Space Ranger
GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY, GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2000
- Messages
- 273
Here is my San Antonio Race report. Please excuse my tardiness. Better late than never.
Let me start by saying this is my first race report so bear with me if I run (pardon the pun) on too long.
Friday November 14, 2008
Arrived in San Antonio on time and took a nice cab ride in rush hour traffic to the hotel. After checking in we took a stroll to meet Anne, Robert, Pat & Jim at their hotel.
Robert hailed a cab and we were off to the movies to see Spirit of the Marathon which in my humble opinion is an awesome movie to watch before a race. All though Karen & I have seen the movie twice it definitely pumps you up for doing the race.
It seems we happened upon a driver that had no idea where the theater was. Thanks to my trusty iPhone I was able to locate the theater and give our driver some directions. I think he should have split the tip with me
It was interesting watching the movie in this particular theater as it was a dine while you watch theater. It reminded me of a Medieval Times type environment without the smell of horse poo. Overall the food was not that bad.
After the movie it was back to the hotel (with a cabbie that knew where he was going). Thanks to Robert for having the driver drop Karen & I off at the hotel. I was thinking we had more walking coming to get back to the hotel.
Saturday November 15, 2008
Up and at it early. We wanted to get to the Expo for when it opened at 9:00. On the way we did a few geocaches (First ones in Texas).
Arrived at the Alamodome for the Expo right at opening. Picked up our packets and walked around for a few hours. With the exception of narrow aisles the setup was not that bad. While at the expo we signed up for two halfs for next year. We have added the Country Music Half in April and the Seattle Rock & Roll Half in June.
After the Expo we met Pat, Jim, Robert, & Anne for a tour of the Alamo followed by a Trolley Tour ride around San Antonio. Both were very interesting.
Later in the evening we met up with Carrie, Scott, Bill, Diane (Bills aunt), Rhonda and her family for a carb loading dinner. A good time was had by all.
Sunday November 16, 2008 RACE DAY
Woke up to a chilly morning and a long line for the shuttle bus. Definitely not a Disney event. After the ride to start line and checking our bag at the UPS truck we headed to the start line. On the way we ran into some of our fellow Wishers. First Scott & Carrie, then Richard, and finally Pat, Ann, Robert & Jim.
This was not the most organized start but not that bad. After an eleven minute delay the race started. The delay was due to the amount of traffic heading to the start. Forty five minutes later we crossed the start line and our race adventure started.
Overall it was a great course. We started the race by running for the first five minutes. After that we settled into a walk 3/run 2 tempo. A few miles into it we needed to hit the Johnny on the Spot (Yes Carrie I can call it Johnny on the spot
) unfortunately the lines were too long. As we hit the water spot at mile five I had to biofreeze my knees and legs so we also got into line for a bio-break as well. Nine minutes later we were back on the course. We maintained the same pace until about mile eleven and a half when my knees started to give up. Of course that slowed us down. We muddled on, Karen a little faster than me. I pretty much kept Karen in my sites and kept as close as possible. As I was closing the gap we hit the last HILL. At that point the knees said see ya at the finish line. Karen finished a little over a minute ahead (WTG on the PR).
Even with the knees acting up I finished 03:12:40. A new PR for me.
The day topped off with a delicious Tex-Mex dinner with our fellow Wishers.
Monday November 17, 2008
Karen & I had a well deserved sit-down breakfast at the hotel. Really good French toast. I found it ironic that we were in Texas and they did not use Texas bread for the French toast. After breakfast we checked our luggage with the bell hop and headed out for a few more geocaches and a boat tour on the San Antonio River.
The boat ride was interesting and very enjoyable. As the time got closer to head back to the airport we got a call from Carrie to see if we want to join her and Scott on a Segway tour. Unfortunately there was not enough time (Next time Carrie we definitely would love to).
We had a fun ride back to the airport with a gentleman that was a self-proclaimed illegal alien. What a character!
Later,
John
Let me start by saying this is my first race report so bear with me if I run (pardon the pun) on too long.
Friday November 14, 2008
Arrived in San Antonio on time and took a nice cab ride in rush hour traffic to the hotel. After checking in we took a stroll to meet Anne, Robert, Pat & Jim at their hotel.
Robert hailed a cab and we were off to the movies to see Spirit of the Marathon which in my humble opinion is an awesome movie to watch before a race. All though Karen & I have seen the movie twice it definitely pumps you up for doing the race.
It seems we happened upon a driver that had no idea where the theater was. Thanks to my trusty iPhone I was able to locate the theater and give our driver some directions. I think he should have split the tip with me
It was interesting watching the movie in this particular theater as it was a dine while you watch theater. It reminded me of a Medieval Times type environment without the smell of horse poo. Overall the food was not that bad.
After the movie it was back to the hotel (with a cabbie that knew where he was going). Thanks to Robert for having the driver drop Karen & I off at the hotel. I was thinking we had more walking coming to get back to the hotel.
Saturday November 15, 2008
Up and at it early. We wanted to get to the Expo for when it opened at 9:00. On the way we did a few geocaches (First ones in Texas).
Arrived at the Alamodome for the Expo right at opening. Picked up our packets and walked around for a few hours. With the exception of narrow aisles the setup was not that bad. While at the expo we signed up for two halfs for next year. We have added the Country Music Half in April and the Seattle Rock & Roll Half in June.
After the Expo we met Pat, Jim, Robert, & Anne for a tour of the Alamo followed by a Trolley Tour ride around San Antonio. Both were very interesting.
Later in the evening we met up with Carrie, Scott, Bill, Diane (Bills aunt), Rhonda and her family for a carb loading dinner. A good time was had by all.
Sunday November 16, 2008 RACE DAY
Woke up to a chilly morning and a long line for the shuttle bus. Definitely not a Disney event. After the ride to start line and checking our bag at the UPS truck we headed to the start line. On the way we ran into some of our fellow Wishers. First Scott & Carrie, then Richard, and finally Pat, Ann, Robert & Jim.
This was not the most organized start but not that bad. After an eleven minute delay the race started. The delay was due to the amount of traffic heading to the start. Forty five minutes later we crossed the start line and our race adventure started.
Overall it was a great course. We started the race by running for the first five minutes. After that we settled into a walk 3/run 2 tempo. A few miles into it we needed to hit the Johnny on the Spot (Yes Carrie I can call it Johnny on the spot
) unfortunately the lines were too long. As we hit the water spot at mile five I had to biofreeze my knees and legs so we also got into line for a bio-break as well. Nine minutes later we were back on the course. We maintained the same pace until about mile eleven and a half when my knees started to give up. Of course that slowed us down. We muddled on, Karen a little faster than me. I pretty much kept Karen in my sites and kept as close as possible. As I was closing the gap we hit the last HILL. At that point the knees said see ya at the finish line. Karen finished a little over a minute ahead (WTG on the PR).Even with the knees acting up I finished 03:12:40. A new PR for me.
The day topped off with a delicious Tex-Mex dinner with our fellow Wishers.
Monday November 17, 2008
Karen & I had a well deserved sit-down breakfast at the hotel. Really good French toast. I found it ironic that we were in Texas and they did not use Texas bread for the French toast. After breakfast we checked our luggage with the bell hop and headed out for a few more geocaches and a boat tour on the San Antonio River.
The boat ride was interesting and very enjoyable. As the time got closer to head back to the airport we got a call from Carrie to see if we want to join her and Scott on a Segway tour. Unfortunately there was not enough time (Next time Carrie we definitely would love to).
We had a fun ride back to the airport with a gentleman that was a self-proclaimed illegal alien. What a character!
Later,
John
It was great, though. So different fom being on a course that's been triple-check for everything. Plus, we saw a lot that we might not cover. We went through a lot of the race course too adn even saw teh port-o-pot house. 
Coolest thing? Near teh end we got to use teh yellow key to go from Hemisfair park to the Alamo! 
Would have had a lot more fun if you guys could have joined us, though. Next time we do a destination race like that, I think I'll look into group tours before hand. Scott and I both thought that would have been a blast.
