Next week will have two celebrated events lined up. The one that has been receiving the most notifications is Father’s Day. Every store has been advertising specials for that special Dad. Dining out or grilling in the backyard for the day has been the topic for the last couple of weeks to make sure you plan ahead for this day. The other event is the Juneteenth Celebration that is getting more attention for communities.
Thinking of running events, the one thing that organizers of a race try to include is to have a race at the same time. Popular races here in San Marcos have held races on Fourth of July, Halloween, New Years, Valentines Day, Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day races have taken place. I don’t recall a Father’s Day or Mother’s Day race ever occurring. Maybe put on a race and let Dad or Mom enter at half price. Or if they bring a son or daughter to enter with them, they get free entrance. Race organizers looking for a special event to coincide with a race should consider these two time honored special days.
This year the Juneteenth 5K run is being scheduled again. In past years, it was a good race that ran the River Walk trail around the baseball fields and back to City Park. I still have several tee shirts from that race. The first tee shirt has a runner with a chain trailing behind on an ankle signifying the escape from slavery. The last one was a black tee shirt with three runners alongside of the river that represented San Marcos River Walk. Sponsors were more individuals than corporate companies. The San Marcos Chamber of Commerce, San Marcos Runners Club, Moe’s Better Half Marathon, Dr. Phalen’s Foot and Ankle Clinic, and Zookas Ultimate Burritos were listed on the back of the shirt. About the only sponsor left on that group is the Chamber of Commerce as far race sponsors go.
Harvey Miller was the main person organizing the race. We consulted, and I told him that we need about a minimum of ten or more volunteers to direct people. That morning, I showed up at City Park ready to put the volunteers in place. Harvey was there with a grandson and Chris Jones, if I remember right. That was the volunteers group. Most of the other possible volunteers were at the BBQ contest. The only good thing was that there was only a small number of runners and I went over the course with them. I put volunteers at the Cheatham Street crossing for traffic control and the other volunteers in that circular loop behind the baseball fields as there are left and right turns that needed a person in place. I put direction arrows out along the trail to help the runners stay on course at critical points. It wasn’t that bad as the trail does not have that many paths leading away from the main trail. Stay on the main trail, and you will be okay.
I remember starting the race and then heading off in my car to get to the ballfield part of the race to make sure the volunteers had the runners following the correct path. Then a quick return to the finish line to make sure the finishers were given the correct place. We had the card and bucket system back then, which was before big clocks and chip timing. The race turned out okay, and runners were satisfied with the run. But with the small turnout and the lack of support from volunteers, it was the last year the race was held. It is good to see that the race is going to be held again. The River Walk course is a very scenic route for runners and the trails are well maintained, so it is a unique race because of this. With more advanced advertising of the race and better support, it should be a good race this year. The organizers have a map of the course that runners can see before starting out that will help. It should be a good race to run.
