Photos are here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fDkL3KRtv7f3pBQ89
BEFORE MY START: My 15th race of 2022, and second of the April 2 – April 3 weekend, was the San Antonio Roadrunners Missions 5K, held at Mission County Park in San Antonio on April 3. I did this event after doing the Our Lady Of The Lake University 5K on Saturday, April 2. Put on by the San Antonio Roadrunners, this event was held during Fiesta San Antonio, a 10-day celebration which officially started on Thursday, March 31. This event had a half marathon, a 10K, and a 5K. The half marathon participants started at 8 a.m., the 10K folks went at 8:10 a.m. and we 5K folks started at 8:15 a.m. All the courses were out-and-back and went along parts of the San Antonio Riverwalk. I arrived at race site with about 40 minutes until the 5K start and got a few pre-start photos.
ON THE COURSE: All the courses were out-and-back, staring from the Mission County Park pavilion area. We proceeded out of the pavilion area and onto the Mission Reach part of the San Antonio Riverwalk. I started out running with friend Ralph, but after my watch beeped for my first walk break, he was long gone and I never did catch up to him. Like me, Ralph too did the Confetti 5K the day before – I managed to finish before him for that one – so don’t know where he got all this extra energy, but he did really well. Meanwhile, just did my own run/walk thing and took photos during my walk breaks. I ended up 6th out of 10 in my 60-69 males age group, with a chip time of 39:50. My legs were feeling the day before 5K, so I kind of goofed around a little more on this one and took it easy and got a few more photos on the course, Since this was out-and-back and the 5K folks were the last to start, we did see some of the speedier 5K and 10K folks coming back toward us at they headed to the finish. Some of the half marathon folks too. My speedy friend Marie, who did the half, actually passed me on my way to the 5K finish and finished her half well before I finished my 5K, lol. Mile 1 for me was 13:04, Mile 2 13:05, and then I did manage to get a negative split for Mile 3 with 12 minutes and change. Slow, but that’s okay, just happy to still be able to do any running at all while going through this prostate cancer treatment. I will take what I can get.
AFTER MY FINISH – First, got some water and walked around a bit sipping that and cheering other people coming into the finish. I got a few photos of some others finishing. After that, I enjoyed wandering around partaking of some of the post-race goodies, which included sausage wraps, beer, and other assorted drinks – I think there were even bloody mary’s if I remember correctly – and there was a ton of various types of snacks, treats, etc. The after party was a lot like the party of the Confetti 5K.
Epilogue – Put on by the San Antonio Roadrunners – the oldest running group in San Antonio – this is a very nicely put-on event. This event has been around a long time – I think our MC Anthony mentioned it was the 44th annual, wow – and is a popular event. Nice that it is held on Sunday too, as it gets less competition than the normal Saturday-held events. As noted, really nice after-party. It is also a dog-friendly event, and also stroller/wheeled chairs friendly, with wide Riverwalk paths, room enough everyone. The only part of this course that freaked me out a bit, lol, were the wooden bridges we had to cross; lots of motion movement by these bridges as several people crossed them at the same time, coming-and-going. I have a bit of ‘motion vertigo” so was worried a bit that might kick up on the swaying bridges – and then I’d really freak some participants out, lol – but I was okay by just taking my time and going across carefully and slowly; probably much to the chagrin of the people behind me, lol. Apologies to anyone who was directly behind me on these bridges. Overall, a pretty nicely thought-out 5K course where friends could greet and cheer each other on, coming-and-going Very nice quality race shirt, finisher medals to all, and very nice age-group awards for the age-group placers. . I definitely would recommend this one to others – even with those wooden bridges, lol – and I would do this one again.
MUCHO THANKS TO: Everyone who helped make this one happen for we participants: all the sponsors, volunteers, university staff and students who helped out, the y police officers out there for us on the parts of the route that went by the public roads, our MC Anthony Zamora who did his usual great job – his second gig too; he was also the MC at the Confetti 5K – to our sound and music guy, the medical folks that were onsite for us and anyone else I may not have mentioned here. Kudos to the SARR organizers and volunteers for getting this all put together very nicely for we participants
Scottydog Reports 