Photos are here:    https://photos.app.goo.gl/gztfNV6FXL4MRnAA6

Before the start:   My 22^nd race of 2024 was the Let’s Roll 5K held at Morgan’s Sports, one of the associate parks of Morgan’s Wonderland. This event was held on April 14^th, one day after I did the Life Is Good 5K on Saturday, April 13^th.  This event supports Project Mend, which provides refurbished, donated medical equipment to those in need. It also accept donations of medical equipment.  I try to do this one each year, as I was a March of Dimes Baby, born with a birth defect, dislocated hips. I once told a younger person I had been a March of Dimes baby and he asked What’s March of Dimes? Boy, did I feel old, lol.  I was lucky to live a pretty normal life after treatment, although I was told all my life by medical people that when I got older, this would probably give me some arthritis that affected my spine and facet joints, and sure enough it did when I was in my 50s, resulting in me not being able to do nonstop running anymore; I was lucky though; with the run/walk method I am still able to run, in a fashion, lol, and participate in races too. I also am a 2-time cancer survivor, colon and prostate, with my most recent one being prostate cancer; finished my treatment for that in 2022. A friend of mine told me I should say 3-time, because in 2023, BAMC Dermatology removed two areas from my back that they told me were early-stage skin-cancer. It was thankfully caught very early and I never had issues with it, so I tend to not remember that one although I am scheduled every year for checkup, to be safe. .  Start time for this event oof 8:15 a.m., so I got to sleep in a bit as I live only about 6 miles from the park. After arriving and picking up my packet I got a few pre-start photos. Between Fit-Fest on Saturday and several other events that day, and something going on downtown on Sunday, this race day, there were 94 finishers for the 5K, in which I was a participant. In the Adaptive Category – those who have some type of disability – my wife always tells me I don’t have a disability, I have a differ-ability – there were 11 finishers.

On the course:  The adaptive participants had a slightly different course then the regular 5K course.  We 5K participants started in front of Morgan’s Sports and went down to the Morgan’s Wonderland park, passing in front of the Morgan’s Splashpad and Toyota Field, the home of the San Antonio professional soccer team.  We then entered the park doing a loop around its man-made lake. After exiting the park, we then went back to the start/finish area and then went toward Heroes Stadium, an athletic facility of the San Antonio North East Independent School District.  After passing that, we then turned and went up a fairly long uphill that led to the Wurzbach Parkway.  We did not go all the way to the parkway, but it was pretty darn close, lol; a very challenging hill, so thank goodness I do regular hill workouts once a week. After going down the hill, we went past another side of the stadium and proceeded past Morgan’s Multi-Assistance Center (the MAC), a facility that “assists people with disabilities and special needs through comprehensive and coordinated services.”  We then turned into the parking lot of Heroes Stadium, went past the front of the stadium, and then went to the rear of the stadium and went through one of the parking areas there. The brought us back out to the road that took us back to the finish line.  During my time on the course, I was very lucky in meeting and making a new friend, Avery. She and I, off-and-on, ran most of the last part of the course together, with me sometimes being ahead of her, and her sometimes being ahead of me, and then the last ½ mile we ran into the finish together. Super-nice young lady; enjoyed her company. I ended up with a chip time of 39:56, first in my 70-99 males age group for the 5K.  There were only 2 in my age group, lol. Avery finished about a minute ahead of me.

 After my finish: Got a photo with Avery and then got some water and wandered around chatting with other participants, sponsors, vendors, etc. and got some ‘after-photos.’  For this one there was also a pretty decent spread of post-race goodies that included breakfast tacos, various fruits, lots of water, coffee, donut holes, and other things. There was also  a ‘community fair’ at this one with various vendors offering different things. In addition to the 5K, there was also a pickle-ball tournament starting later after the 5K was done.   

Epilogue:  I can’t remember exactly how many times I’ve done this event but, as I remember correctly, it has been quite a few times.  Project Mend always puts on a good show. It was too bad this weekend that they were competing with so many other events, since this is just a good event. They probably would have had even a bigger turnout for a great cause. I always think the local race directors should have a semi-annual conference and divy up the weekends between them, lol, so everyone gets a fair shot at getting a good turnout, but I doubt that will ever happen.   I will definitely be doing this one again and certainly would recommend it to others.  Very nice course – even with that hill, lol; good facility with lots of amenities – indoor restrooms is always a plus, lol, instead of porta—potties; very nice quality race shirt; really nice finisher medals for all participants and the age group award medal is awesome. As previously noted, lots of good eats too.  Mucho thanks to all who made this one possible for we participants, including all the sponsors; Soler’s Sports that did the race management and laid out the courses; all the many race volunteers; our professional photographers on the course; top-notch race management club iaap for the timing and results; Mayor Nirenberg who was there for the start with some encouraging words for us; the lady who led everyone in the pre-start stretches; our MC and sound guy; and, of course Project Mend folks that put on this event; and anyone here involved I did not mention.  Thank you all!  See you next year!