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%205%20Kinetic%20Kids%205K%20and%2010K

A couple of the photos came out a bit blurry, sorry about that, I am definitely no professional photographer, lol, but at least the photos are free.

BEFORE MY START

My 5th race of 2017, held on Jan 21, was the Kinetic Kids 5K and 10K.  Kinetic Kids is a nonprofit organization providing health, recreational, and educational services to children from all walks of life who experience the daily struggles of life-long challenges including but not limited to cerebral palsy, spina bifida, downs syndrome, autism, asperger’s syndrome, brain tumors, cancers, or other neurological disorders.    This one was held at Wheatley Heights stadium in San Antonio.  There was a 5K and a 10K and a 1 mile walk. Weather:  temps in the 60s, cloudy/overcast, and a bit humid, but hey, still beats those ‘real winter’ folks around the US dealing with those very cold temps.  I’ll take 60s and humid over that any time.

Wheatley Heights is not that far from where I live, so I arrived onsite with about an hour to go to the 8 a.m. start time.  I had already picked up my packet the day before the race so, upon arrival, immediately began wandering around taking some pre-start photos.

My Superman socks with cape should help me be a little faster, right? 

Apparently, I have some Super competition, lol.

These folks are wearing the nice tech tee that participants got

A view of part of the football field, stadium, and track of Wheatley Field.  Golfer Tweety there has a logo on the chest that says "Birdies for Charity."   I think that one guy was tying his shoe...don't think he is a bird worshiper.....but who knows?

Random photos of volunteers, supporters, sponsors, etc.

My friend Sherri  with Athlete Guild (timing, course setup, race results)  was a blur as she moved along in her cart, lol.  My old fashioned camera does not like motion so much, lol.  At my pace, when we run, this is how Sherri looks to me too when she runs. 

Oops, a tad blurry....I am such a skilled photographer, lol..

OK, that is better...

I did not notice till I got home and started really editing the photos...these guys got photo-bombed by Tweety, lol.

...and these got photo-bombed by the head of Whataburger Man...

Me and pal Bernadette, right before we started the 5K and she went off to kick my butt in the race.    She got first in her age group.

ON THE COURSE

Wheatley Heights is used for a lot of local area events, so I am familiar with the courses used for races at this venue. This is a great place to do a race.  Start on the track of the stadium, do almost a full loop around, then out one of the gates and down to some nearby paved hike-and-bike trails.  Down to a turn-around point and back the way we came.  The course used today is pretty flat, with the exception of one small up incline on the way out, down on the way back that you can’t really call a hill – well, unless maybe you are from Houston.   Lots of room for everyone to spread out too, do your own thing, go your own chosen pace.  The final part of the course was back on the track doing our ‘start loop” in reverse.

I felt pretty good for this one and ended up with a finish time of 32:38, fourth in my age group of 60 – 69 years old.

The kid in the yellow shirt...so darn motivating!  Around this point, after this photo, I passed him.  He did not finish all that far behind me either.  He moves better than I do with two legs, lol.

 AFTER MY FINISH

Got some water, drank that as I did a short cool-down walk, and then it was time for random photos of the ‘happy finishers’ – ever notice more people are smiling after the finish than before and during the race?  - volunteers, supporters, friends, etc.

One of the first people I went and found after the race.  this 'Braveheart" kid and his dad, that I chased off-and-on along the course..photos with them and friend

Another motivating person for me...

This guy did the 5K.  You just  cannot do this race and not be motivated by what you see at it.

I'm telling ya......yes, I do cry a bit at this event, it really tugs the ole heartstrings...

Have some pancakes after the run!  These guys were quite popular.

Hey, donuts!  Now, that's my kinda pancake, lol.

WhatABurger folks and mascot.  For those that don't know WhatABurger, it is a very popular eatery all over Texas.

Where's the Beef?  Umm. right above you, young ladies, says WhatABurger Man... 

Mascot of San Antonio Missions, minor league baseball team

MC Mark Purnell , who did his usual great job, and one of the race organizers...thank you, young lady!

Me, with a CLEAR photo of friend Sherri...cuz she's not running or driving now, lol.

With a fellow survivor...her cancer was much worse than mine was...and she told me she had one lung...sheesh!  You want to get inspired?  Do this event.

And now we have reached the 'tail-end' of the photos....

EPILOGUE

Will I do this one again?  YOU BET! Again and again and AGAIN.  My schedule permitting, I try to do this 5K as much as possible, this one is PERSONAL for me.  I was a March of Dimes baby born with a birth defect – but thankfully mine was fairly easy to deal with and I lived a pretty normal life, although I could never sit up straight or keep my feet pointed forward and still can’t sit or stand in certain positions because of my hips and back.

Growing up and during my Air Force years, I also knew someday I would have to deal with spinal arthritis and degenerative disk disease, because my docs told me all my life this would eventually happen, the way my hips and spine were; and sure enough, in 2005, when I was 51, it did become ‘active”; I had been asymptomatic until then.  So now I deal with that every day. I tell you what, I am doing a lot better than most, and can be a lot more active than a lot of people can.  Being military retired is also a blessing as I have great medical care.  Thank goodness for my military and civilian docs and all the medical staff at Fort Sam and Brooke Armey Medical Center who take VERY good care of me and help me live the life I want to live.  Even so, my heart goes out to these kids – to anyone with any kind of disability.  I know what it is like at times not to be mobile, especially on my ‘bad’ days, and to live with some degree of pain/discomfort every day.  So with all that, as said, this event is personal to me.

MUCHO THANKS to all the people who made this one happen for us, volunteers, all the sponsors/vendors, law enforcement/park police, Athlete Guild for doing timing/results/course setup, and especially all those disabled I saw out there today, who are always so inspiring, especially the kids.  These people, young and old, they personify and live every day my personal motto of “NEVER GIVE UP!”   After the race, I wandered around thanking every one of these people I saw; they always motivate me to keep on keeping on.  My hat is off to all of you.     Well, actually, I hate wearing hats –  and by that you can tell I am a TRANSPLANTED Texan, not a native one lol, since hats seem to be a way of life around here - so I will just salute all of you instead.