Photos are here:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/DauJNhH7vGZRbG1EA

Before The Start:   On Saturday, Sep 9^th, I did my 49^th race of 2020, the Patriot’s Day 5K held in Pleasanton, Texas, about a 40-mile drive from San Antonio. This race is done in remembrance of those lost on 9-11 and in honor or our military veterans and first responders. This was a fairly smaller event that had 77 finishers. The 5K start and finish was at Pleasanton City Park, a pretty little park with some nice views of the Atascosa River.  Race start time of 8 a.m.  As I am ‘directionally challenged”, lol, I made an early start, but actually did not get lost this time and arrived at the park a little after 7 a.m.  Got my race packet and then got a few photos before the start.

 On the Course:   The course was an out-and-back in the park.  We started in front of a park pavilion adjacent to a basketball blacktop area.  The course was pretty flat, taking us first along the main park road and then onto an off-road park trail of crushed rock and dirt that gave us some nice views of the Atascosa River along the way. For the first mile we were out in the sun with no shade. It was pretty darn humid too, but expected, as this is still Texas summer, even if it is after Labor Day, with temps in the mid-70s and humidity about 80-something percent. We crossed over a short patch of parking lot pavement and then went back onto the trail on the other side.  This trail took us to our turn-round point.  This part of the course had quite a bit of shade, with lots of trees with overhanging branches, nice.  Once we made the turn-round point, we went back the way we came out, so for the last mile, of course, we were back out in the full sunshine as we went to the finish.  The guy who placed first in this 5K did it in 21 minutes and change, averaging 6:50 per mile; must be nice, lol.  I did it in a lot longer, 44:02 chip time, averaging 14:10 per mile, but I did have a negative split for Mile 3. By the time I got back, that first guy had time to shower and change clothes, if he was so inclined, lol. I ended up 3^rd out of the 3 males in my 65-69 males age group.

After My Finish:   First thing, sat in my darn car, with the A/C on full blast as I did my cool-down and sipped my electrolytes water.  Felt much refreshed after this and went back out to get some post-race photos and enjoy some post-race goodies, which included breakfast tacos, nice. Even slow, since there were only 3 in my age group, I got a nice medal for my 3^rd place finish. All participants also got finisher medals, which were a slightly different design from the awardee medals; so I walked away with two medals from this one.

Epilogue:   Smaller event, but nicely done by Race Director Tony Garcia and his Top-Gun helper, Woody Wilson. Although it was warm, it really is a nice course that gives nice views of the river along the way, and no hills at all. Very nice finisher medals and award medals, which were a bit larger than the finisher medals;  the local Jr. ROTC had a presence at this one and their Color Guard did an excellent job of presenting the colors for The National Anthem.  Nice quality race shirt, and the post-race goodies included breakfast tacos.  I will definitely do this one again in the future – and hope it grows because it really is a nice event – and the park has some nice ‘true’ restrooms too, not porta-potties, lol. Mucho thanks to all who made this one happen for we participants, including iaap who did the timing and results; organizers Tony Garcia and Woody Wilson; and all the race day volunteers, which included some of the Jr. ROTC folks; all the many sponsors; our music-and-sound guy; the lady photo-journalist from the Pleasanton Express that was taking photos of the event, and the on-course photographer – not me, lol, there was an actual photographer – and thanks to other park patrons for their patience with our gathering; and thanks to anyone else I may not have mentioned here.  Good event; hope to see you at this one sometime!