Photos are here:        https://photos.app.goo.gl/5gG8A1ZoZktFS7yo8

Before the Start: My 36^th race of 2025 was The Longest Day 5K held on June 21 at Comanche Park in San Antonio.  There was also a 10K and, after the main events finished, a 0.5 beer run, and a Kid’s Run before the start of the main events.  Fund raised from this event go 100 percent to the Alzheimer’s Association. Start time for the 10K was 7:15 a.m. The 5K started at 7:30 a.m.. I arrived very early; around 6:30 a.m., got some close-by parking and then got some pre-start photos. I was early enough that the iaap folks who were doing the timing and results were still setting up the start/finish area and preparing their equipment.  For a humid and warm day, a pretty nice turn-out with 231 finishers for the 5K and 78 finishers for the 10K. It was sunny, with a few clouds, a them of 84 degrees at the start times, and very humid, with just a bit of wind. I had picked up my packet the day before, so after arrival chatted with other participants, got a few photos, and handed out a few dog treats as this is a dog-friendly event.

On the course: The National Anthem was played and then the 10K participants started first, with we 5K people going about 15 minutes after the 10K entrants. The courses started with us going onto the park road that gave access to the parking areas. We turned left going out of the starting chute, wound our way around this road and then went onto one of the park’s off-road paved trails. It was pretty warm, but the route did have a lot of shade for almost the whole way. The course was flat for a while, and then we went downhill; not a steep hill, more like a looooong downhill incline. We crossed over 3 very short bridges on this course and could see parts of Salado Creek as we went over. After crossing the third bridge, we then climbed up a fairly long hill, going underneath an overpass, then went up another incline, shorter than the previous one and got to the 5K turn-round.  The 10K participants, of course, passed this turn-round and kept going on their course; I don’t know how far out they went, but this trail does connect with South Side Lions Park; I don’t think they went quite that far out.   Of course,  as the 5K course was mostly down on the way out, after going back across Bridge 3 as we returned from the turn-round point on the way to the finish, we then had a long climb up on the way to the finish. We finally crested the last up part near a children’s playground at the park and then returned to the start/finish line in reverse of the way we’d come out. I did my usual 8-min-run/2-minute-walk-thing, taking photos during my walk breaks, and also did a couple of quick stops to get a photo here-and-there. For the last ½ mile I ended up running with friend Terry and then when I could see the finish line again I was like, ok, I’m ready to be done and took off for it, with Terry pretty close behind me. I ended up with a chip time of 40:14, averaging 12:57 per mile, and my last mile was a negative split too, of 12:46, which I was happy with, since I usually do 13 – 14 minute miles. This was good enough for being second out of 6 in my 70-99 males age group.  My running friend, James, was first, finishing 4 minutes ahead of me.

After My Finish: I got a photo of Terry coming into the finish – she was only 26 second behind me – and a few photos of others coming in. After that, I grabbed some water and went to sit with my friend Gilbert, one of the event vendors, who always has a post-race banana and chair waiting for me – and sat in his tent shade, cooling down a bit and enjoying chatting with him. After that, it was wandering time here-and-there, chatting with others and getting some post-race photos, and also getting my second-place age group award, a nice medallion.  

Epilogue:  This is a very well done event that has been going on for quite a few years. It was founded by brothers Matt and Miguel who started this event after having family members who suffered from Alzheimer’s. Started in 2017, there is a series of two races, with Matt hosting one and Miguel hosting the other; if I remember correctly, whomever raises the most funds at his event, then the other brother has to meet some kind of challenge from the winning brother. 100% of all proceeds go to the Alzheimer’s Association in the hope of helping to find a cure and help those with this disease. Matt and Miguel, whom I am proud to call friends, are two of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet and go all out with their challenge events, keeping a great sense of humor about it all. Their events have a very nice finisher medal; nice quality race shirt; post-race Kiolbassa sausages; various drinks, including water and beer; and several vendors with all kinds of good items.  These Alzheimer events twice a year are a keeper for me, I will continue to do them as long as I am able – especially as I’ve had family members affected by it, and I myself am also having some current testing done. Mucho thanks to all who made this one possible for we participants, e.g., all the many volunteers; the vendors and sponsors; park police officer there for our safety; or MC Anthony and our music guy, Paul, doing their usual great jobs- they do this for a lot of events over the year; the bike lead guys; the iaap crew for timing and results; e-Dragon Productions aka the Burciaga family, for course setup and other assistance; and anyone else involved I did not mention here. Thank you all so much! Hope to see you at an event sometime.  Now I need to get some rest, I have another 5K the day after this one. Yes, I am a crazy person….but aren’t all we runners and walkers a tad touched in the head, lol. Whatever your exercise passion is, may you always stay safe and healthy doing it.