It was 35 degrees outside on a Sunday Morning, December 7th, but ten ham operators got up before the sun did, and drove over to the SE side of San Antonio for the annual San Antonio Road Runners 10 Miler Mission Run. The event started and ended at the Mission County Park #2 on Padre Drive, near VFW Blvd. The course ran down Mission Parkway, south of Military Drive, and then continued south of Loop 410 for a total of 5 miles, then returned.
The event had about 270 registrants this year, but 20 “no-shows” brought the number of runners down to about 250. There were a dozen or so “relay runners” who were supposed to run out to the 2.5 mile park and return, then let their partner run the same 2.5 out and back to finish.
But one runner, #404, got confused because it was her first relay run, and she kept on going, just like the Energizer Bunny, until she reached Water Stop #4 at the final turn-around, and realized what she had done.
So she asked the ham at WS#4 to call net control (she didn’t actually use those exact terms) and ask net control to find Evelyn #404 so she could begin her 2nd relay without waiting for the first #404 to get back from the 5 mile mark. We found #404, gave her the news, and she took off like greased lightening up the track and later was reunited at the finish line with the first #404 who had been given a ride back by some volunteers.
We met two of the runners (photo to the right) who were going to be reporting for training to become Navy Seals next month. They wanted to run in this event to build up their endurance in preparation for the grueling training they anticipated getting from the Navy starting in January 2009. We thanked them for serving and wished them the best of luck.
The organizers gave us hams free long sleeved t-shirts, some free food and cold drinks, and then held drawings for the runners to win door prizes, etc.
REACT coordinated the event this year, but we had hams from other clubs help out as well, in the usual spirit of cooperation we have all grown to love and enjoy. Here is a list of hams and their assignments. We couldn’t have done it without you!
- Lee Besing N5NTG – Net Control
- Pat Knight AD5BR – Start Line
- Dale Robinson KB5YSJ – WS #1
- Linda Robinson KC5QPQ – WS #1
- Barry Hiddema W5BLH – WS #2
- Gary Tangrady K5GST – WS #2
- Charlie Manley W5BRC – WS #3
- Barbara Manley KA5RLF – WS #3
- Charles Manley KD5ESX – WS #3
- Dave Espinoza W5QS – WS #4
We’ve completed the 2008 SARR 10 Mile Mission Run. Nobody got left behind, although every participant had to “walk home”.
Dave W5QS was at Water Stop #4 (end of 5 mile point where the runners turned around to return). When the last runner (aka the power walker) made his turn around point, Dave loaded up the water stop table, coolers, etc. into his truck and then acted as “turtle” to follow #86 all the way home to the Mission County Park #2.
The Manley Trio worked Water Stop #3 (Charlie W5BRC, Barbara KA5RLF, Charles KD5EXS). They arranged for another volunteer at that WS to bring back the supplies in their truck since the Manleys needed to leave after the event to attend another event elsewhere.
Water Stop #2 was staffed by Gary K5GST and Barry W5BLH. Gary loaded up the water stop supplies in his truck and brought them in to the finish line after he spent a few extra minutes “play tourist” by taking the long way back.
Water Stop #1 was staffed by Dale KB5YSJ and Linda KC5QPQ. Dave W5QS picked up the supplies from Water Stop #1 as well, with the leftovers being loaded into Dale & Linda’s SUV for return to the finish line.
The organizers (San Antonio Road Runners) then didn’t have to chase after the supply items at the end of the race like normal, other than to retrieve the porta-potty they took out to Water Stop #2. Gary & Barry declined to pick it up and bring it back in their vehicles for some reason.
We got high marks from Joan, Jan and Sally for the extra effort on our part, above and beyond what they had expected. We also received a request that we consider helping them on January 24th in Bulverde for a 25k run, and possibly on April 18th for a 10k Run (same course as today’s event). But I will point out that some of us will be doing the Houston – Austin MS150 that weekend of April, so we’d need to find folks staying in town to handle that one.
