Beginners and Beyond

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2018 Race 29: Earth Day 5K (Read 5 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

    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/2018%20Race%20Reports/2018%20Race%20Number%2029%20Earth%20Day%205K?sort=2

     

    BEFORE MY START

    My 29th race of 2018 was the Earth Day 5K put on by Purnell Racing at Woodlawn Park in San Antonio on April 21st.  There was also a 10K.  This race is held a couple of days after the start of the 10-day Fiesta San Antonio celebration. This was a pretty small event, with about 20 participants, runners and walkers, so felt more like a fun social gathering then a race; but all good, fun stuff with good people. Race start time was 7:30 am.  The 5K was the kickoff event for the Woodlawn Park Earth Day Festival, and event of music, vendors, etc.  I arrived on site a bit before 7 a.m., got my bib with timing tag and then got a few photos before our group got started.

     

    Clowning with my sister-from-another-mister, Karen

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     ON THE COURSE

    Woodlawn Lake Park has been nicely renovated in the last few years and now has a really decent trail loop that is a mix of concrete and asphalt that circles around the park’s man-made lake.  About 2 and ½ loops makes a 5K.    We just started a bit farther back on the trail from our finish point, so we did 2 loops for the 5K, while the 10K folks did 4 loops.  I am no sure how many did the 10K, most of us were doing the 5K.  This is a scenic little loop run with nice views of the lake along the way.  The park was still open to the general public too so along our way we saw several other runners and walkers doing their own thing too.   Since this was a small race, the top overall finishers got awards which, since it was Earth Day, were small trees that could be planted. I ended up with a finish time of 29 minutes-and-change, so thought the course might be a tad short and a couple of my friends told me they had 2.7 or 2.8 miles on their garmins, etc.  So maybe it was short, or maybe some of us, me included, did not get far enough back at the start.  I’ve been known to have a brain dump or two at times during a race event, lol.    Well, whatever the actual distance,  all good for me, not like I’m going to win anything at my pace anyway, lol, and I’m more of a fun runner than chase the awards runner, lol, that’s just me.  Each to his her/own.  I enjoyed myself out there, running and walking most of the course with friend Albert and we just had a good ole time doing our thing and chatting. Weather was pretty humid as rain was threatening and temp was in the mid-60s. It never did rain hard on us, just got some light ‘misting’ action.  Was glad I had brought a dry shirt, which I wore over the singlet I ran in, then put the dry shirt back on after I finished.

     

    Path was a little wet

     

     

     

     

     

    slick bridge to cross..twice.

     

     

     

    AFTER MY FINISH

    Some water and energy bars as post-race refreshment and everyone did get a finisher medal too, nice.  Nice post-race time chatting with other participants, cheering on a few of the folks still out there, and cheering people in coming to the finish.  And interacting with two crazy park geese, lol, that were bound and determined that we had snacks for them and would not go away.  They were quite the characters.  Also got a few photos.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    This speedy guy was first overall finisher, if I remember correctly, for the 5K

     

    With friend Albert

     

     

    The four smartest people at the race.  Cuz, you know, with age comes wisdom...and we were the oldest ones there.

     

     

     

     

     

    Crazy darn geese....they were a hoot, lol....or is that a honk?

     

     

     

    EPILOGUE

    Nicely organized by John Purnell and the volunteers he had helping him.  Very nice little gathering of funning friends, lots of camaraderie, conversation, finisher medals, nice quality race shirt too, and good course with lots of room for everyone.  Small but fun event. I would do this again and would recommend it to others   Mucho thanks to everyone who got this organized for we participants.

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