Sunday, December 8, 2013

CIM Relay–Robin

Date/Location:
December 8, 2013 - Sacramento, Ca
Distance:
Marathon - 26.2m (My leg is 7m)
Time:
3:32:16
Place:
10th, Coed Open

Relay Teammates:

Robin, Kevin & Liesbeth Magna, Megan Sebra

Other Teammates:

Team FCA Endurance Relay
Tamara Diederichs, Troy, Jesse Ellis, Desiree Swift
Track/Local Friends
Pacer Jim Kepfer, Pacer Michael Cook, Pacer Tim Twietmeyer, Rachel Gunsalus

Robin, Leg #3 – 7.0 Miles

This will be 15 years of straight relay racing for me!  It’s been a yearly event that I look forward to mostly because I’m reunited with my college roomies!  This year Leonie is not competing because she’s pregnant…a good excuse for sure(=  Another UCD grad and friend, Megan Sebra, will be taking her place.  Liesbeth is back again with her husband Kevin.  He also competed in IM Tahoe.  I think this is the first race we’ve done since September.  It took me months to get back into the grove.  I thank Jesus that I've been able to keep this tradition going and continue to be injury free!

Again, I get to compete against Troy and his FCA Endurance relay team.  I hope we can come close to catching them!

I drop Troy off at the first relay exchange so he can do leg #2.  It is literally freezing out here!  A snow storm came in 2 nights ago which was a blast but it's made for some real cold conditions! Last year was the wettest and windiest I’ve ever seen.  Now it’s the coldest. The girls and I head off to the next exchange so I can get ready.  Even though it's not an 'A' race for me, I am still nervous and hope that I can run my goal of 7min per mile.

We watch the elites go by wearing very little.  I don’t know how they do it!  I see Michael Cook go by pacing his group and looking strong.  I expect to see Troy first based on Team Magna’s (Liesbeth & Kevin) projected times.  Suddenly I hear “hi Robin”.  I look back and it’s Rachel Gunsalus from our track group.  She’s smiling and running fast.  “Go Rachel!” 

Soon I see a yellow shirt and know it’s Troy.  His teammate, Jesse, jumps out and they make a smooth exchange.  Troy jogs up to us and tells me I better get ready.  Doh!  I kind of lost track of what I’m supposed to be doing.  I quickly pull off the layers and start looking.  The 3:30 group goes by and I hope that will be able to catch up with them soon!

Soon, I see Kevin…yeah!   The exchange is good and I’m off!  I can tell right away that I didn’t get a good warm-up in.  I feel stiff and my breathing is labored.  My watch tells me I’m right on pace so I keep pressing on despite the discomfort.

My first mile is 7:00.  Okay great!  The breathing is better but my legs feel pretty tight.  I ran a sub 6 min mile at the track recently with my buddy Karen Nickel so I know that I can keep this up despite the continued tightness.

My second mile is 6:59.  Thank you Lord!  I’m looking for the 3:30 group and haven’t seen them yet.

My 3rd mile is 7:02.  This course is not flat and the rolling hills are taking their toll.  I know I’m doing my best and continue to push with all that’s in these legs.

My 4th mile is 7:05.  Ugh!  Trying not to get frustrated and remind myself it’s not over yet.  Keep going!  I think I see the 3:30 group ahead!  Yeah! 

My 5th mile is 7:00.  Better!   I catch up to the 3:30 group and run into another track friend, Dave.  He’s doing his first marathon like Rachel.  I encourage him and tell him it really becomes a mental game at this point in the race.  I say goodbye and push past.

My 6th mile is 7:06.  More hills but I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  I dig deep and push hard through my last mile. 

Finally, I see the next relay exchange point.  Yeah!  My 7th mile is 6:58.  I’m happy with this effort for sure!  Thank you Lord! 

I run down the chute and call out for Megan.  I don’t see her and start to worry a bit.  There she is at the end!  She’s pulling off her sweats so I get the chip on her and off she goes.  Glad to be done and look forward to seeing Megan at the finish!  Her husband Toney and 2 kiddos and I head to the finish.  Almost done!

Way to go team!

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RELAY HISTORY
Year Team Name Relay Div Place Time Teammates
2013 Catch Us If You Can Open
Coed
10 3:32:16 Liesbeth Magna (Leg #1), Kevin Magna (Leg #2), Robin Soares (Leg #3) and Megan Sebra (Leg #4)
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.