| Date/Location: | December 2, 2012 - Sacramento, Ca |
| Distance: | Marathon - 26.2m (My leg is 7.6m) |
| Time: | 3:32:57 |
| Place: | 6th, Coed Open |
| Relay Teammates: | Leonie Alesci, Robin, Kevin & Liesbeth Magna |
| Other Teammates: | FCA TeamMate Jessica Bonner; Team FCA Endurance Relay (Ellie Verdi, Troy, Karen Nickel, Desiree Swift); Friends (Annette Korn and teammates, Helen Barker and teammate, Pacer Jim Kepfer, Kayden Kelly, Pacer Lee McKinley, Mary Serna, Pacer Michael Cook, Michelle Tuggle, Rich Alesci, Pacer Tim Twietmeyer) |
Crazy Conditions Today!
Robin, Leg #2 – 7.6 Miles
This year, Troy and I are on different relay teams. I “kicked him off” my team so that my college roomie, Liesbeth Magna, could have her hubby Kevin on the team. Troy is on a really great team with our new Auburn FCA Endurance huddle gals. In fact, they are going to be tough competition!
I got to drive a bunch of friends to the start of the marathon: Jessica Bonner, Jim Kepfer, Kayden Kelly & friend, Michael Cook. Later my teammate Leonie and her husband Rich join us in the car. They keep cover in the car as the storm rages outside. It is fun until it is time for me to go and car battery is totally drained! I had left too many things running for the 45 minutes we hung out. Instead of looking to the Lord for help and peace, I start to panic and call Troy (he had just dropped off his relay teammate Ellie and was heading to the next leg). But then I feel God's peace. I ask a guy in a mini Copper, waiting to drop off his wife, to give me a jump. Amazingly his little car is able to get my mini-van going. “Thanks so much, God Bless you!” I take a moment to thank the Lord and remind myself that He is most important today.
I’m on my way to the first exchange, yeah! The rain and wind are non-stop. I feel for the all the runners starting right now! I decide I’m going to wear my plastic bike jacket. I’d rather stay as dry as possible and risk getting too warm and having a slower time. After 2 bathroom stops on the way, I meet Troy at our secret parking spot just as he finishes his warm-up. The girls are gearing up to get out of the car and walk to the exchange as I head out for my warm-up. When I return the girls and I are ready to go. We walk to the street just in time to see the first runners. Wow, these guys are wearing very little and a few guys are shirtless! The girls come soon after and they also are dressed light. Our girls are not digging this weather. Usually the rain is fun but not today’s storm!
Troy, the girls and I wait in the rain and wind for our teammates. There goes Rich! He looks great! Soon after Michael runs by pacing the 3:10 crowd. He looks strong as usual! I run into Jen Feller who I ran with at UCD. She is also doing a relay. It’s fun to catch up for a few minutes. “Troy, here comes Ellie!” Troy jumps out and gets the chip and takes off. “Great job Ellie! Okay, girls, time to go!” Ellie herds them off to the car. Soon I see Leonie and say goodbye to Jen. “Great job Leonie! See you soon.”
I take off and it’s tough from the get-go! I don’t feel very strong enough today to go sub 7min pace so I try to keep it as close to that as possible. Within the first mile I see a big group of runners. That’s got to be a pace group and sure enough I see a 3:35 sign pop up…that’s my neighbor, Tim Twietmeyer's group! I catch up and wave as I go by. “How’s it going” he asks. I give him a thumbs up and tell him “great job”.
Now, I’m keeping my eyes open for the 3:30 group which shouldn’t be too far I hope. The wind is really relentless. Going through my first aid station, cups are flying everywhere and are not staying on the tables. I don’t know how these volunteers do it! They seem to be able to give out cups to everyone with smiles despite the chaos. I wish I could thank them properly!
I continue to move past marathoners. I try to get as much as a draft from individuals and small packs as possible as I move along. I see a girl wearing a jacket from this year’s Boston Marathon. Boy, going from the year’s hottest race to the year’s wettest/windiest…amazing!
By my third mile I do not see the 3:30 group. Man, where are they?! Should it be this hard to catch them? My pace has been hovering around 7:20 which is decent for these conditions. I am amazed that my search has distracted me from the chaotic weather. My jacket has done a good job of prolonging getting wet…but now I can feel it working it’s way throughout my shirt.
The spectators are amazing! I am surprised by how many are out here!
By the time I hit my 5th mile I can see a big group ahead. This must be them! Finally I catch up and see the pacer with the 3:30 sign. If it took me this long to catch this group, the 3:25 group will be way harder!
I can hear some sort of music booming ahead but after several minutes I don’t seem to be getting closer to it. Then I can make it out as a chant “Hare krishna,krishna, krishna”. I start singing “Jesus, Jesus” in my head and thank Him for saving me…because nothing other than Him can save me and give me eternal life.
Less than a mile to go, hooray! The wind and rain continues to pound and I am anxious to stop! I feel a little wimpy for that since these marathoners are trudging along with no complaint! I see Troy ahead and he waves and runs off to tell Kevin I’m coming. I see Kevin and make the exchange. “Go Kevin!” I find Troy and we hug. So glad to be done!
Our team did great and I found out some very special news from Liesbeth and Kevin!
Team Magna Brings Our Team Home!
RELAY HISTORY
| Year | Team Name | Relay Div | Place | Time | Teammates |
| 2012 | Catch Us If You Can | Open Coed | 6 | 3:32:57 | Leonie Alesci (Leg #1), Robin Soares (Leg #2), Kevin Magna (Leg #3) and Liesbeth Magna (Leg #4) |
| 2011 | Catch Us If You Can | Open Coed | 3 | 3:05:14 | Robin Soares (Leg #1), Troy Soares (Leg #2), Liesbeth Magna(Leg #3) and Leonie Alesci (Leg #4) |
| 2010 | Catch Us If You Can | Open Coed | 2 | 3:13:32 | Robin Soares (Leg #1 & 2), Richard Alesci (Leg #3) and Leonie Alesci (Leg #4) |
| 2009 | CATCH US IF YOU CAN | Open Coed | 3 | 3:08:47 | Kevin Magna (Leg #1), Robin Soares (Leg #2), Richard Alesci (Leg #3) and Leonie Alesci (Leg #4) |
| 2008 | CATCH US IF YOU CAN | Open Coed | 21 | 3:27:28 | Robin Soares (Leg #1), Courtney Loveday (Leg #2), Richard Alesci (Leg #3) and Leonie Wynhoven (Leg #4) |
| 2007 | RIONIE AND SOARES | Open Coed | 3 | 2:58:55 | Robin Soares (Leg #1), Troy Soares (Leg #2), Richard Alesci (Leg #3) and Leonie Wynhoven (Leg #4) |
| 2006 | CATCH ME IF YOU CAN | Open Female | 1 | 3:00:54 | Robin Soares (Leg #1), Megan Canova (Leg #2), Liesbeth Brouwer (Leg #3), Leonie Wynhoven (Leg #4) |
| 2005 | DAM GIRLS & GUYS | Open Coed | 2 | 3:00:36 | Robin Soares (Leg #1), Dick Kirkpatrick (Leg #2), Liesbeth Brouwer (Leg #3), Leonie Wynhoven (Leg #4) (?) |
| 2004 | DAM GIRLS & GUYS | Open Coed | 14 | 3:32:15 | Troy, Robin, Liesbeth Brouwer, Leonie Wynhoven (?) |
| 2003 | DAM GOOD RUNNERS | Open Coed | 21 | 3:06:50 | Troy-Robin-Leonie Wynhoven-Liesbeth Brouwer |
| 2002 | DAM GOOD RUNNERS | Open Coed | 76 | 4:13:14 | Robin, Dave Funston, Kristin Funston, Leonie Wynhoven |
| 2001 | DAM GOOD RUNNERS | Open Coed | 21 | 3:56:56 | Robin Heidt, Dave Funston, Kristin Funston, Leonie Wynhoven |
| 2000 | Un-Named | Open Coed | 49 | 3:48:04 | Kristin Matthews, Liesbeth Brouwer, Leonie Wynhoven, Robin Heidt (?) |
| 1999 | DAM GOOD RUNNERS | None | 88 | 3:44:09 | Kristin Matthews, Liesbeth Brouwer, Leonie Wynhoven, Robin Heidt |
Note: The CIM Relay Races started in 1991.