| Date/Location: | 1/1/16 – Auburn, Overlook Park |
| Distance: | Hill Climb #1 – 3m Old Foresthill Rd |
| Time: | Hill Climb #1 - 18:14 (PR 16:48, 2014) |
| Place: | Hill Climb #1 – 1st woman (non-age graded) |
| Teammates: | Hill Climb: Charity Marshall, Farah Avasarala, Richard Kane, Trixie Bradley, Troy Soares |
Part 1 - The Bike
I drop the girls and van off at Karen's house. Unfortunately Karen cannot race today because of her calf injury )=. She kindly has agreed to record our times and drive the girls around! What an awesome and selfless friend!
Troy, Richard Kane and Farah Avasarala bike by and pick me up. After a quick prayer, off we go on our warmup ride! Farah and I turn early and do a bit shorter loop.
We all regroup at the Confluence where Charity and Trixie are waiting for us. After we’re ready, it's time to climb Old Foresthill Road! Karen sends off Farah and Trixie first, followed by Charity and I. Richard will soon follow and then Troy.
Right away my legs are screaming! It's going to be a tough climb! 
Charity and I push each other along. Farah is right there and Trixie is pulling away. Let's push!
I soon catch Farah but Trixie stays ahead. My goal is always to make it to Mammoth Bar before Troy catches me but he catches me just before...I was close! He bridges the gap between Trixie and I. Trixie hangs with Troy as he goes by...wow, she's so strong! I dig deep on this last bit of climb before it dips down.
I hit the down part and Trixie is gone! I'm hoping to catch her as it goes back up. I am able to close the gap but she alludes me! I see the sign for the upcoming stop and it's not enough. Trixie makes it to the top first. After I catch my breath, I ride over and congratulate her on a great ride!
Richard comes next, Charity and then Farah. We regroup and head over to the Foresthill Bridge.
Last climb! We line up on the Foresthill side of the bridge in order of our Old Foresthill Road finish. Ready, set, go! I'm right behind Richard and start loosing the draft over the bridge so I have to push hard to keep up.
We all cross the bridge and it's on up the hill! Man this climb is so unassuming but it hits back hard! I have no idea where the girls are behind me. It's too hard to look back so I just keep digging. This second climb is definitely going better than the first!
Almost to the top. I finally work in a quick glance and see that I've got a gap. Let's go! I push to the end...done! Yeah, part 1 done! Everyone finishes well and is glad to have that ride under their belt! Time to go home and recover for the run!
Part 2 - The Run
After the ride I chow down on even more sweet potatoes! Yummy! I hope they pull me through...but my greatest hope is in Christ and I want to race hard for Him!
We get to the start and check in. We run into many friends from the track, our neighborhood and around town...love that about this race! Ariel and Suzanne meet up and get ready to race together. Just before Troy and I start, Anna's running buddy, Leah, arrives. The girls start their 5K 30 minutes after we start our 10 miler. Maybe Troy will catch up to Ariel and Suzanne at the tail end of his race...we'll see!
Troy and I warm-up. My ankle is sore and it's actually hard to run. This happens briefly from time to time on long runs so it's odd for it to be acting up now. Troy's Achilles is sore. Things to pray for!
We group up with the girls, Suzanne and few others from the track before we head to the start to pray. Hoping that we all feel good out there!
We line up. Ready, set, go! The top runners are fast off the line and pull ahead of me quickly...including 3 women. Two of these gals are Fleet Feet runners. I can see Troy's yellow FCA shirt for now. This first mile is downhill which is not my strong point. Two other women older than me fly by...wow!
Mile 1 is 6:52. I'm pretty sure that is faster than last year! I feel better than last year!
Mile 2 is 7:16. I'm passed by some guys going down to the start of Cardiac Bypass. My track running partner, Gary Carpenter, and I are going back and forth. I'm hoping my climbing legs will help me catch back up to those two gals in front of me.
We hit Cardiac Bypass and I find my climbing legs and pass one of the girls. The other gal in gray seems to have her climbing legs too! My heartrate has gone up to 175 so I try to maintain my effort instead of try to catch that gal.
I think the sweet potato is helping my mind stay clear. Last year my head started to get cloudy from fatigue here...not yet so far!
Mile 3 is 8:39. Now it's over to the DAM Road. It's almost 1:30pm so the top 5K runners and I will probably merge around there.
Mile 4 is 8:01. We climb up out of the China Bar side of the canyon. I grab a water at the top. The aid station workers are playing their guitars instead of handing out water. I have to grab one...oh well, at least they set out the cups...don't complain Robin.
Down, down, down we go! Sure enough I hear the footsteps of the top 5K guys coming and they are flying!
Mile 5 is 7:19. What a shock to go from such a steep downhill to climbing back up! This definitely ranks as one of the hardest races around, even if just for the dramatic shifts in terrain!
Mile 6 is 8:43. A young girl in pink goes by and I'm wondering what race she is in. There is a turn off for the 5K ahead so I'll soon find out. We get there and she's not turning off. Wow, she must have been just cruising back there. I get some encouragement when I can see that same gal in grey and one of the Fleet Feet girls.
We make it around Robie Point and I start looking for Troy. I see our friend Bryan Hacker coming and tell him good job. There's Troy and he's looking great! We tell each other that we have no discomfort...thank you Lord! I actually had totally forgotten about my ankle until now. So glad it's not an issue...and that the hamstrings are not an issue today for us!
Mile 7 is 8:21. I get passed by another girl! I start to get bummed out and discouraged that I'll make any headway with all these girls now in front of me. This is a bad attitude and shows my lack of appreciation for the ability to be out here. My buddy Karen has a hurt calf and wanted to be doing this. I pray and ask the Lord for encouragement and to transform my attitude.
The turn around is coming up! We have to run all the way to Murphy's Gate. I see all the four girls ahead of me heading back. As I make the turn, I feel excited to chase them down! Thank you Lord! I also notice that my head is feeling clear and my energy is perfect despite the tired legs...thank you Jesus.. and sweet potatoes.
Mile 8 is 7:53. I power up the Robie Point hill. I pass the last girl who passed me and move closer to the other 3 girls. There are still some hard yet short hills ahead and I think it might be enough to catch a few of them! On the backside I lose the girls because of my poor descending skills but I’m not out of it yet!
Mile 9 is 8:37. I catch the Fleet Feet girl! Yeah! 2 more girls ahead! With each hill, I gain on the grey girl.
Mile 10 is 9:17. I pass the grey girl just before the last climb out of the canyon! I dig deep and sweet potato energy is there. Thank you Jesus for renewing my attitude. I fly up the last hill and push hard through the lower dirt parking lot. I see my sweet family, Suzanne and Karen cheering! I smile and push as hard as I can! Up the road and into the upper lot to the finish!
As I cross the finish line they are announcing the 5K winners for the 0-10 girls age group…"first Leah Booth, second Anna Soares and third Ariel Soares"...music to my ears. Thank you Lord! What a day! 
I find out later I got 2nd and the girl in grey was 3rd by only 8 seconds. I didn't catch the girl in pink but I am very content with today's effort. Now it's time for pizza!