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.  This is a very popular race, so I took a LOT of photos; if you don't want to see them all individually below and read my full report please go to the slideshow link for faster viewing and no commentary.

Full report below.   

Slide show of photos only: 

http://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2017%20Race%20Reports/2017%20Race%20No%2086%20Girls%20On%20The%20Run%205K?sort=2

Before My Start

This was my 86th race of 2017.  Held on Dec 9 at Comanche Park in San Antonio.  I have done this one several times in the past.  It is a good program and also I know the Race Director personally, so do this one to support her efforts. Girls On The Run (GOTR) is a national program with chapters in several cities across the US, including San Antonio.  GOTR is "a transformational learning program for 8 to 13 year-old girls. We teach life skills through dynamic, conversation-based lessons and running games. The program culminates with the girls being physically and emotionally prepared to complete a celebratory 5k running event."  This one had a really nice turn-out with almost 900 participants, the majority of them being the teams of young ladies that had completed the program, which culminated with this 5K.   Race start time was 9:30 which was nice, got to sleep in a bit.  Also nice was the weather change.  After getting snow in San Antonio on Thursday evening for the first time in 32 years - it was pretty much gone by Friday afternoon - the weather warmed up nicely by Saturday.   Still a bit chilly in the morning, but a nice sunny day and by race start time it was a pleasant 53 degrees. I arrived on site with about 45 minutes to go and wandered around getting some photos.

With my friend Sally, Race Director/one of the organizers

With friend Tony

With my speedy friend Irene, who finished under 30 minutes

With friend Jose if iaapweb (course setup, timing, results, etc).  Jose is the one, I believe, who laid out our very good course for today.

Our music and sound man, who I see at so many events I do.  Always does a great job!

Comanche Park pavilion filled with people.mostly the teams of young ladies in the program.  Nice turn-out for this one.

One of the iaapweb crew - friend Luis - course setup, timing, results, etc.

Race Day volunteers who had to be there very early, before all the rest of us got there.

Our MC.  He did a great job and also had a nice viewpoint from this stand to see all the participants starting and finishing, as he called out numbers, commentary, etc.

Various participants, etc.

A little line dancing going on in the pavilion pre-start

These ladies are wearing the yellow race shirts participants got

On The Course

Comanche Park is one of my very favorite parks in San Antonio, especially for events.  It has really nice paved trails, good facilities, connects with another park if you go far enough, and the trails are wide enough to accommodate a lot of people. The route was an out-and-back.  There are a couple different ways you can go to get in a 5K in this park.  Every time I've done a race here before the route has always been the same.  Today, however, the route was changed a bit from the usual 5K route done in this park; a nice change for me, got to see some new areas in the park.  I ended up finishing in 33:40, which was good enough for 2nd in my age group.  However, since the first guy in my age group was also first Overall Male Master, and the race does not give 'double' medals, he got the medal for that, which moved me up to first in my age group, nice.  Also did not hurt that there were only 3 in my age group, lol.   I will tell you what, there were some speedy young ladies on this course; some of them passed me like I was standing still and I never saw them again until the finish, lol. This is obviously a successful program.  

Irene already made the turn-round and is heading to the finish

I have made the turnround now and am heading back too.

This kid, pink shirt - and even wearing a backpack - passed my by on my last walk break and wow, did she take off. I never saw her again until the finish.  You go young lady!

Over this bridge...

and a photo of my friend with his niece - pretty darn speedy herself!

and then nonstop to the finish.

After My Finish

Got a photo with this young lady and then one of her and her Dad.  She and I did most of the last mile together.  This is one speedy young lady.  As we began to round the bend to the finish, she stopped to walk a bit.  I told her to come on, I was an old man, I knew she could beat me in.  Well, she took me at my word, lol, and took off, leaving me in the dust.  I gave chase and got close but never caught her; she finished a good 10 - 20 seconds ahead of me. Way to go young lady!

Getting a well-deserved rest...1st place overall male

Still a little chilly now that I'd stopped running, so put back on my base layer, which I'd had on before the start - nice to have a dry shirt after the finish -  and then it was time for some "After Photos." 

My beautiful wife (left) arrived in time to see me finish.  Here with Sally

This lil doggie remembered me from previous events - and the treats I gave him, lol - and jumped right up on me when he saw me.

Doggie is like "OK, I am so done with this photo thing now."  lol.

Me and friend, Ed, who was first overall Master's male.

Medal winners...some of them anyway..

First overall master's female if I remember corrrectly...uh huh...I want to see her birth certificate...looks younger than master's group.. 

Epilogue

This has always been a well-organized local event.  This race used to be done at local Martin Luther King Park and was moved to Comanche Park this year, I think.  Nice move because this park accommodates a whole lot more people, lots more parking space than MLK Park, and way better facilities.  Hope they keep this venue for all their future races.  Also, the course was really well-thought out and I like the course mucho better than the usual course used at this park for a 5K - better trail and a flatter one too, and the trails on this course seemed a bit wider to me than the other, so could handle more people -  so when iaapweb - the folks that did the course layout, setup, timing, etc - does other 5K events here, I sure hope they use this course instead of the other one.  Shirts were of a nice design and good quality.  I do so many races I have tons of shirts, lol, so I got a youth shirt for this one and donated it to one of the young ladies.  Post-race goodies were nothing fancy, pretty much water, fruit, etc - which I get; this is a county run program and the budget can be tight; better to spend the money on what matters - the young ladies and the program, it's all good.  This was/is a very fun event and it is very satisfying to see all these young ladies who will be our future adult runners out there enjoying themselves and enjoying their program success.  Congrats to all of them!

Putting on a race is hard work, so MUCHO THANKS to all the people who made this one happen for us, including race director Sally, all the volunteers and sponsors, all the volunteer coaches who work with all these girls throughout the program, the county for having this program, and so many more, apologies if I did not mention you.  Without all of you, no race for us participants, so thank you all!!!!