Photos are here:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/ttCQC6JZEsbbnbZTA

Before The Start: On Sunday, September 24, 2023, I did my 54^th 5K of the year, and my second race of this weekend, after having done Head For The Cure 5K on Saturday. The 5^th annual Veronica’s Journey 5K was held in Shavano Park, with a start time of 8:30 a.m.   Veronica was diagnosed at 13 months old with ependymoma, a form of brain cancer.  She battled the disease for 11 months, but sadly passed away shortly after her 2^nd birthday.  Her family started this 5K in her memory and for all children who battle cancer. The Veronica Finnie Endowment for Women and Children was also established to help secure resources for those most in need.  Prior to the start, a Mass was held at the race packet pickup and post-race activities place, a very nice covered pavilion adjacent to the Shavano City Hall building. I had picked up my packet the day before, so I went exploring a bit before the start, looking around the area.  There were vendors setting up booths and, across from the pavilion, there is a very small but nice “Wildlife Habitat” area with some walkway, various plants, bird feeders, and so forth. I also got a few pre-start photos of some of the volunteers, other participants, and supporters.

 On the Course:  The 5K course started across the street from the City Hall area, near the local fire station. Iaap, a top-notch local race management company, did the timing and results.  There was a short prayer prior to the start, and then a group of band students performed The National Anthem.  After that, we were on our way heading down Saddletree Road,  if I remember correctly, a very nice flat and wide road. We went all the way down to Cliffside Drive and when we turned onto that I thought “Uh oh.”  I sometimes do training runs in this area so I knew Cliffside would eventually bring us to hills; and not baby hills either. This turned out to be quite a hilly course.  There were a few flat areas, but the course was mostly up-and-down, up-and-down, with the flattest part of the course being the road we had started on.  When I saw the turn-round sign for the 5K, I was thankful, because  we did not have to go ALL the way down Cliffside because around that bend behind the 5K turn-round was another hill, a humongous hill that would have taken us out to NW Military Highway; happy we turned around where we did!  Of course since we came downhill to the turn-round, we then had to climb up on the way back to the start/finish area. Passed the course water station – no beer, darn 😉 – and then climbed some more, and some more….then a downhill – harder on me than uphill because of my darn spinal arthritis – and then we finally got to our last climb, another fairly steep hill back on Saddletree that we had gone down on the way out. Once we crested that, then it was flat back to the finish.  I ended up with a chip time of 42:50, ending up 3^rd in my 60-69 males age group.

After My Finish:  After a short cool-down walk, got a few photos at the finish line of a couple more people coming in and some of the finishers, and also got a photo of a lady I had been near for most of the course.  Then went back to the pavilion area where the post-race festivities were being held.  There was also a group serving up breakfast tacos and that hit the spot.  Age group award medals to the first 3 in each age group and the overall male winner and female winner each got a really nice trophy. Lots of shade in this pavilion and indoor restrooms nearby too, so a nice place to relax after the event.  I also went exploring in the vendor area and they ad a lot of various offerings there such as sweets like donuts, cookies and so forth, some type of honey-based product, a falafel food both, and lots more.  I also chatted with a former Marine who now owns and operates a self-defense class – San Antonio Shitokai Karate and Fitness – and we enjoyed chatting with each other and swapping our ‘war stories’ experiences from each of our respective times of service.  There was also this Dog Paws vendor I really enjoyed too that had all kinds of stuffed animal things, and little ceramic tiles with various characters on them.

Epilogue:   This is a very well event and this year they did move the course to this Shavano Park neighborhood.  This was a good change from the course last year, which was farther out from the City Hall area.  Even with the hills, I like this course much better. Some of the views from the hills are really nice and the homes in this neighborhood are really beautiful. The residents here are also very good with us, driving very carefully, and being very patient about waiting for us to get by; very friendly area. Very good after events, with the breakfast tacos and nicely done awards ceremony.  The race shirt is of really nice quality and the finisher medals and age group medals are nicely done too.  Being a survivor myself, I tend to do a lot of cancer-oriented events, and this one is a really very good one for a great cause.  I hope someday there will be a cure for cancer – especially for cancer affecting kids; no kid should ever have to deal with this, they should just be able to live a life as a normal kid while growing up.  Cancer may possibly get me someday but, hey, at least I got to live and experience life if that does happen, so no regrets; some of these kids never get that chance which, to me, is so sad. I will definitely continue to do this one as long as I am able, and I certainly would recommend it to others. Much thanks to all who made this one happen for we participants; Veronica’s family; all the many volunteers and many sponsors; the law enforcement officers out there for our safety; the band members for being there for us – did a great job with the National Anthem – and the priest – I think he was a priest – for the pre-race blessing for all of us; and all those vendors that came out to support also. Finally, thanks to all the doggies who gave me dog-kisses for the treats, lol; and to anyone else involved I may not have mentioned here. Thank you all!  God willing, see you next year! And tell your friends, let’s make this one grow a bit more for such a great cause.  Thank you.