Scottydog Reports

Photos are here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/cNL3pZZYjfn1Eok7A

BEFORE MY START:  My 1^st race of 2020 was the La Cruda 5K, held on Jan 1^st at Helotes Creek Winery in Old Town Helotes, a small city on one of the San Antonio city limits border.  Race time of 10 a.m. This is a very popular event and always has a nice turn-out.  This is the 3^rd year for this race – I’ve done all 3 so far – and this year was the best weather we’ve had so far for the event.  First year was 19 degrees, with a wind and some sleeting going on – BRRR!  Second year we had sunshine and blue skies but chilly at 37 – 39 degrees. This year a temp ranging between 49-52, with gray overcast skies, but at least no wind, and no precipitation.   I arrived with about an hour to go before start time to get a few pre-start photos.

ON THE COURSE:  The first part of the course is fairly flat, with us going out around a small traffic circle, then on a flat road to a turn-round point.  The roads were open to traffic, so we had to watch out, but the drivers I saw on the course were pretty patient about it all.  After the turn-round point we went back to the traffic circle, then past the start/finish line area, and here is where the inclines and hills started.  Not steep though, just mainly long. After getting to another turn-round point, we went back the way we had come and then turned in to the driveway that took us to the finish line.  I had a “Senior Moment” before the event, lol, and forgot to get my timing chip, so no official time for me – not like I was going to win anything anyway, lol – but per my Garmin, I finished in 38:21, averaging 12:06 per mile.  I went out a bit too fast – 11: 53  – and paid for that by ending up with positive splits.  Even so, felt pretty good but, after not running regularly like I usually do, after having to reduce my weekly mileage way down for a few weeks as my sore foot healed, I certainly felt this one.  Still, just happy to be running again and am slowly working on building my stamina back up to where it used to be.  All in all, pretty nice course and, with two sections of out-and-back, lots of friends to see and cheer on as we passed by each other.

After My Finish:  Where’s the beer?  Wait…first hydrate a bit, and get a banana in me and cool-down walk.  Then some photos and my post-race one beer and sausage-on-a-stick and wandering around getting some post-race photos.

EPILOGUE:   One of my favorite races of the year and a good way to start the running year.  Finisher medal to all, nice quality race tee, lots of post-race goodies that included Alamo Beer (my personal favorite) and some ‘harder’ choices of drinks, including bloody mary and tequila, sausage-on-a-stick, various fruits, etc, and apparently a “New Year’s tradition around here of menudo, a spicy soup.  There also was a raffle for some Brooks running shoes and I think there was some kind of hotel stay give-away prize too.  Really nice event, one which I will continue to do as long as I am able, and I certainly would recommend this to others.  MUCHO THANKS to all the people who made this one happen for us, including Race Director Tony Garcia, our MC Anthony Zamora, our ‘bike’ guy  George, all the many volunteers and sponsors, Scallywompus running organization and anyone else I may not have mentioned here.

Photos are at this link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EEJaBWnrqd1nFdQ47 

Detailed Report:

BEFORE MY START:   My 67^th 5K was the Frosty Five 5-miler/5K Costume Run held on Dec 24 at Pearsall Park in San Antonio.  I did the 5K.   Organized by local fitness company Alamo 180, this free fun-run event supports Street2Feet, a 5K training program designed to promote strength and success among individuals experiencing homelessness.  Pearsall Park, previously a landfill site, is now a developed park that is part of San Antonio’s greenway system of off-road trails.   Start time of 9 a.m.    My wife, Gail, and I arrived about 7:30 to get some good parking – parking gets crowded pretty quick at this park – and then just relaxed until everyone started arriving.  With about an hour to go before the start I wandered around getting some photos.   Several people were in various costumes.  The weather was a bit chilly, starting in the 40s, but quite sunny, with blue skies.   This park is also quite hilly in places.

ON THE COURSE:   By 9 a.m. start time, the temp had already climbed into the low 50s, and no wind at all, so I shed some of my layers and lined up.  We began on a non-paved trail, working our way down a fair-sized hill, and then proceeded on paved trails to a turn-round point.  Back the way we came and then, of course, had to climb up the hill to get back to the finish.  I did not want to push my healing foot on the hill, so walked the majority of it.   I ended up finishing in 40 minutes even, averaging about  a 12:40 per mile pace.  My speediest mile was from 1 – 2, done in 11:53.  My slowest mile was 2 – 3, with that hill at the finish, done in 14:07.   Gail walked the course.

After My Finish:  Did a bit of a cool-down, and then enjoyed post-run chatting with friends, and getting a few after-photos.

EPILOGUE:    I believe this is the 5^th year this event has been done. Previously done in a local San Antonio neighborhood, this is the first time the event was held at this park.  I think it went pretty well.  People seemed to enjoy themselves; no worries about traffic or road closures since we were in a park on the park trails; and pretty nice weather this year for the event.  This one will probably continue to be held here in the future, which is all well-and-good. This is a fun no-frills event, well organized with a good course, even with the challenging hill. I definitely will continue to do this one in the future and would recommend it to others.  Many thanks to all the people who made this one happen for we participants, especially Alamo 180 for hosting,  and Dragon’s Den local race and t-shirt company whose folks set up the start/finish line and timing equipment.  And, of course, a big thanks to the Street2Feet people who were out there, some participating in the race, some volunteering on the course, and some helping provide some prerace and post-race goodies, such as coffee, etc.  Apologies to anyone I may not have mentioned here.

Photos at this link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ub5ttphp2J1664hJ7

 BEFORE MY START:  My 66^th race of 2019 was the Morgan’s Wonderland Snowball 5K held on Dec 21. Morgan’s Wonderland is an ‘inclusion for all” amusement park designed in mind for those with specific needs. The park has become world famous has even been copied by other countries to create similar parks in their home environments.  This is a popular event that includes a 1K as well as the 5K.    5K start time of 9:35, so I got to sleep in a bit, as I live quite nearby the park.  Arrived with about an hour to go and got a few before photos.  As you can see, it was quite sunny, but also a bit chilly for we South Texans, in the 40s, so several people were wrapped up.  I know you ‘real winter’ folks would laugh out-loud at that, but Texas weather is kind of crazy in our winter months, with it being in the 70s one day and the next day we could be in the 30s, or 40s.  These back-and-forth 30-40 degree drops and then rises back up again in temps every few days really throws our systems off, lol.

ON THE COURSE:   Started in the park, made an exit through one of the gates, and then did sort of loop-out ‘n-back course on the streets around the park, that included going up a hill.  Not a steep hill, but was a pretty long incline.  Also took in a view of local Hereos Stadium, an event venue of one of our local school districts . We ended up b going back into the park, doing a lap around the man-made lake there and then on to the finish line.   My sore foot is not quite completely healed yet, but a heck of a lot better than it was.  I managed to do negative splits for this one and my last mile was 10:21, which I have not done in quite a while.  Finish time of 35:37, 4^th in my 60 – 69 age group.

After My Finish –  Found my friend Woody and we enjoyed some Whataburger breakfast tacos and post-race hydration. And, of course, also spent time flitting from place-to-place taking some after photos, including a few finish photos of some of the folks I had been around and interacted with on the course.

EPILOGUE:   This is quite a fun event and they even have some frozen snowballs in a cooler post-race to toss, which the kids loved. Super heroes on-sight, several people in various costumes, well-thought out and nicely laid out course, and some nice post-race goodies, including a variety of breakfast tacos from Whataburger, a very popular native Texan ‘fast-food’ eatery – probably THE most popular in Texas. Whataburger is also very community oriented and supports a whole lot of causes.  Really nice race venue with indoor restrooms, lots of ‘scenery’, what with the lake, the park rides, the pirate ship in the park, etc.   And, of course, great cause. Very nice building with indoor restrooms – always a plus- and a nice sitting areas just about everywhere in the park to  sit an relax for a bit before and after the start.  Also, everywhere you go in the park there is always something to see to  inspire you – statues, sculptures, signs, even the rides; inclusion is what it is all about here and the park gets its message across very well.  I have done this event several times in the past and will continue to do it in the future.  Many thanks to all the people who made this one happen for we participants, including all the sponsors, vendors, volunteers, police officers, etc., out there for us and, of course, Morgan’s Wonderland for the use of its grounds and facilities.  Apologies and thanks to anyone I may not have mentioned here that was also involved.

Photos here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/owcXvvxg88fpHTko6

BEFORE MY START:   My 65^th race of 2019 was the Elf 5K held on Dec 15 at Teleton USA in San Antonio.  This event supports Teleton efforts in providing services for its Children Rehabilitation Centers.  Children’s Rehabilitation Institute TeletonUSA (CRIT) is the largest private pediatric rehabilitation system in the world with more than 110,000 patients treated to date in the United States and Mexico.  I have a personal interest in this cause, as I was a March of Dimes baby, born with a birth defect.  Events included a kids run, a walk, and the main event at 9 a.m.  As I only live a very few miles from this  location, I was able to sleep in a bit, arriving at race location with about an hour to go.  Got my race packet and then got a few pre-start photos.

ON THE COURSE:   Still nursing a sore left foot but is a lot better than it was.  I planned to just take it slow, like I did for my 5K the week before, thinking I’d finish in about 41 – 43 minutes like my previous 5K.  The course of this one is very flat, starting in front f San Antonio’s Teleton building, then doing a loop around the man-made lake on the grounds of Morgan’s Wonderland – an amusement park designed specifically for those with special needs; even people with wheelchairs can enjoy some rides – and then an out-and-back past local Heroes Stadium, and then back around the lake, exit the park again, and then down to the finish line.  I was feeling pretty good and my foot behaved.  I did my 1^st mile in 11:20, which I knew I’d pay for, as I have not been running very consistently since I hurt my foot; and I did; my last 2 miles were in the 12 minutes-plus range. I ended up with a chip time of 37:15, averaging 11:59 per mile.  There were 5 people in my age group and I was number 5, lol.  The top 3 guys all finished in the 20s.  I was happy with this race though; slowly making progress in getting back to my normal running.

After My Finish:  Walked around a bit, did a cool-down, then sat and drank some water and just relaxed a bit.  Then wandered around getting some after photos.

EPILOGUE:  This is quite a fun event with usually a pretty nice turnout but for some reason, this one seemed a bit smaller, entry-wise, than in the previous years I’ve done it. Locally, Saturday, the day before this race,  was quite a busy racing day – I think there were 6 local day races and then there was a race in the evening too – so I know several people went out and did those, with some doing both the day and the night races, so maybe lots of folks were just resting up on Sunday after that.  Anyway, this is a fun event, with lots of people dressing up in Elf and other holiday costumes, and Santa Claus onsite, and it’s also dog-friendly if you want to run or walk with your 4-legged friend.  Pretty nice medals for the age group placers and a nice quality race tee.   Very nicely though out course this year; I like this course the best, out of the courses used in the past.  Hope they keep this one.  I’ve done this one in the past, will continue to do it in the future, and would recommend it to others.

Many thanks to all the people who made this one happen for we participants, including all the sponsors, vendors, volunteers, police officers and EMTs out there for us and, of course, Teleton for the use of its grounds and facilities.  Very nice building with indoor restrooms and water fountains – always a plus- and a nice sitting area to just relax in before and after the start.  Apologies and thanks to anyone I may not have mentioned here that was also involved.

Photo Slideshow Only

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2019%2520Race%2520Number%252064%2520San%2520Antonio%2520Rock%2520n%2520Roll%25205K?sort=2

Photos are also here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1N3jMhKDAe5XXhgq7

Detailed Report:

BEFORE MY START

My 64^th race of 2019 was the Humana San Antonio Rock n Roll 5K on Saturday, Dec 7^th.  There was also a 10K.  These were  prelude races to the main events being held on Sunday, the Marathon, Half Marathon and Half Marathon Relay. This is quite a popular event and was very crowded.   Since there were so many participants, everyone was assigned starting corrals based on their predicted finish times on the entry form.  I was in Corral 4, based on my predicted 35-minute finish time, but that was pre-pacemaker and pre-hurt foot, so I expected today to do way longer than 35 minutes.  My wife, Gail, was in Corral 5.  She is a strong walker and walks about a 14 to 15 minute mile.

ON THE COURSE

Still nursing a sore left foot,  but at the Expo the day before I had chatted with a gentleman from Fleet Feet and he fitted me out with a nice pair of top-of-the line compression sleeves, which were not too expensive at all with the Expo discount and my military discount.  I figured I would give them a try and if they did not work for me, then I’d just walk the whole event.  Starters released each Corral, then held the next corral back for about 3 minutes or so, released them, and so forth.  My Corral finally got released about 10 minutes after Corral 1 started.  So..I just started an easy jog and was really pleasantly surprised. The sleeves fit well over my normal running socks and my feet did not feel ‘tight’ at all in my shoes.  After I started jogging, wow, I felt very comfortable and had no foot pain or discomfort.   I did my usual 8 minute run/2 minute walk thing, but also did not want to push it, so made a lot of photo stops and just pretty much ran/walked easier than I usually do. Felt pretty good the whole way and finished in 41:27, averaging about 12:57 miles. I was okay with that, just happy I was running again, felt good!  Helped that the course was flat too, at least the 5K was – point to point, with us finishing at Travis Park in downtown San Antonio for a really nice after-party.

After My Finish

Stood a bit back from the finish line and got a few photos of some others coming in, including a few of the people I had run with a times on the course – and some of the speedier 10K folks were also finishing up.  Saw my wife coming in and got a close-up of her smiling face.  Then we wandered around for a bit, enjoying some of the after-race goodies, including a beer for me.  Gail headed on back since she wanted to go to the Expo again, and I hung around for a bit more chatting with friends and new friends and getting some after photos.

EPILOGUE

I don’t know how the 10K went, but the 5K is a nicely done event on a really good route, crossing over some road bridges that provide a nice view of the San Antonio Riverwalk below.  Everyone got a finisher medal and the race shirt is pretty nice quality.  I probably would do the 5K again in the future sometime – since it’s the only one of  RnR races I can do, lol, since I can’t run distance anymore;  the 5K was an enjoyable experience and all the volunteers on the course and in the finish area after were great..  There was also a nice post-race area for kids, where they played games, could get photos with a Taco costumed person, and so forth. Nice touch.

Many thanks to all the people who made this one happen for we participants, including all the sponsors, vendors, volunteers, police officers and EMTs out there for us, the Rock n Roll and Humana folks at the expo for packet pickup, all of them were great and packet pickup this year was quite efficient and well done. I think San Antonio Sports was involved with this one too, so thanks to them also. Apologies and thanks to anyone I may not have mentioned here that was also involved.

This is the original Santa 5K of San Antonio, started way back when.  I did not run it this year, as I am still nursing a sore foot. Instead I went down to give support to my other running friends and also acted as an ‘unofficial’ photographer for the organizers, with their permission, taking some before, on-the-course, and after photos.  This is always a well done event, lots of fun, nice post-race party, and the registration includes a full Santa suit for all participants.  Start and finish at Sunset Station in San Antonio, Texas, near The Alamodome and downtown San Antonio.

Slideshow of photos here:

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Santa%2520Antonio%25205K?sort=2

Detailed report with photos:

https://www.runningahead.com/groups/BF_and_Beyond/forum/Post/3e23acade4fc4efdb4f8f973d869cbf9#focus

Photos Only Slideshow:

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2019%2520Race%2520Number%252063%2520Leftover%25205K%25208M?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 63^rd event of 2019 was the inaugural Leftover 5K, held on Nov 30.  There was also an 8-miler.  This is a fun-run put on to help raise funds for Parents Academy, an organization that empowers parents with positive parenting skills to help reduce family stress and build family successes.  Location was at a recently completed San Antonio Greenway trail near The Olive Garden restaurant near the intersection of highways 1604 and IH-10.  Start time of 8 a.m.  I arrived with about 40 minutes to start time and got a few photos.  For an inaugural event, this one had a pretty nice turn-out.  Weather folks had called for rain, but it did not rain on us. However, it was near 70 degrees at star time, with near 100% humidity.  And by tomorrow (Dec 1) San Antonio temps will be down in the 40s again.  Crazy South Texas weather!

ON THE COURSE

Still nursing a sore left foot, so I decided to just let everyone go ahead of me – 8 milers and 5K folks all started together – and then just walk slowly on my own for maybe a mile or so and then just come back.  As it turned out, once I started, my foot ‘twinged’ a bit, but I was fairly comfortable, so I ended up walking the whole darn 5K, averaging a blazing speed of about 24 minutes per mile, lol.  I actually ended up with negative splits, first mile in 26-something, 2^nd mile in 24-something, and 3^rd 1.1 mile in 22-something, finishing in 1:16:08, with my only goal just TO finish.    I was pretty much dead last for the whole course – the turn-round volunteers were happy to see me, lol, since they could pack up – but that was okay, it was a nice walk and I enjoyed myself.   This was also a nice mental confidence booster that my foot is healing; slowly healing, but it is healing.  I got lots of on-course photos, especially as I was going toward the turn-round point and all the other participants were coming back toward me.

After My Finish

Since this was a fun run – no awards, but finisher medals to all finishers – a lot of folks had already taken off, but there was still a nice little crowd of finishers, and some 8-mile folks still on the course and also coming into the finish. After relaxing a bit and getting some water in me, I wandered around taking a few photos of some of the participants and supporters still there.

EPILOGUE

Really nicely done inaugural event on a recently opened greenway trail that is very nicely done, going over bridges, under bridges, near some nice “woodsy’ scenery, and so forth  Very wide trail, so nicely accommodating for other runners, cyclists and walkers not doing the event, with enough room for them to get  around the racing folks.  Will definitely be doing some future training runs on this trail, especially as it is only about a 5 minute or so drive from where I work at UTSA.  After-event goodies included a choice of bean-and-cheese or potato-and-egg breakfast tacos.  Nicely designed cotton tee quality race shirt and a unique finisher medal to all finishers.   I would recommend this to others and would do this one again.  Well done, organizers, well done.

Many thanks to all the people who made this one happen for we participants, including all the sponsors, vendors, volunteers, police officers out there for us – I saw a couple of bike police when I was doing my ‘lonely walk’ on the way back –  Athlete Guild race management company for timing, results, helping with course setup, etc.; restaurants Olive Garden and Lone Star Steak House for the temporary use of their parking lots; and anyone else I may not have mentioned here

Photos Only Slideshow:

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2019%2520Race%2520Number%252062%2520Boerne%2520YMCA%2520Turkey%2520Trot%25205K%252010K?sort=2

BEFORE MY START

My 62^nd race of 2019, held on Nov 23, was The Boerne YMCA Family Turkey Trot 5K.  There was also a 10K, a 1-Mile walk, and a Kids Run.  Event was held at the Town Square in Boerne, Texas, about a 30-minute drive from where I live in San Antonio.  Weather was pretty cooperative, although a bit chilly before the start, at 43 degrees or so.  Warmed up quite nicely to around 47 after the sunrise.  Nice sunshine and blue skies for us.  I arrived with about an hour to go to the 8:05 a.m 5K start – the 10K started 5 minutes before the 5K- and got a few pre-start photos.

ON THE COURSE

We started on one side of the Town Square, went about halfway around it, then through a parking lot to some adjacent streets.  From here we were on paved streets taking us through some pretty nice neighborhoods.  I soon realized we were pretty much doing the same course as last year, except this year the course was done in reverse.  That was nice because it gave us only 1 uphill on the way to the finish line, and the ‘bigger’ hill – an uphill on the way out on last year’s course – was downhill now.  Pretty flat to the finish, with one incline to go up right before we finished.  I did okay, 5^th in my age group (60 – 69), 34:52 time, and my mile 2 to mile 3 was 10:11.  I had negative splits for this course, but my left foot “popped” right before the finish line – ouch!  I thought maybe I had a stress fracture, but was able to walk around a bit post-race and, while my foot still hurt, it felt better as I moved around; can walk okay, but definitely can’t run on it; so I think maybe I have a bit of tendonitis in there – bottom of the left foot, right underneath the middle outer edge of my foot – and might have to take some time off for a bit; so much for my planned races for Thanksgiving week.

After My Finish

I think this event is one of the best-kept secrets in the San Antonio area running community. It has grown – there were around 800 participants this year – but still not as well-known as some of the more popular events for this weekend in New Braunfels, San Antonio, etc.  People see YMCA in the race title and probably think low-key laid-back race with not a lot to offer.  So wrong.  The first time I did this race…just wow….and this has become one of my favorites to do every year. Post-race there was a Cowboy Breakfast served up for all who wanted it; massage tables; Arrosti onsite for those who needed injury advice, massage, etc; two different local beer brewery vendors; brisket taco wraps; one of these self-photo booth cameras; all kinds of fruits, other drinks, freebies from sponsors, and vendors;  a “Turkey” going around  start/finish area you could get a photo with;  and more; so many booths I can’t remember them all.  I went around happily munching and having my one beer, and taking photos of people I encountered, chatted with, etc.

EPILOGUE

As noted, really nice event, one I will continue to do.  If I can’t run it, I will walk it. Very nice goodie bag too, chock full of stuff, and the race shirt is a very nice quality long-sleeved tech tee.  Color for participants was green and the volunteers had a pink shirt.  I wanted to buy one of those pink long-sleeved shirts for whenever I did a Breast Cancer event – very nice shirt and very colorful, one of the best pink tech tee shirts I’ve ever seen – but unfortunately after they were distributed to all the volunteers, none were left. Oh well.  I really enjoy this event and will continue to do it in the future.  Most assuredly, would recommend it.  And for those who want to ‘sleep in’ a bit and make a weekend of it, there is a really nice hotel right beside the starting area/town square. Boerne has some nice shoppes and its own Riverwalk – smaller than San Antono’s but still quite nice – you can walk or run along – so well worth a visit to Borne if you’ve never come.

Many thanks to all the people who made this one happen for we participants, including all the sponsors, vendors, volunteers, EMTs and police officers out there for us; all the drivers along the course for their great patience as they waited for us to pass; Redemption for doing the course set-up, timing, and results; and any others I may not have mentioned here.  Thanks so much for what you do so we participants can have this race.

My 61^st race of 2019 was the Scallywompus Battle of Leon Creek 5K on Nov 16, starting and finishing at an apartment complex near the University of Texas at San Antonio.  This was the last race in the Alamo Beer Series, a series of 4 races that gradually built up distances in preparation for the upcoming San Antonio Rock n Roll Marathon/Half Marathon the first weekend of December.  The main event was a 20-miler and there was also a 10-miler.

Detailed commentary report w/photos:

https://www.runningahead.com/groups/BF_and_Beyond/forum/Post/c9ba5d2792274c2ab94780d1a453b041#focus

Photos Only:

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2019%2520Race%2520Number%252061%2520Scallywompus%2520Leon%2520Creek%25205K?sort=2

My 60^th race of 2019 was the District 3 5K held on Nov 9, 2019.  The was a free event sponsored by San Antonio District 3 Councilwoman Viagran. The event is part of the Fit Family Challenge 5K in which various District Council members put on an event over the year to encourage San Antonio citizens/families to get out and be fit and lead healthier lives.  Race location at new trails across recently opened across from local small aircraft airport Stinson Field in San Antonio.  These trails are part of San Antonio’s greenway trails system.

Detailed commentary/photos report:

https://www.runningahead.com/groups/BF_and_Beyond/forum/Post/273f6a1cd2b646a8a85c20cab14be8c3#focus

Photos Slideshow:

https://s166.photobucket.com/user/scottydog69/slideshow/2019%2520Race%2520Reports/2019%2520Race%2520Number%252060%2520District%25203%25205K?sort=2