Beginners and Beyond

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2017 Race #60 for the year - San Antonio Zoo Relay Run (Read 3 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

     

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

     

    Link to photos only:    http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2017%20Race%20Reports/2017%20Race%20No%2060%20San%20Antonio%20Zoo%20Relay

     

    A couple of the photos may not have come out so well; sorry about that.   Plus, at times post-race I forgot to wipe my sweaty lens - duhhhh - so there might be a smudge or two on some of them. And for a few, when I asked someone to take a photo for me, I forgot to tell him/her how to focus the camera, duhhh..   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 to save.  J

     

    BEFORE MY START

    My 60th race of 2017 was the San Antonio Zoo Relay held on Sep 16, with a 6 pm start. This was the 1st of 4 races I was doing for this same weekend.  Fairly warm, around 90 degrees at start time, but humidity was pretty low.   A few pre-start photos. This was my first time doing this event.  A pretty popular local event, so lots of people signed up.  Got there about an hour before start time, trying to meet with all my team members and also get a few pre-start photos of various team members, volunteers, etc

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    This lemur near the registration activity did not seem phased about it all

     

    In the aviary area

     

     

     

    Getting ready to start

     

     

     

    ON THE COURSE

    The San Antonio Zoo Relay was teams of 4 each doing a 2-mile loop. Starting at 6:30 pm on Sep 15th, we began inside the Zoo grounds, did a loop through adjacent Brackenridge Park, then a short incline in front of the Zoo and then back onto the Zoo grounds to pass the baton off to the next team member. I screwed up the logistics for my team members – no more captaining for me, lol, I am really bad at it – so ended up doing the first leg and started the 2nd leg when my ‘missing’ team member – all my fault that she was missing – caught up to me on the course and took the baton to finish the leg. Got a photo of her and headed back toward the zoo, and on the way, got a few more photos of some of the people doing their 2nd leg.

     

     

     

     

    Heading to one of the zoo side gates

     

    When I started Leg 2, and people coming toward, finishing whatever leg they were doing

     

     

     

    My team mate, Carolyn, in purple, caught up to me, and took the baton to finish her leg

     

    Got some more on-course photos as I took a short-cut to walk back to the staging area

     

     

    My speedy friend, Mitch...he was probably already doing the 3rd leg, he's so fast, lol.

     

     

    Some rough cobblestone terrain on this part of the course.

     

     

     

     

    Cheering and celebrating a birthday girl

     

     

     

     

    AFTER MY FINISH

    Back at the exchange point/finish area, wandering around getting photos, while my remaining 2 team members – one of whom was my wife, Gail – waited for the baton exchange for their leg. As said, quite a popular event, so all kinds of stuff going on, and lots of food and drink.

     

    With one of my team-mates.  Our team name was Ham n Legs.  You can guess who the ham was, lol.

     

    Teammate Carolyn finished and with her mom...two lovely ladies

     

    Finally got Carolyn her team shirt

     

     

     

    Nice guy I chatted with.   Course Marshal...he had a time of it at times as he was trying to keep the exchange area clear for baton exchange.

     

     

     

     

     

    My favorite volunteers...the beer servers!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    My wife finishing up her leg

     

     

    MC Mark Purnell  - "Look at the time...I really need a beer!"

     

     

     

     

     

     

    My friend Sally coming in, moving so fast, she blurred my camera... 

     

     

     

    My team mate, Jewel, finishing the last leg for us

     

    Nothing to do but relax and eat now.

     

     

    With these Air Force guy who were volunteers for us...thanks!

     

     

     

     

    EPILOGUE

    Very well organized event.  Local area race management company iaapweb did their usual great job with the course set-up, timing, etc.  Plenty of post-race goodies too…..hot dogs/sausages, hamburgers, beer, water, sports drinks, ice cream, etc., can’t remember all that was there, it was all good. I would do this one again – not sure about my team-mates, lol; maybe they would as long as I was not the captain, and I agree with that!  I’ll just be on a team and let someone else take care of the logistics. Or maybe the RD will let me just run a couple of legs on my own and be an ‘unofficial’ photographer for the event. Well, I managed to enjoy myself and the people there were great.  MUCHO thanks to all the people who did all the hard work to make this one happen for the participants:  all the sponsors, volunteers, law enforcement and EMT folks that were there, et al.     Without all of you doing what you do, there would be no events for us to do, so thank you very much for what you do!   And thanks to the people in the park for their patience as they did their own thing – walk, run, bike, whatever -  as we invaded the park streets and trails.

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

    Docket_Rocket


      Excellent reports, Scotty!  You are already at 63 for the year?????

      Damaris

       

      As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

      Fundraising Page

      scottydawg


      Barking Mad To Run

        Excellent reports, Scotty!  You are already at 63 for the year?????

         

        Yep.  I am a little ahead of where I was last year.

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