Race photos are here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9HkkMF4MmRFbLJHw9

BEFORE MY START:  On October 31 – Happy Halloween – my friend Lynette organized an inaugural fun 5K in La Vernita, Texas.  This became my 26^th race done in 2020.  The Trick Or Treat 5K was held at The Den, a very nice bar/café in La Vernia, with a very accommodating and helpful staff that kindly allowed all we runners and walkers to invade their space for a while. Race start time of 7:30 a.m., so I was up early to head down to La Vernia to get my packet. I planned on taking a costume with me, but had a senior moment when I left home and forgot to put it into my car…duhhhhh..   Arrived on site with plenty of time to go to start time, got my race packet, and then took a few pre-start photos. 

ON THE COURSE: For we South Texans, weather was a bit chilly at 46 degrees, but at least we had a nice day for it with no rain or mist, just nice blue skies, no wind, and “abundant sunshine”, as the TV weather folks say.  The course was a nicely designed out-and-back course laid out by Race Director Lynette and our friend Tony Garcia. Except for the main road we started out and finished on, very little traffic in the neighborhood we went through.  And because of the early start, not much traffic on the main road either. Very nice neighborhood with very wide roads.  Plenty of room for everyone. After I made the turn-round, I saw one guy in his yard with his dog, watching us all go by.  I called out to him “Got any beer?” He laughed and said “Plenty!  Come on back after you’re done.”   Lol.  Friendly neighborhood!  :p     I ended up with a time of 37:50, averaging 12:03 minute miles.  I was third male in my age group – which was 60 – 99 for this event, lol, since it was a smaller event.  Plus, there were only 3 in my age group, lol.  My speedy friend Woody won our age group.    

After My Finish.  It was still a bit chilly, so I walked back to my car where, thankfully, I had brought a dry shirt.  Put that on as my dry base layer, and then back to the race area to get a few photos of the happy finishers, supporters, etc.  Lynette did a really nice job with the awards ceremony and there was even a costume contest for both species at the race: humans and dogs.  There were quite a few doggies there, so I ran out of treats pretty quickly.

Epilogue:  One of the best inaugural events I have attended. Very well organized at a nice location – and indoor restrooms are always plus, lol. Very nicely laid out course, good quality race shirt and nice medal for all finishers.  The goodie bag was pretty nice too, with a few nice treats in it for Halloween.  Lynette told me this race sold out – nice! – and also ended up getting quite a few sponsors which allowed for finisher medals, costume prizes, and so forth.  Very nice.  The Den staff was also very helpful, and they have pretty good food too.  They start serving breakfast at 9 a.m., so me and a couple of friends stuck around post-race to have breakfast there.  The food is pretty darn good.  This is definitely an event I would do again and would recommend to others.

 Mucho thanks to all the people that made this event happen for we participant:  Race director and organizer Lynette, of course, and Tony for all the help he gave; and all the volunteers as well as the staff of The Den, all of those people that were out there for us way early in the morning; the law enforcement officers on the course for us and the medical folks that had a medical tent there; and, of course, all the sponsors that provided funding to help make this one happen.  Also, thanks to the Athlete Guild guy there doing the timing, results, etc. He too had to be out there way early to get his stuff set up.  Thank you all for what you did so we participants could enjoy this event.