Photos are here:   https://photos.app.goo.gl/TfB37k5Agsz1JcE88

Before the start:    My 38^th race of 2024 was the San Antonio Roadrunners Texas Sun Showdown 5K, held on June 16^th at McAllister Park in San Antonio. This was my 2^nd 5K of the weekend after having done the Y’all Means All 5K on Saturday.  The Texas Sun Showdown event also included an individually run half-marathon and a 4-team-members half-marathon relay and a 2-person team members half marathon relay. The half marathon events started first, with the 5K folks starting about 10 to 15 minutes after them. All the courses were loop courses in the park, with, naturally, longer routes for the half-marathon participants. It was pretty darn warm, too.  Even with a 7:15 start, the temperature was already in the low 80s, and the humidity was a crazy 81%, good grief.  Thankfully, we did have  mix of cloud cover, along with the sunshine, and McAllister Park has a lot of trees, so lots of shaded areas along the way.

On the course:   All events started and finished on Buckhorn Road, near the park’s lower soccer fields and the youth baseball stadium.  We proceeded up Buckhorn Road, with the soccer fields on our right, and then passed the youth baseball field on our right. We then went up a short-paved path not accessible to traffic that took us to a paved road and continued on that road heading in the direction of Becken Pavilion. About ¼ mile or so down from Becken Pavilion, we turned left onto an off-road paved trail that took us past a police sub-station we could see near the park. We wound around this trail a bit more, ending up at trail intersection. A left turn took us past Becken Pavilion and across a paved road onto a trail across the street from Becken Pavilion. We did a very short up incline, and then made a right turn that put us on a trail that took us to another trail intersection. A right turn put us onto a trail from which we could look down at the lower soccer fields and see the start/finish area. This trail took us behind the youth baseball field and then to another trail intersection. We turned left onto this paved trail and that took us past the baseball field, now on our left. We exited this trail with a left turn, went past the baseball field on our left, and then back onto the road we had originally started on and went to the finish. I ended up with a chip time of 41:57, averaging 13:30 per mile with my run/walk and photo stops, finishing 5^th out of 7 in my 70-99 males age group. The first guy in my group finished in 26 minutes and change, and the next two placers were both in the 30’s. There sure are some speedy old guys in my age group, lol.  There was a total of 244 finishers, female and male, for the 5K.  The 2-person half teams had 30 finishers in 5 different categories. The 4-person half relay teams had a total of 172 participants in 12 different categories.  A very nice turn-out for this event, 446 total finishers.

 After my finish:  I got a few photos of other participants coming in, and then went in search hydration and goodies.  Right near the finish area was a tub full of iced-down Force Water, so that was convenient. I got some water and then saw my friend Gilbert, a great supporter of these events, who had a tent with watermelon slices, fresh fruits, and some other goodies. He graciously allowed me to sit in one of his chairs as I just relaxed for a bit, cooling down and drinking my water and eating a banana, as we chatted  with each other and with other people coming by to get some of the excellent goodies Gilbert always shows up with at events. It was very pleasant.  After that, I was up-and-going again, chatting with other participants, and getting some more post-race photos, and handing out more treats to more doggies.  There were a couple of dogs on the course, walking with their humans, but none running, as I recall,  which is probably good, with that crazy humidity we had.    Epilogue:  SARR did a really nice job with this one. The courses were nicely laid out and all of them were loop courses with no little out-and-back sections to do, thank goodness, just before we go to the finish line; that is so annoying; if a race course is advertised as an out-and-back, I get it and expect it…but when it is a loop course, don’t ruin the loop by throwing in an out-and-back portion just before the end; when I hit that last turn before the finish, I just want to go to the finish, not have to do an out-and-back first before going to the finish, lol. I found out post-race, my friend Erik from E-Dragon had laid out the 5K course, and he accommodated us nicely with this very good loop course with no out-and backs anywhere; thank you!  OK, hissy fit over lol.  Anyway…from my viewpoint of what I saw and heard, SARR did a fine job with this one; very nice courses with lots of room for everyone; really nice race shirt, very uniquely don, and very nicely done finisher medals;  lots of vendors with lots of post-race goodies, and there was a brisket meal too – this event  used to be put on and known Carrabba’s, if I remember correctly – and cold drinks, including some Shiner Bock beer.  There is an indoor restroom building at this pavilion area, but it’s pretty small so, with 446 participants, as well as the vendors, sponsors, family members, friends, etc., that were all there,  SARR did a nice job of having a few porta-potties located near the race area. There was also an official photographer for this one – much better photos than mine, I am sure, lol – and the Park Police had a presence there for our safety.   I would definitely do this one again and would recommend it to others. Meanwhile, much thanks to all the people involved that made this one happen for us, e.g.,  law enforcement; SARR leadership; all the many volunteers and all the sponsors; medical staff there for us, if needed; our MC Anthony Zamora doing his usual great job; iaap for the timing, results, etc., doing their usual great job;  the event photographers; the lady before the start – don’t know her name – who beautifully sang The National Anthem; the food service company that provided the brisket and other items for a nice post-race meal for those that wanted it; and also, since the park was, of course, open to other exercise enthusiasts, e.g., cyclists, other walkers, runners, etc., thanks to them too for their patience with us invading the park for quite a while; and to anyone else involved I may not have mentioned here.  Thank you all!  See you at a future event sometime!  My next one will be Beards And Beans Longest Day 5K on June 22^nd.