California Sprint Triathlon - Anna

Date/Location:	June 26, 2016 – Shadow Cliffs Park, Pleasanton, CA
Distances:	Swim .5mi – Bike 9mi – Run 5km
Time:	1:31:01 (24:41 – 1:55 – 35:11 – 1:45 – 27:28)
Place:	6th (73rd Overall)
Friends:	Robin Soares (FCA, Sprint), Troy Soares (FCA, Int’l), Clyde Floyd (FCA, Sprint), Dan Smedley

START

As the first wave started, Women 39 and under, were still trying to figure out if we should do the first or last wave. The race director suggested we do the last wave. Daddy tells us to go now so that the time is most accurate. Mommy and I start swimming even though we are behind a little. I feel great but it’s kind of hard to swim with my shortie wetsuit on. It feels like it’s pulling on my arms but it does not hurt.

We keep swimming and we see kayaks. I watch my mom underwater so I don’t get lost from her because I love her and we are doing this together. Finally we get to the first yellow buoy. I’m so happy because I feel great. I’ve been able to swim freestyle most of the way. We turn and I feel fine and the water is warm.

Halfway to the next buoy, I think I see a small fish. I start getting scared of what is under the water because it’s hard to see. Finally we get to the buoy and I’m not scared. We turn and head for shore. I’m feeling okay. We see people fishing on the side and I don’t think they are going to catch much fish because we are scaring them all away. I also see a boat parked on the side. I start seeing seaweed on the ground and the ground again. We are almost there.

Finally we get to the finish of the swim. I start to run up the ramp, unzip my wetsuit and pull it down halfway. I keep running to my bike. I get to my bike and take my wetsuit off. I put on my shorts, shoes, race number, helmet and glasses. I take my bike and run out. Mom is right behind me.

BIKE

I get on my bike and starting going up a hill out of the park. I pass some people. We get onto the road and I stay to the right while Mom bikes behind me. People pass me. One girl passes me but I pass her back. My watch beeps for the first mile. We go a little farther and we turn right. We bike down a short road and turn left.

I see black smoke ahead and I tell my mom that I think there is a fire. As we get closer and closer to the black smoke it starts to turn white. The fire must almost be out. We keep biking and up ahead we see a lot of bikers huddled up. As we get closer and closer, the bikers start going again. We have to go the left side of the road to pass the fire truck. When I go past the truck, I smell smoke even though the fire is out. It was a car that was on fire. But, it was all burnt except for a little bit in the front. So it really was a fire! Too bad for the people ahead that had to stop!

We keep on biking and turn right. We bike and bike and bike. There is a small but steep hill. That’s where I pass some more people. Then it was a downhill. It feels great going down! We turn again, bike a little bit more and turn once more. Up ahead I can see the turn to the park/transition.

When we get into the park, we have to get off our bikes at the dismount line. We run our bikes in. I run past my bike rack on accident. I cut through some dirt to get back to my spot. I take off my helmet and glasses and put on my running hat.

RUN

We run out of transition and I hit my watch to start. We both have to go to the restroom so we quickly go. We then are off on our run!

I love running! We are side by side. We run on the dirt, then on pavement and then back on dirt in a bike park. I was about to run one of the jumps there but I realized that was not part of the course. Too bad!

We come to an aid station and my mom tells me to walk and drink. That’s the first mile.

Then we keep running and there is another aid station already! We don’t grab anything because the course loops back to this spot. We go down a hill and up a steep hill. We run out to the turn around and head right back. So we go down the steep hill and up to the aid station. Now we walk and drink.

We keep running and I see a 13 year old girl at the top of a hill. I pick it up and pass her on the downhill. That’s pretty cool!

It’s flat for a bit and then we come to a hill. My mom says this is the last hill and I charge it. There is a downhill on the other side. My mom says “don’t wait for me, go for it!”. So, I fly down the downhill. We are close to the finish my mom says. I keep running and I feel like I need to go faster to stay ahead of my mom. I go on a small and twisting path. I almost didn’t see the left turn to the finish. I turn and rush into the finish and pass someone on the way.

I cross the finish line ahead of my mom. I feel happy! Thank You God!

My time is 1:31:01.