Race photos are here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/icwFQ56HiACSxRtq5
BEFORE MY START: On Oct 17, I did my 24th race of 2020, the Scallywompus “Remember the Alamo Beer Battle of Hillotes 5K.” This was the 3rd in a series of 4 races. Three distances at this race: half-marathon; 10K; and 5K. Although the race name says “Hillotes”, the race location was at Bankersmith TX (near Fredericksburg TX) since the Helotes TX powers-that-be did not approve a live race in their city boundaries. From San Antonio, Bankersmith is about an hour and thirty minutes driving time, so I was up early to get some breakfast and hit the road to get there by 7:30 or so. The half started at 7:30 – so I missed their start – 10K at 8:10, and the 5K at 8:25. I arrived a tad after 7:30. Having already picked my race packet up the day before, I wandered around and get a few pre-start photos.
ON THE COURSE: One word: HILLY. They call this area Texas Hill Country for a reason. The 5K basically only had 4 hills to do, which were actually 2 hills, since all courses were out-and-back. A bit after the star we did a long downhill, then a bit level for a fraction of a time; then proceeded up a long uphill. Once we crested that, it was fairly flat to the 5K-turn-round point. Back to the uphill we had just come up, which was now a downhill for us and then back to the start downhill, which was now an uphill for the finish. The previous event before this was also on this course. For my second outing on this course, I finished almost a minute faster than I had when I did this course the first time. 38:02 chip time, averaging 12-something minute miles. I think I might have gotten 37-and-change, but I stopped on the finish line hill to get a couple of photos. All good for me, I really don’t pay that much attention to race time; my main goals when I run – especially at my age, lol – are to finish everything I start; have fun with all the running I do; and have no ambulance waiting specifically for me at the finish. :p Goals met! I still managed to finish 2nd in my age group, since there were only 2 in my age group, lol. The first guy in my age group (65 – 69) in the 5K finished, by the way, in 29:45, averaging 9-something minute miles. Yeah…by the time I got to the finish line, he could have already showered and changed clothes, lol.
After My Finish. Forgot my blood-oxygen measuring thingy – with my pacemaker and running, my cardiologist likes me to do a post-race check – but the medics on site had one, so they took it for me. Very nice for me at 95%. The medics were really nice and I ended up chatting with them for a while, and getting a photo of them. Thanks for being there for us. Then I went to enjoy a post-race beer and sausage-on-a-stick and wandered around munching, chatting with friends, and getting some photos of what I call the “Happy Finishers” since most people are smiling a lot more after the race than before and during, lol. Very nicely done event with the unique ‘drinking glass’ award for the age group award winners and nicer awards for the top overall finishers in each event.
Epilogue: Scallywompus throws a heck of an event. Their motto is “Come for the race. Stay for the party.” And they are not kidding, either, as you can see from some of the photos. Bankersmith is a really nice location for an event, with a nice little store-and-bar, very nice outside patio-and-picnic table seating, and also picnic tables on, a small stage, and an event center on the grounds behind the raised patio and bar/store. It is very ‘rural” – said this city boy, lol, who grew up in the Washington DC area – but very nice and very fun, and very relaxing post-race. Nice quality race tee too for this event. One sad note: I missed running this time with my bud, Ralph, whose mother recently passed away in the week before this race. Please keep him and his family in your good thoughts and prayers.
Thanks to the Bankersmith authorities – and after 2 races there, I think I still haven’t met anyone yet who lives in Bankersmith – for allowing this venue for the races, and thanks to all the patience of the local residents for letting us invade their space for many hours. Thanks also to all the other people who made this one happen for we participants: sponsors, vendors, volunteers, local law enforcement, all the Scallywompus staff, and anyone else I may not have mentioned here.
Scottydog Reports 