Saturday, November 19, 2011

Davis Turkey Trot Baby stroller Race - Robin

Date/Location:
November 19, 2011 – Davis, CA
Distances:
5K
Time:
20:12
Place:
1st
Teammates:
Dave Campbell, Leonie Wynhoven
2011-11-27 001 2011-11-19 003Could this be the last year Ariel will tolerate being in the stroller?  Will Dave Campbell and granddaughter Rachel get us this year?  Can Ariel and I set a record on the new course (old record 20:23)?  We'll have to see!  It's going to be exciting!
Troy, Anna, Ariel and I pray for the race.  Whatever happens is in His hands and we know that is most important.  I toe the line with Dave & Rachel, college-roomie, Leonie Alesci, and son, Reid, and former Davis High athlete, that I coached, Justin Morejohn, and son, Jeshua.  The new course looks to be better scenery and longer stretches which is good when pushing a stroller.
Ready, set, go!  It's on!  Justin takes off with the leader and Dave and I stick together.  Within the first 1/4 mile, I notice that my watch is going nuts and saying I'm running 13 minute pace...yeah right!  Well, I'm just going to have to go by feel and hang close to Dave.  Dave asks me what pace we are doing and I tell him I'm not sure because of my crazy watch.  I hope I'll have some information by the first mile.   
Ariel is doing great and is content all bundled up in her snow gear.  I hope this doesn't change.  Dave's son-in-law, Josh, is also racing but his little Isabella is crying.  Her dad has to slow down to figure out the problem.
Mile 1: 6:30.  Dave gives me our split.  Good start!  It looks like my watch is working 111118_davisturkey_stroller_robinarielgood after that first split.  I'm feeling good so I make a move and go past Dave.  I'm moving at sub-6:30 pace and I don't know if I can keep it up.  I ran sub-6:30 pace alone a few weeks ago but pushing 50lbs of extra weight (with stroller) is a whole other animal!  Dave catches up, passes us and takes off.  I can't go with him...my legs are starting to loose power!  Ariel is doing great and I try to encourage her with the little breath I have.
111118_davisturkey_stroller_robinariel2Mile 2 is 6:27.  That's great but now the wheels are slowly starting to come off!  Lord, please help me hang in there.  I trust Your plan and I'm going to continue giving what I have.  Dave and Rachel have a good lead on us and don't seem to be getting tired.  I just gotta hang in there.  I find that it's hard to catch my breath and I start gulping in as much air as I can.111118_davisturkey_stroller_robinariel_finish
I can see the finish now!  I cannot go any faster and I'm just trying to survive.  As I get closer, I see that I can still make it under 20:23!  I dig down!  Mile 3 is 6:41!  Ugh!!  I cross the line at 20:12.  Yeah!  THANK YOU, JESUS!! 
I can hardly breathe and sit down to catch my breath.  I congratulate Dave on his 1st place finish in his age group and 5th overall.  I see Justin too and congratulate him on his 1st place in his age group and 2nd overall.  Leonie soon comes and her and Reid have a great finish...2nd Mommy overall!!  Yeah!  What a great day!  Now time to watch Troy, the girls and Reid race!
Go Dave and Leonie!
111118_davisturkey_stroller_daverachel111118_davisturkey_stroller_leoniereid

Darn Dave!  He, he!
2011-11-27 001 2011-11-19 012
Name Age Group Place Time
Dave Campbell M50-59 1 19:56
Robin W30-39 1 20:12
Leonie Wynhoven W30-39 2 24:01

Davis Turkey Trot 10k (Troy)

Date/Location:
November 19, 2011 – Davis, CA
Distances:
10K
Time:

39:32

Place:
5th
Teammates:
Christine & Kayden Kelly

2011-11-27 001 2011-11-19 014I'm more excited to be here for Robin's benefit rather than mine.  She's been training smart in preparation for her attempt to set the women's course record in the baby jogger 5k.  I, on the other hand, haven't been feeling great the last few weeks and my workouts have been haphazard.  My original goal was breaking 40min, but now I'm claiming a new realistic goal of breaking 41min.  40min as the surprise goal, 41min as my planned goal.

Anna & I watch Robin & Ariel run a perfect race and, although losing out to our good friend, Dave Campbell, they did set the record!  I'm really proud of Robin because I didn't think she could go faster than last year with Ariel another 10lbs heavier.

Now I warm up for my race.  The sun is coming out.  It's becoming perfect running weather.  Only slight breeze.  I shed many layers.  I do some strides and start to feel fast again.  Always amazed how that happens.  Feel slow for weeks and then, right before a race, feel fast.

Go!  I high-five Ariel on our way to the first turn.  I'm focusing on perfect lines through each turn.  Preparing for good position.  Watching the road camber.  And trying to see how long I can match my Garmin "virtual partner", set to 6:27 pace, my ideal goal.

I keep my eye on the lead woman, which I've always found to have a smart steady pace.  The 2nd woman and I are going back and forth.  There's a lot of men up ahead.  But by mile 1 a few are already starting to come back.

Mile 1 6:27.  Wow, I'm surprised that I'm feeling good.  My breathing is more controlled.  The legs and body don't hurt anywhere.  My temperature is perfect.  Only problem is that I'm thirsty.  I think I can maintain this pace.  I'm going to go for the sub-40 goal!  I take Gatorade at the 1st aid station.

Mile 2. 6:22.  I've found another guy to match pace with.  We're starting to go back and forth.  As we enter the "green belt" path (a beautiful walk/bike path around Northern residential Davis) the many turns require some surges ahead to get the inside lines.  We dip down and up through some sub-ways.  It's nice to get a change of speed periodically.  My breathing is staying controlled which is a good sign.  This course is new this year so there's a lot to watch for to make sure no mistakes are made.

111118_davisturkey_10K_troyMile 3. 6:28.  1/2 way done.  Now I can try to work a little harder.  And I need more fluid.  Next station I get both water and Gatorade.  The course is great.  I'm starting to get a step on the guy next to me.  And we're also catching a number of guys ahead.  I see a couple Del Oro High School runners and try to stay behind them.

Mile 4. 6:23.  This is going great!  It's getting hard but I know I can speed up each mile now.  This mile 5 is the hard one.  Got breathe deep and stay focused on control & form while maintaining pace.  Then the last mile I can stop thinking much about control and just give everything I have left.  Way up ahead, there's a loop around a park area and I can see 2 fast guys probably a couple minutes ahead.  Are they the leaders?  Were they Africans?  No, this is just a local race, but it always feels bigger when you're in the moment and things are going well.  I thank the Lord for giving me a good race today.

Mile 5. 6:22.  Ok, it's the last mile and I can just throw any fuel left on the fire without thinking about form and conservation.  Just go, go, go.  Everybody is picking it up.  It's a long, long straight stretch with the finish line way in the distance.  There's Robin, Anna, and Ariel past the mile marker.  Robin's going to be so excited to see me coming in under 40 min!

Mile 6. 6:12.  Ah, that was a great mile. Thank you, Lord.  I give Anna & Ariel and high five and give it all I've got to the finish. 

2011-11-27 001 2011-11-19 057 111118_davisturkey_10K_troy_finish

Mile 6.2.  Finished.  Under 40min.  That went so much better than I expected.  I continue jogging to warm down and I'm happy nothing is hurting.  But tomorrow it will.  That's ok.  It was a great day today Smile

Go Kayden & Christine!

111118_davisturkey_10K_kayden111118_davisturkey_10K_christine

Name Age Group Place Time
Troy Soares M40-44 5 39:32
Kayden Kelly M35-39 7 44:49
Christine Kelly W30-39 1 1:01:00

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Run For A Safe Haven - Robin

Date/Location:
November 5, 2011 - Sacramento, Ca
Distance:
5K
Time:
19:46
Place:
1st, W30-39
I needed a 5K to get ready for the baby stroller race at the Davis Turkey Trot.  This could be my last year pushing Ariel so I want to make it count and try to break the record of 20:23, as well as holding off my friend, Dave Campbell, who will push his granddaughter.  My goal is to try and run under 20 minutes today (sub 6:27 pace) without Ariel, and later run close to 20 min with her.  It's a bit of a stretch considering I've had a tiring week following the Victory Velo Duathlon.  It's in God's hands so any result is His will as long as I do my best.
I had the family stay home and get some extra sleep.  With only myself to worry about, I get to the race early and can take my time warming up and stretching.  I get to watch the kids races, too..so cute! 
It's really cold!  I opt to wear my beanie.  I really wish I had some gloves too!  I have to keep my jacket on until the very last minute to keep some warmth despite my shorts and short-sleeves!
On your mark, get set, go!  The horn goes off and we take off.  I hear the horn go again and wonder if there was a false start...which would be surprising considering this is a pretty low key race.  The horn continues to blow off and on and no one is stopping.  Okay, it must be someone having fun back there. 
We are running through very flat Land Park.  I know this course well from the Zoo Zoom 10K.  The nice thing today is I only have to do one loop...short and sweet!  A Fleet Feet girl, another girl w/headphones and 2 guys take off at a fast pace.  I decide to hold back and stick to 6:27 pace for now.  Another Fleet Feet girl and a guy in gray pass me.  Liking their pace better, I stick to them.
Mile 1 is 6:27.  Okay, that felt good.  Let's see what I can do now.  I catch up to the 2nd FF girl and we run together for a bit.  We are getting closer to the headphones girl so I pick up the pace to catch her.  I pull up on headphone's shoulder and tell her good job.  She surges and I surge back and push the pace to pass her.  I now focus in on the guy in gray and close the gap.
Mile 2 is 6:17.  I'm feeling strong but I'm unsure if I can go any faster.  I only have one mile left so I go for it.  I pass the guy in gray and look ahead to the next guy in blue.  As I look down at my watch, I can see I'm running sub 6:10 pace...I'm excited but I know I'm on the edge.  With 1/3 of a mile to go, I catch the guy in blue and tell him to push it to the end.
Mile 3 is 6:09!  Wow, I can see the clock and I'm going to be under 20 minutes!!  The blue guy and I are neck-in-neck.  We both surge to the finish and he nips me at the line.  I give him a high five and tell him good job.  Wow, Lord!  Thanks so much for the chance to run this fast!  It should help prepare me for what's to come in Davis.  We'll see!