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%20No%2019%20Culinaria%205K

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 18^th race of 2017 was the Culinera 5K held on March 18 at Shoppes of La Cantera in San Antonio.  Culinaria is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to benefiting the San Antonio community and promoting San Antonio as an ideal wine and food destination.This is one huge party event with wine, beer, lots of food, giveaways by so many vendors I could not count them all. One very fun event with a great after-party; that party is probably the reason this one sells out pretty quickly when registration opens.  The last couple of years the weather was not so great.  This year Mother Nature cooperated with cloudy skies but no rain, a start temp of around 63 degrees and no wind; it was a bit humid but even so, still fairly nice weather. 8 a.m. start time, with me arriving about an hour before to begin my photo thing for this race report.

The people wearing the gray shirt with "blue person" on it are wearing the race shirts participants and volunteers got.

Three generations of veterans..the 'baby veteran' is in the middle..

ugg..this one came out blurry...and I had not even had a beer yet!

Athlete Guild folks - timing, course results, etc.

This was a food-themed event...so I wore m pizza socks...

A little group stretching before the start, led by these flexible ones

ON THE COURSE

This little lady sang the National Anthem just beautifully…

Then in the start area ...

…and then we were off.  The route was pretty much a loop around the roads and parking areas of La Cantera, but it was done in such a way that, to me, it always feels like road running rather than running in a shopping center area.  Well-thought out loop course, with us doing one short hill twice, once near the start and again near the finish.  It was not really that big, so I don’t think you can really call it a ‘hill’…more like a long incline.  I ended up finishing in 34:13.  I know I did not place in my age group because this is such a popular event, even my age group (60 – 64) gets some of its speedier runners coming out for this one.

One of the Six Flags Fiesta Texas roller coasters as our backdrop

I stuck my hitchhiking thumb out...but they just went right on by me...

Almost done...back up the incline we went up after the start

..and then nonstop for me to the finish!  Pretty nice course, but just one recommendation for next year...have water right past the finish chute, instead of participants having to go look for it.  Other than that...pretty well thought out.

AFTER MY FINISH

Just tons of stuff after the event…you just walked up and down designated area for the after-party and just got stuff….water, beer, wine, food from a food truck that was there, various kinds of energy bars…I think there was even some kind of shrimp offering, souvenir goods from the multiple sponsors that were there…just so much stuff I can’t remember it all.  So I just munched and drank and wandered around taking photos.

One of my running goals is don't have an ambulance waiting for me at the finish...and I'll be darned....there was an ambulance at the finish!  Not for me, thankfully

Something in my eye, darn it..the lady taking the photo caught me, lol.

This guy in the hat, with the humidity we had, ran the whole course in that 'lucky hat' of his.

Beer...oh yeah....

Important volunteers/sponsors...our beer servers/providers

EPILOGUE

Super event, definitely a keeper on the race calendar, do it whenever you can if you are in the San Antonio area when it is being put on. If you like a super party after a race – kinda reminds me of the local Scallywompus parties after their events – then this is one for you. Also, because it is at the Shoppes at La Cantera, you get several discount coupons in your goodie bag for several stores there.  Pretty nice quality race shirt too.

MUCHO thanks also to all the other folks that made this one possible too:  the sponsors, the volunteers, the law enforcement/security folks out there for us, Shoppes at La Cantera management, employees, store owners, et all – everyone who helps make this happen every year for we participants.  Thanks to Athlete Guild and Race Director Scott Peacock for the great course setup, timing, results, etc.    Thank you all very much!

Hope you enjoyed the report and photos!