Photos are here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/M2s7iYotNcbWSWC7A

Before The Start: My 40^th  5K race of 2022 was the JBSA Fort Sam Houston Freedom 5K hosted by the Jimmy Brought Fitness Center.  This is a free event for DoD ID card holders. Start time of 0700., with show-and-register time between 0630 and 0700. I arrived just before 0630 and got signed up.  Nice that we could use the fitness center facilities – indoor restrooms, which this old dog was grateful for.  The running pack was pretty small – we had maybe 40 people or so, if that many.  This event is also dog-friendly and stroller friendly, so I did give away a couple of treats – to the dogs, not to the stroller kids, although one kid wanted to try one, lol.  I got just a couple of photos before the start, and then we were off.

On The Course:  The course was on some of the paved roads on the post.  We started in the parking lot behind the base post-office, which is right behind the fitness center.  Out of the parking lot we made a left turn, went to a nearby intersection and then straight across Wilson Street.  This put us into an area near the Fort Sam family housing area that is near the fitness center. We went up an incline on Hill Street – with the housing area on our left – then turned right onto New Braunfels Ave.  This took us behind part of the historic part of Old Fort Sam – which Is a museum now – and then back to Wilson Ave.  Left on Wilson Ave., and then another left turn as we headed to the post Quadrangle area, going in front of the other side of the museum. Around the Quad we went – some really nice family housing in this area – and then turned left onto Stanley Road. Down an incline – the mapper of this course really likes hills, lol –  then across Wilson Street,  staying on Stanley – and up yet another long incline. After peaking the incline we stayed on Stanley Road, going past a large parking lot and the Boy Scout area on our left and then passing in front of the base Post Office.  Right turn into a parking lot area past the Post Office, then a small route that took us to the parking lot where we had started. Whew!  I pretty much just took it really easy for this one, stopping on the course to get some photos, chat with some of the volunteers and even treated another dog I saw walking his human. My Garmin showed the distance as 3.2.  I finished in 43:54, averaging 13:44 per mile, with positive splits, and lots of fun.

After My Finish:  Did a short cool-down walk and then chatted with some of the other participants and got a few photos. Post-race goodies included a few nutrition bars, and some other small items and also 3 kinds of water, which was interesting. They were pitchers of water with the first one have cucumbers in it; the second one had apples in the water; and the third one had lemons.  I liked the lemon water best. The volunteers were taking a survey to see which water was liked best, so when you told them which one, they dropped a piece of paper into a small box by the water pitcher to get the count about which one would be most popular. I never did find out, but I’m guessing the lemon water, it was really good.

Epilogue:  A very nicely done event with a 7 a.m. start time – reminded me of my friend Erik’s events that he puts on – so although it was warm, it was not too warm.  Also, with several buildings and trees along the way, there were quite a few shady areas.  Nice that it was at the fitness center too because after the finish I then was able to take a shower and change into dry clothes, so did not have to drive home all sweaty and funky.       This is a fun event with a well-thought-out course – in spite of all those up inclines, lol – and lots of nice people participating. Definitely good camaraderie at this event, especially as we are all somehow military-related. I would definitely do this one again and would recommend it to others.  The next free event like this will be the Superhero 5K on August 27; costumes encouraged.