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

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%252036%2520Movie%2520Hero%25205K?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 36^th race of 2019 was the CASA Movie Hero Run 5K on June 8, which also included a Kids Run and a Family Fun 1K. This race supports Court Appointed Special Advocactes (CASA) of Central Texas for training community volunteers for abused and neglected children in the courts, schools, and child welfare system.    Event locale was Stars and Stripes Drive-In Movie Theater in New Braunfels, TX, about a 30-minute drive from where I live. Yep, we still have a drive-in movie in our area and it is a pretty nice one too.  However, directionally challenged me made it a longer drive by making a left turn onto the road the just before the movie theater – was supposed to turn right – and ended up driving quite a ways before I figured out hey, stupid, you should have turned right at the stop sign. So back I went and finally got to the 5K grounds with about 30 minutes to go to the 8 a.m. start time.  Got my race packet and then had time for just a few pre-start photos before we lined up to get started.

Race Directory, Sherri, of Athlete Guild

Athlete Guild timing and results guy. Yes, his little dog did get a treat or two from me

With friend Bernadette in the theater refreshment area

Waiting for the start

Lining up for the start...looks warm, doesn't it? It was

ON THE COURSE

First off, it was quite warm.  Already near 80 flippin’ degrees by start time. Course was out-and-back.  I have done this 5K in the past so knew what to expect.  Out along the theater entrance road, then a right turn which took us up an incline – not really steep, but long – then a right turn and down an incline, longer than the up incline we had started on – and then a turn down a flat road to the turn-round point and back. So, of course, on the way back, the longer challenging incline was UP on our way back, but then after we made the turn onto the road we had started on, it was downhill to the theater entrance and then after turning back into the theater grounds, a short flat distance to the finish line.  The course is open to traffic but, as the roads we ran on are “no outlet’ roads, there is very little traffic on these roads, except for a few home-owners, and the road the turn-round was on actually ends at a small municipal airport, but we did not go that far down it.  I ended up with a chip-time finish 33:18, good enough for 3^rd in my age group. The only shade on the course was pretty much on the flat road that took us to the turn-round, so there were quite a few sweaty sweaty finishers post-race, including me.  I went and sat in my car for about 5 minutes or so with the a/c on full blast, drinking some ice water I had brought….much more refreshed after that.

Incline we started out on...the theater entrance road is that blue sign...

Downhill incline on the way to the turn-round point

View of one of the movie screens at the drive-in, and lots of wild flowers

Looking behind me...this is what we had to go up after we did the turn-round

This young lady ran/walked the course in uniform.

On the turn-round point road.  This road, at least, had a lot of shade and was flat

Heading back into the sun....on the right, heading to the turn-round

Going back, a long up incline

Behind me, people coming off the turn-round point and heading for hell....errr HILL, I mean... 

After that last course photo, nonstop running for me to the finish.  I always have a thing about this even that I have to get up that long incline non-stop, lol. 

AFTER MY FINISH

After air-conditioning myself, went around the finish area getting some post-run photos and enjoying some of the post-race goodies.

Eats for after...hot dog, fries, and beer.   Well, the theater offered fountain drinks, but I chose Guadalupe Brewing Company beer to go with my food.  Ate the hot dog, drank the beer, gave the fries to some kid, with his parents' permission

Athlete Guild crew

What a face, Sherri!  Probably cuz she's standing near the armpits of 2 sweaty guys, lol.

Race Director with the theater owner, our host; super nice guy

Happy finishers, supporters, etc.

Costume contest

Medal winners

With the young lady in uniform and my mouth full of hot dog, lol.

60-69 age group.... I was 3rd, this other guy was 2nd...we don't know where the 1st place guy was; with his pace, I think he may have melted after the race. 

EPILOGUE

This is a fairly smaller event with 87 finishers for the 5K for this year’s event, so it felt more like a big family/community run/walk with just about everyone interacting with each other; one of the most friendly events I do during the year. In July there is another one at this location – a bit more participants since it has a 5K, 10K, and a half marathon – but still has that friendly atmosphere. The course can be challenging – especially when it’s hot – but it’s all good.  I will continue to do this one in the future and would recommend it to others.  Good cause too, so I hope more people come out for this one whenever it is put on; and with a driv-in movie, there is PLENTY of parking, believe me. Nice goodies at the race, and the theater owner always opens the refreshment area for us, so we have a nice place – also air conditioned too in the summer months – to relax before and after the event, and also have comfortable indoor restrooms.

Much thanks to all the people who made this one happen for us!  Especially want to thank the owner – if I remember correctly, Ryan Smith – and his family, some of the nicest people I have ever met, for their hospitality in opening up this venue to a whole lot of sweaty people, lol, and taking such good care of us with the facilities, food-and-drink, etc.    Thanks to Athlete Guild race company for the course setup, timing, results, etc.,  and to New Braunfels local brewing company Guadalupe Brewing, for some really tasty post-race beer for those who wanted to enjoy it.  Also thanks to all the sponsors – several of who had tents and tables out there and anyone else I may not have mentioned here. Without all of you, no race for us, so thanks!

It looks humid too. So many tights, I cant imagine tights in 80+ degrees.

Yeah, I wore loose shirt and baggy, free-flowing shorts, and I was still hot as all getout.  Can't imagine how those tights people felt.