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:

http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%20Race%20Reports/2019%20Race%20Number%2016%20Culinaria%205K?sort=2

Before My Start

My 16th race of 2019 was the Culinaria Wine and Beer 5K Wine held on March 16, 2019. Culinaria is a year-round organization committed to the celebration of local food, wine, and spirits in San Antonio and the support a lot of local charitable organizations throughout the year at many festivals and events. Since Sunday was St. Patrick's Day, there were quite a few people in green including me.  Race start time of 8 a.m. at Shops at La Cantera, a huge complex of multi-stores, eateries, bars-and-grills, etc.  Six Flag Fiesta Texas is right next door to the complex.  Race start time of 8 a.m.  I arrived with about an hour to go until start time and got a few pre-start photos.

I have arrived..

A little blurry, sorry, my camera does not like the dark. These are a few of the set-up people that were doing the timing, results, etc. They were onsite at about 4:30 a.m.

Race day volunteers, selling some souvenir shirts, etc.

Music and sound guy

Pancakes before the run, anyone?  They also had them after

Various others

Ahh, sun is up now....better...

With friend Michelle.  We met many years ago at the very first time this race was done.

My friends here are quite speedy walkers

Look at the camera, doggie...

Good doggie

Friend Jill, quite a speedy walker

On the Course

Out-and-back course around the various parking lots at the Shops at La Cantera.  Not a lot of scenery, but for doing a parking lot run the course was pretty well thought out, so it  was not laps, thank goodness, since this shopping area is so big.  The coruse was a tad short, however, at 2.9 instead of 3.1.  I don't think anyone minded at all, lol, just got us back faster to the post-race food, beer, and wine.  Probably next year they may just move the start finish line back a bit and thaw would make up the distance.

Made the turn-round and am heading to the finish

My friend heading for the finish

Strollers allowed.  The course streets were nice and wide, so lots of room to maneuver.

After My Finish

I ended up with 32 minutes and change. Awards were given to the first in each age group, which sure was not me, lol, so I wandered around getting some photos and some food...but did not get any beer from the event because whichever company brought the beer, which was Michelob beer, did not bring nearly enough, the beer was gone in about 20 minutes, good grief.  Need better planning on that for next time. Oh well. Lots of other stuff - wine, tequila, and lots of various foods - and people seemed to be enjoying themselves.

One of the after-race choices

This guy is wearing the race shirt participants got

Ran behind this guy in the middle for a while.  Inspiring and motivating.

One of the local shop bars right near the finish area kindly supported the participants and event by opening its doors, so me and few friends went in there - warmer too inside - and so I got my beer after all.

Back outside to get a few more photos

Found friend Michelle again, who finished faster than I did, as usual.

Modeling the finisher medals.  I think they are the finisher medals. I never saw these, so not sure.

Back inside...my friends were still after-partying, lol

Epilogue

In spite of the short course and not enough beer for everyone who wanted one, pretty nicely organized event. With what he had to work with, Race Director Scott Peacock did a pretty good job of creating a parking lot race route that was not too boring at all, and the out-and-back was a nice touch - the times I've done this one before it was a loop course - as you got to see and cheer friends on along the way.  Pretty nicely designed quality race shirts and lots and lots and lots of various goodies post-race.  This event almost always sells out, it is so popular. We also had some pretty decent weather - around 52 at start time, but this time of year our normal is usually in the 60s in the am - with some sunshine and cloud cover.  All-in-all, an event I certainly would do again and would recommend to others.

Mucho thanks to all the folks that made this one happen for we participants:   Shops at La Cantera Management and stores personnel and their security folks out there for us who let us invade their space for about many hours;  and, of course, all the sponsors and vendors, volunteers, setup folks, race director, etc., who all had to be out there very early to get everything going for us; and anyone else involved I may not have mentioned here.  Thank you all.