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%2044%20Fathers%20Day%205K?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 44^th race of 2018 was Father’s Day 5K on June 17 put on by Purnell Racing at Lady Bird Johnson Park, a greenway system park in San Antonio.  There was also a 10K.  I think most people actually were doing the 10K, just a few of us doing the 5K. This was a smaller event, maybe about 20 to 30 people so felt more like a nice social run with friends than a race, which was all good, as we all pretty much knew each other, making for a very nice outing. I live pretty close to LBJ park so after a very short drive, got there with about 40 minutes to go until 7:30 a.m. start time and took a few photos. The majority of people here were Team RWB (Red White and Blue) San Antonio members, a veterans organization.

With friend Karen, who walked the 10K

Some of the Team RWB members there

Our MC/Announcer, Mark Purnell, on the right, did his usual great job.

Our timing and results guys

The family that runs together...

 ON THE COURSE

7:30 a.m. start was nice.  For this one, it was warm but not as humid as the 5K I had done the day before and lots more shade trees on this course than on Saturday’s Riverwalk course, which is pretty much open to the sky.  The course was done on the park’s paved off-road trails, a mix of concrete and asphalt.  As this was a small event I was pretty much running by myself for the majority of it and seeing other participants off-and-on as I either caught up to them, or they passed me, or some of the speedier folks were already heading back to the finish.  It was actually a pretty nice-and-peaceful 5K, very enjoyable since the trails were not crowded as all like it is for larger events.   I ended up finishing in 36:14 and my first thought was the course must be a tad long as I usually finish in 33 to 34 minutes for a 5K; but then I remembered “Oh, wait…I did stop along the way to give biscuits to two lil doggies who were being walked by their owner and played with them for a minute, so that’s why my “normal” 5K time is off…. duhhh…”.   I did make up some time in the last mile as another runner came up on my right, started to pass, and I told myself I can keep up with this guy, and stuck with him and we chatted as we went along.  He ran faster than I normally do, so I was getting a workout, lol.   With about a half mile to go I remarked “Only a short way now to the finish.”  He said “I am not doing the race, I am just out here doing my long training run.”  WHAT?   So I’m keeping up with this guy who is not even in the race?  Duhhh…and lol.  Well, still all good, I guess, a little extra effort once in a while won’t kill me.  He finally did push on ahead of me - guess he was getting close to his finish too – and I made the turn to off the trail to head to the finish line.   All in all, a nice little 5K and I felt pretty strong the whole way.

Down we go

Bridge we crossed twice

View of the creek bed from the bridge.  So you can see why, in Texas, some people named Rivers are nicknamed "Dusty Rivers", lol.  When it rains hard, though, this thing really does flood

At the 5K turnround point with the water-stop volunteers.  The 10K folks continued ahead.

Heading to the finish now.  We went twice through an overpass tunnel underneath the road.  There is a path on top of the overpass too, and got a photo of this guy on the top trail doing his thing in his recumbent bike

Some of the participants coming toward me as I was heading to the finish.   That one lady on the far left - not a participant, jut walkin her dogs -  has the very friendly dogs I stopped and gave a treat too.

Back down this hill that was a short uphill to the water-stop and 5K turn-round.

On the way back, encountered my friend Karen on her 10K walk. After taking this photo, I then ran nonstop to the finish.

AFTER MY FINISH

Got some water, walked around a bit sipping that, and then got some photos. 

Done.  With friend and race MC Mark Purnell, who is son of Race Director John Purnell.  Mark is a pretty darn fine runner in his own right when he is not doing MC duties. 

Happy finishers

This lovely lady and I were in proximity of each other for most of the last half of the 5K

With friend Jill who did the 5K

Yeah, I'm with this guy....a short nap after the finish..

With her family.   I think her husband did the 10K, if I remember correctly.

This lovely lady kindly agreed to a photo with us to make we three old dogs look good..    My friend, Arturo (far right) got back just in time from one of his "Men In Black"" missions to do this 5K. 

Friend George finishing his 10K.  Way to go George!

This young man did the 5K and very well too.  Here with his 'older sister'...    and thanks to this family for the breakfast tacos.

Another team member finishing up.  i think she did 10K also.

Friend Karen almost done now with her 10K.   Congrats Karen!

Overcame some back problems to get this one done.  She earned her finisher medal.

Happy finishers

Thank you volunteers for being out on the course for us!

Selfie, me and Karen.  And it ain't easy taking a selfie with my old-fashioned camera, lol.  But I am getting pretty good now at guestimating where to point the lens, even if I can't see the image of us, like on a phone selfie.

EPILOGUE

Fun little event with great people, a nice course, and post-race cold drinks, breakfast tacos and grilled hot dogs. Pretty nice quality tech tee race shirt; and finisher medals for this one.  We had use of the park pavilion and it was very pleasant post-race, sitting in the shade with friends and chatting about this-and-that.   For those that did not come out, they missed a very nice event. Would definitely recommend this one to my fellow runners and walkers and I certainly would do it again.

Mucho thanks to all the people who made this one happen for we participants:  all our sponsors and all the volunteers out there for us in whatever capacity; our MC, Mark who did his usual great job; to the Wright family for those breakfast tacos and thanks to our griller – sorry, I forgot his name – for the hot dogs; and, of course to our Race Director John Purnell who got everything organized and going.  Thanks all of you so much for what all of you do so we participants can have an event.