Photos are here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KhwY2A3fJHNfo8cT6
Before The Start: My 28th race of 2022 was the American Hero 5K held on May 29th at Comanche Park in San Antonio. The main event was the American 25K Relay and the individual 25K. There was also a 400 meters dash kids’ run and a wheelchair 5K. This event is put on my local racing company e-Dragon Productions, with timing and results provided by iaap race management company. Both these companies are very good at what they do. This was a somewhat military-related event in honor and respect of the Memorial Day Holiday and in recognition of those fallen. Several people carried flags with them on the course. Start time for all events at 7:30 a.m. Race Day was warm, with sunshine, a temp in the low 70s, and humidity to match. Thankfully, Comanche Park is a really nice facility with covered pavilion, ample restroom facilities, water fountains, and lots of shaded areas along its paved trails. I arrived with about an hour to go to start time, got my race packet (shirt, race bib, etc) and then got a few pre-start photos.
On The Course: The courses were out-and-back on off-road paved trails in Comanche Park. The relay teams made their baton exchanges at the start/finish line area. After the National Anthem, people started getting lined up. Having done a very hilly 5K the day before this one, I planned to just take it pretty easy for this one, per my doctor’s instructions when I do back-to-back events and do my run/walk a little slower than I normally do, take a few extra walk breaks and do positive splits so I’d know I was ‘behaving’. I usually do 12-to-13-minute miles, so planned 13 to 15 minute miles for this one. Mile 1 went well, 13:38 Mile 2, 14:29. Then I blew it with Mile 3, negative split of 13:20. I ended up with a chip time of 42:33, averaging 13:42 per mile and ended up first in the 5K 60 – 69 males age group. So much for 14 – 15 minute miles, lol. I did feel pretty good out there and did enjoy myself. What, I was first at that pace? Then I realized all the speedy people in my age group at the events were doing the relay, so that is probably how I placed. What the heck, I’ll take it.
After My Finish: All kinds of goodies post-race, including sausage wraps, various fruits and drinks, including Alamo Beer, nice; one sponsor even had peanut butter sandwiches for those who wanted one. Other sponsors/vendors had various pastries, cookies, nutrition bars, and more. The local area Fleet Feet stores had a ‘compression” thing, where you could relax and they put this compression thing on you from the waist down to help blood flow to your legs after your run, pretty cool. I wandered around taking it all in, enjoying some of the goodies, chatting with friends and getting some post-race photos. Dog friendly event too. I saw a couple of dogs on the course – mostly for the 5K, not the relay, as 25K is probably a long way to go for a dog in a race – but most of them were nonparticipants who stayed in the start/finish area. Stroller friendly course also, as the trails are wide enough to accommodate them. Lots of things going on with this event and from what I saw at any given moment, people seemed to be enjoying it all.
Epilogue: Very nicely done event by e-Dragon and iaap. Lots of local running/walking groups and sponsors there, including Team RWB (veterans group), Wolfpack Running, lots of iaap folks, Fleet Feet folks, Soler Sports, Camp Gladiator; and more. Very nice race venue with a nice course, and lots of facilities. Nice quality race shirt; finisher medals for all, and nice age-group award medals I’ve done this one in the past; will continue to do it in the future; and would certainly recommend it to others. Much thanks to all who made this one happen for we participants: e-Dragon; iaap; all the sponsors and vendors; all our many volunteers; police officers who were out there for our safety; Miguel, our ‘prime cook’ who grilled all those Kiolbassa sausage wraps for us – they were good too! – and all the nonrunners out there for us – family members, friends, etc. – cheering us all on. Apologies if I missed anyone, thanks to all who were involved in some way.
Scottydog Reports 