| 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!
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.