a few photos of friends and acquaintances finishing. The clock started when the half folks left, so is not showing the actual 5K or 10K times. A couple of these folks were half participants and 10K participants

"Mr. Scallywompus" at the finish line area.

Guess the powernap helped, he's awake for the finish. .  He did well, finished strong.

Then it was off to get some post-race goodies and photos of happy finishers, supporters, volunteers, etc.

My friends, happy finishers.

First in my age group, Here, with finisher medal, which all finishers got.

If you did all 4 races in the series, you got an extra medal at the end of this race

With my super-speedy friend who, back in the day, was an Olympics time-trial runner for her native country.  And she, her husband, and her daughter are all super-speedy.  Her daughter got a full-ride scholarship and can do a 5-minute mile.

The age-group awards were these hand-crafted wine glasses. My speedy friend here got one.

Happy finishers.  And the guy is an inspiration...fighting cancer right now and out there running.

Little lady winner.

And her closeup....

Two amazing people - he did the half, she did the 10K, if I remember correctly, and they do a lot of event over the year, including endurance runs, tris, etc.  Enjoying the earned post-race goodies.

A family of runners and supporters.  I think the lady on the far left is the eldest sister.  

they're making me look good

With my friend, a native of England. Love to listen to her talk, reminds me of my years in England.

Before I left for home, got a few photos of some things around me.   I think this pole is a display in characters of some of the historic things that happened in Fredericksburg history.

Water wheel at a nearby little park you could walk through

Sculpture of an historic meeting in the city history

EPILOGUE

Scallywompus races are some of my very favorite ones to do.  I have always found them personally to be quality events with good courses, nice quality race tees, unique age-group awards – and they go 5 places, and also have a competitive walkers category too – and one heck of an after-party, living up to their motto “Come for the race. Stay for the party.”  Will definitely continue with Scallywompus races in the future, and certainly would recommend them.

Thanks very much to all the people who made this one happen for we participants, all the volunteers; iaap for the course set-up, timing, and results; all the sponsors and vendors; law enforcement folks out there for us;  townspeople of Fredericksburg for their patience; and anyone else I may not have mentioned here.  Thank you all for what you did so we participants could do this event.