INTRO

I am Scott aka Scottydog, runner since 1983, cancer survivor, retired Air Force, friend of dogs, fun-runner, and all-around 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.  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, hence my nickname “Scottydog.” Here is yet another of my Race Reports With Photos, and my thanks to all the people I interacted with for their graciousness and good humor in letting me take photos of them.

SHORT VERSION REPORT

The 14th race of 2013 for me.  2nd 5K of the weekend, as I did a 5K at Sea World on Saturday, Feb 23 (report and photos for that one:  http://www.runningahead.com/groups/BF_and_Beyond/forum/cdee1cbfac7b4edc9f092c0f1e6b6d53/resume#focus ) .  Harper 5K, to benefit the Harper Parent Teacher Organization was started at 2:30 PM in Harper TX, a small community 22 miles from Kerrville TX and about 80 miles west of San Antonio.  The weather was a very warm 77 degrees with sunshine and blue skies, somewhat warm, but the humidity cooperated  by staying at a nice 41 percent.  161 finishers, 66 males and 95 females.  Course was paved country roads with what Race Directors euphemistically call 'rolling hills" along parts of the course.  I ended up finishing 5th in my age group with a time of 33:59.  Which, coincidently, was my exact finish time too for the 5K I did on Saturday.

LONG VERSION REPORT WITH PHOTOS

Drove up to Harper from San Antonio, and arrived with about 40 minutes to go to start time. Got my race number, nice tech tee shirt,  and a goodie bag - stuffed with some nice food items (large bags of pretzels and chips, large box of cereal, quite an interesting and unusual item goody bag, but a good one...good munchies!  Got my running gear on and then went around taking some pre-start photos.

BEFORE THE START

Yours Truly, your 'tour guide" for this report

The awards/trophies await the finishers

Some of the great volunteers that were out there for we participants

Me and a lovely young lady who is one of the race organizers

The young lady and her "brother"...

My inspirational Senior Citizen running friends, Mary (left) and Sue

Mary and another of my Senior Citizen running buds, Rich

Start line area before we all get going

And, just like the 5K I did on Feb 23...we're starting uphill!

Other participants and supporters waiting for the start

Group warmup before the start

At the start line, waiting to go

ON THE COURSE

The leader (left) is already heading to the finish and I haven't even made the turn-around point yet, lol.

The turn-around point is at the top of this incline we all had to climb

Then it was back down...

Passing this fellow along the way

On the way back to the finish, this was a short hill but the steepest one on the course; and the wind did not help by blowing directly into our faces at about 15 - 20 mph.

Volunteers at the top of the  short steep hill with lots of water for us, thank goodness!

Then it was off to the finish!  Since we started uphill at the gate, it was a nice downhill incline to the finish line, as we went on the same road we started out on.  Right before the finish I caught up to my pal Rich and passed by him.  Then he caught me near the finish and passed by me, then I caught up to him a bit...and he finished just ahead of me.  He beat me to the finish mat, but chip-time had me finishing 1 second before him, lol, go figure.  33:59 finish for me, chip time.

AFTER THE FINISH

Me, Rich, and a lovely young lady finisher, who finished way ahead of both me and Rich.

Buddy, the mascot of H-E-B ( a huge grocery store chain in Texas that does quite a lot to support local communities) was there to congratulate everyone.

And he got into the act with all these really "Happy Finishers."

With all those Great Legs, I had to get involved too, of course!

My speedy friend, Perrin (finished in 25-something) and lovely friend.  When Perrin shows up at a race, I know there is no AG award for me, lol, he is in my age group and the same age as me.

Not only did my running friend, Chris, win an AG award, she also won a door prize....cowboy boot birdhouse.

My friend Mary, and her friend.  Mary also won an AG award

My good running friend, Bernadette, relaxing post-race with Mary's husband

More "Happy Finishers" and supporters

More running buddies of mine, Gene, his lovely wife Loyce, and their 4-legged family member.

This guy, on the left, I was in proximity with for most of the course

A couple more running buds of mine, Chris and Bill

These folks are wearing the race tech-tee shirt that was in the goody bag

A Minnesota Viking fan in Texas, yeah!  Thank you! ANY team but the "#!#! Dallas Cowboys!"   Said this Redskins fan, lol.

EPILOG

This is the 4th year for this event and my 2nd consecutive year doing it.  Always a  fun event, with lots of great volunteers and lots of good folks coming out to do it.  Unusual event too, out of 'the norm' of most of our area events with its 2:30 PM start time.   If you get a chance to do this one, then do it!   Unless you don't like hills, of course.  Aww, come on, what runner doesn't like hills?

Next up for me:  Diploma Dash 5K on March 2nd  at The University of Texas at San Antonio - where I happen to work - with about 2,000 of my "closest friends", lol.

I thought I had commented on this one until I noticed this is your second race this weekend, doh.

Great job and great RR.

So fun! Love the llama

Almost forgot what Legs look like.