| Date/Location: | April 18, 2015 – Grass Valley, CA |
| Distances: | 5km |
| Time: |
Ariel 38:29, PR! (Previous PR 41:17) Anna 34:33 Robin 23:52 |
| Place: | Ariel, 4th in Age Group Anna, 1st in AG Robin, 1st in AG |
| Teammates: | Ben & Ellie Nickel, Lauren Langhofer, Ron Terrell, Troy Soares |
Ariel
I'm at the starting line. The race director is saying let's pray. Then he says "go"! I started running and Ben was running ahead fast. Dad caught up to me. Ben started slowing down and I ran ahead on some bridges.
I was on a canal and saw Anna and Ellie on the other side. Then, I ran to the other side. I saw Ben and Daddy and said "look at me Daddy." Then Daddy said to Ben, "let's try to catch her!"
I ran and ran up a hill and down a hill. Then I can see the finish line. I heard Mommy yelling and I saw her. I crossed the finish line. I was super tired. I got food and then I got rest. I got 4th place.
Anna
I'm with my friends, Ellie and Ben, and my sister Ariel. We go to the starting line. Ariel and Ben are teamed up to run together with my Dad. Ellie and I are going to run together.
They say "go" and Ellie and I take off. We go up a hill, then another hill and then another hill. Then it's mostly flat. Ellie and I cross 4 bridges! It was fun!
Then were running on a canal. The canal was fun because we saw the water and thought it would be fun to go down it on intertubes. And then we go up another bridge to another road above the canal. We keep running and I see Ariel running down below. I say "good job Ariel"! Right behind Ariel is Ben with my Dad! I say "good job, you're almost there!"
I heard Mommy shouting because she had finished the race. We ran up to her and gave her high fives. Then we started running faster because the finish line is up ahead. Ellie and I finished together.
Robin
It's been a long time since I've tried to run short and fast. It's fun to have our girls and the Nickel kids here supporting a great cause, CEM!
We all line up. Ready, set, go!
The first mile is tough. Trying to run hard and go up short steep climbs is difficult. I'm breathing hard from the get go! The front pack is full of teens. Slowly I catch up to one of the girls and another guy running in full fishing attire. There is one more girl ahead of me.
Mile 1 is 8:04. My body says ouch! I catch up to the final girl and she doesn't relent for me but makes me work for it. She is tough and I tell her good job as I pass. Finally we get to a flat levy. What a relief! Now I need to push it hard but part of me says this is good enough. I make myself pick it up anyway.
Mile 2 is 7:23. Good! We turn off the levy and onto a fire road on the other side. As I run back, I can hear Anna and Ellie singing as they run along...what energy! I tell them good job and they say "we can see your yellow shirt!". A little further, I hear Ben chatting with Troy. I yell good job and Troy yells good job back.
There are 3 teen boys ahead of me now. I'm trying to close the gap but it's slow going. Off the fire road and back to levy. Soon I'm going downhill! Go, go, go! The teens are flying and pulling away. I'm trying to push with what I have left.
Mile 3 is 7:05. I run past a volunteer and I hear him say, "your supposed to be on the trail". I look to my right and see a trail. Oops! I turn around, run back uphill and get on the trail. I tell the volunteer he should move down to the trail so others won't make the same mistake.
I can see the finish! I push hard and cross the line. CEM staffers and friends are waiting and cheering: Caryn Galeckas, Charlie Cazin and Suzanne Hartley. Wow, that was hard but a good effort! Now it's time to go back and cheer on the kids!
| Name | Time | Age Group | Place |
| ROBIN SOARES | 23:52 | W40-44 | 1ST |
| RON TERRELL | 29:07 | M65-69 | 1ST |
| LAURN LANGHOFER | 31:26 | M70-74 | 1ST |
| ANNA SOARES | 34:33 | W0-9 | 1ST |
| ELLIE NICKEL | 34:34 | W0-9 | 2ND |
| ARIEL SOARES | 38:29 | W0-9 | 4TH |
| BEN NICKEL | 41:27 | M0-9 | 1ST |