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%2024%20Wanerlust%205K%2010K%20Half?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 24th race of 2018 was the Wanderlust 5K on April 7th in Fredericksburg, Texas, about a 70 miles or so drive from San Antonio. There was also a half marathon and a 10K.  The Wanderlust, put on by San Antonio race company Scallywompus, is part of the Texas Hill Country series of races, for which participants can sign up individually or get a package deal and do all 4 races at a discounted price.  The half marathon started at 8 a.m., followed by the 10K at 8:45 and then the 5K at 9 a.m.   I arrived early enough to get some photos before the half-marathon start.  I was dressed in layers too because a cold front had blown in and that darn wind was really making it chilly;  also Fredericksburg, being in the hill country, is usually colder than San Antonio.  When I left home, the San Antonio temp was 54 degrees, not bad.  When i got to Boerne, Texas - the beginning of hill country in our area, the tempwas down to 49.  When I hit Comfort, TX, it was 44.  And when I finally got to Fredericksburg it was 41 degrees with a wind giving us a 'feels like" of 38.  For we South Texans, that is COLD, lol. I wandered around in my hat, gloves, and layers getting some photos and periodically popping into the restroom at the town square pavilion where the race was starting and finishing, since the restroom was the warmest place around there that morning, lol.  Brrrr!  Give me 90s over 40s any day...I just prefer warm weather running.

Various participants (including me), volunteers, supporters, etc.  Black numbers were the half; green 10K; and red 5K

The lovely ladies helping me look good, lol

Our music man

Half folks getting ready to start

This lovely lady beautifully sang The National Anthem

Ready....set....

Go half marathoners go!

Thank you, young lady for singing The National Anthem

Mr. Scallywompus (owner) on the right, our MC in the middle, and a guy taking a quick nap.    I know how he feels, lol, had to get up way early for the drive to Fredericksburg; the volunteers even earlier since they had to set everything up

Some of the race day registration volunteers;  and then my friend Don  and his wife went and walked the 10K.

Staying out of the wind until start time

Even before the race started...this guy was Thor...   

with his lady

with me

and with our MC

This lady getting ready for the after-party

ON THE COURSE

I don't know what the exact half and 10K course was but I found out later from some of those races participants that the half was pretty much on open country roads and they had some major hills and a whole lot of wind since there was nothing out there to block it.  Some 10K folks told me they had some hills, but not bad, and they too had some open roads country. For the 5K, we stuck down at the 'lower level" and when we got into the neighborhoods we ran through, there was pretty much no wind at all until we got back on the more open street that that took us back to the finish.  And the only hill we had was a small incline we had to go up right before we got to the finish line.  We ran or walked in a really nice area with very wide streets, little traffic, and lots of room for everyone.  The 5K had the least amount of participants. How small was our group?  Well, I got first in my age group for the 5K, at a time of 33:24, which is a true rarity  for me, lol All good though, and a very enjoyable route.

Nice flat and wide roads on the route

AFTER MY FINISH

I took a few moments to get some photos of some of the participants coming in behind me.  Some of them were the speedier 10K folks finishing up. Their 10K time is my 5K time, lol.  After that, the very next thing I did was go back to my car and get off my bottom layer sweaty shirt and put on a dry shirt to help me stay warm.  It helped for a while, but I swear the temp actually started getting colder again, so glad I had also brought with me my UTSA - the university where I work - sweatshirt cuz I put that on too finally, and that was much better.  Between all this unlayering and layering, lol, I was wandering around getting some photos of the happy finishers, supporters, volunteers, etc.

I am done...and getitng warm again now that I have my dry shirt on

My friend Raf, doing the timing, results, etc, near the finish line.

Ran a bit with this young man on the course.  He finished with a floater, way to go, young man!

Thanks, young ladies, for handing out the finisher medals.

Some of the happy finishers, et al....

The dog ran the course and got a finisher medal too

These glasses were the age-group awards, handed out by these good folks. They also ran too.

My speedy friend here did the half

My friend here did the half too.....

So now he can nap, lol...

A little warmth for the insides too

Thanks for the sausage!

Bernadette was first overall woman in the 5K

Age group winners

As I was leaving that darn wind picked up again, good grief!  Got a few flag photos and that wind was really whipping the flags around...  BRRRRRR!!!! These are the flags flying in front of the Gillespie County courthouse

EPILOGUE

Scallywompus always throws a great after-party with lots of stuff  They usually have a huge turnout for their events but, unfortunately, another very popular race was being held on this day too, - the Luckenbach half and 5K -  so I think some of the people who may have done the Scallywompus one went and did the other one.  I would have been there too if this one had not been scheduled the same day, as I'm sure a lot of others would have too.  The Scallywompus folks are really good about trying to schedule their events to get good participation but I guess this could not be helped, most likely because April 7 was probably the only day the Fredericksburg pavilion was available to be reserved.  Even so, still a fairly nice turnout and a good event with lots of good people and a really good course - at least the 5K was anyway, I can't speak for the other courses since I was not on them.   And, of course, Scallywompus always throws a heck of an after-party...all kinds of drinks, sausage on a stick, really unique age group awards and overall awards, VERY nice quality tech tee race shirt. I would definitely do this one again in the future.

Much thanks to Scallywompus, all the volunteers, sponsors, the EMTs, the people of Fredericksburg for letting us invade their space for a while, law enforcement that I saw out there periodically checking the course - since the course was open to traffic - I guess to make sure we were all safe and okay, iaapweb for the timing and course set up, and anyone else I may not have mentioned here.  Thank you all so much for doing what do so we participants can have a race.