Photos are here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/s7XvN6JNqWA15b2X6

Before The Start:  My 52^nd  race of 2025 was The Activate 5K held on Sunday, September 20^th at North Star Mall in  San Antonio, Texas.  Since the course was going to be in the Mall area, pre-race instructions recommended that participants should be at the mall area not later than 6 a.m., as some entrances to the mall would be blocked off before the start, as a safety measure for when the event started at 7 a.m.

I arrived at the Mall around 5:45 and two traffic-control volunteers directed me to some pretty good parking that was just a short walk to the start/finish area. I had already picked up my race packet prior to race day so after getting to the finish area, I enjoyed chatting with other participants, supporters, friends I saw there, and getting a few pre-start phtos. The crowd near the start/finish and sponsors vendor area was quite large, consisting of race sponsors, vendors, personal friends and supporters of participants; medical people on site, and lots more. Someone told me there were probably around 5,000 total people there between participants, vendors, law enforcement folks, medical folks, and lots more. I don’t know if that total is accurate, but it surely was a nice turn-out for this event.

 On The Course:   We started right on time. Sunrise is beginning to get a little later in our neck of the woods, so when we started at 7 a.m., it was just beginning to get lighter as we all started.  Since I am not allowed to run yet, after having a recent surgery, I walked the course, making sure to line up pretty far back so as not to impede any runners. The race route was 2 looops around the mall grounds, with the largest part being on a huge parking lot.  My first thought, on hearing this was a 2-loop course was that, ummm, the faster runners may catch up to the “back of the pack” slower people – like me, lol, when I walk; I am one very slow walker –  when they start their 2^nd loop.  As a matter of fact, when I was on my first loop, some of my speedy friends already on their 2^nd loop did come whooshing right by me, lol. I just got out of their way and cheered them on, and then kept on plugging away.  Per my recorded finish time, I finished in 1 hour, 14 minutes and 11 seconds chip time, averaging 23:53 per mile. Per my garmin, my splits:  Mile 1: 24:54;  Mile 2: 22:43; and Mile 3: 23:07. I did stop along the way several times to get some on-course photos. I was just happy I made my primary goals, lol: finish standing up and no ambulance waiting specifically for me at the finish line. Overall, with what the organizers had to work with, it was a a very well done event and where I was at any given time, I never did see anyone impeded; of course, I was way at the back, lol, so don’t know what happened with the speedy runners on their second loop as they got closer to the back-of-the-pack people.  Even so, it was a thoughful course laid out nicely by the organizers and race management company iaap.  

After My Finish:   I got some water and some post-race goodies, that included some bananas, water, and other things; I think there were some vendors there that also offered some post-race goodies.  I am not sure if the overall placers got awards.

Epilogue:  This was a very nicely done event with a well-thought out route by iaap and the orgainziers, providing enough room for all to maneuver – at least from what I saw where I was on the course at any given moments.  The parking situation, with alerts to be there early, was also well done; I actually got parked pretty darn quickly.  All the volunteers out there for us were great, and there was a water station on the course also, with very efficient volunteers.  There was no race shirt, as far as I could tell; but I get that, it’s a free race, so the cost goes to keeping it a free race, which makes sense, what with road closures, hiring the timing people; providing all those port-a-potties, and other expenses.  All-in-all, my first Active 5K was a pretty nice experience.  I would probably do another one again and would recommend it to others.

Mucho thanks to all who made this one happen for we participant: the many sponsors for this one, with Ancira Auto Group being the primary sponsor; and other sponsors included Academy Sports + Outdoors; Biobridge Global; Frost Bank; Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages; The Capital Group; and TSAOG Orthapaedics.

Whatever your passion is, may you always enjoy it and may you have much success at it and always stay safe doing it!    If you are a fellow race participant and see me at an event, give me a shout-out. I’d be happy to get a photo with you.  Next up for me: Veronica’s Journey 5K on Septemember 27^th.  I did also  sign up for the SNIPSA 5K in Alamo Heights on September 26, but I donated that registration since that course is very hilly, and my doc does not want me to push myself like that just yet, as I may soon be starting my skin cancer treatments; it’s all good; I hate to see a paid registration go to waste so I asked the organizers to donate my entry to a fellow veteran or to a fellow cancer survivor – maybe a veteran who also is a fellow survivor;  but I left it up to the Race Director.  Meanwhile, pushing on as best I can and looking forward to running again as soon as my cancer doc clears me for that.