| Date/Location: | 5/14/17, Granite Bay |
| Distance: | 1mi R – 3miB – 1mi R |
| Time: | Anna: 27:57 (Previous 29:59) Ariel: 34:41 (Previous 40:25) |
| Place: | Anna: 1st age/1st Overall Ariel: 2nd in age group |
ARIEL’S STORY
10, 9, 8, …, 3, 2, 1, go! I start running and look for Kylie who is a fast girl in my age group. I go through a gate, up a hill, down a hill, and then up a hill. There is a boy in front of me and I try to pass him but I can't. I try again and pass him! But he passes me back. We go down a hill and I pass him again. I run hard to stay ahead of him but he's on my tail. He gets me right before transition.
I get into transition and get ready quick. I get out of transition ahead of that boy. The boy has a road bike and passes me. I try to catch up but he's too fast. I see these two girls and I pass them. I go down a little hill and another boy passes me. I try to catch him but he's too fast. Then a girl about Anna's age passes me. I go to the turn around and then another boy passes me. I keep going up this little hill and I hear someone crying. It's a girl my age! I ask her what is the matter she tells me something is wrong with her bike. I pass her and say “God's got your back!”.
I go to up a small hill, down a small hill, up a small hill and then down a small hill. I go around a corner and go straight into the wind! This feels hard. I pray that that girl would be happy and I prayed for strength to bike into the wind. Then I remember a verse: “if you hope in God, you'll fly like an eagle. And when you run, you will not grow weary. And when you walk, you will not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). Right then, I feel God put a song in my heart, “Fight Song”. Then I start to feel stonrger and stronger. I start catching up to another rider.
And I go down the hill into transition, take off my helmet and go out on the run. A girl starts gaining on me. I try to keep her off my tail but she’s still there.
I run across a little streets and see the pathway to the finish. That girl is gaining on me and I don’t want her to catch me. I sprint very hard, I can see the finish line now. I race through and I beat her! I shake her hand when she finishes. I feel good! Btw, I got 2nd place.
ANNA’S STORY
At the race start, I see two boys that look competitive and fast. I'm excited that I have competition!
When they say go, I start running and a little girl sprints ahead. I know she's not going to keep the pace. I pass her and keep running into the trail. I follow the lead biker and go through the trails. When I get out to the open part, it's a straight away to the finish line. We have to run through the finish to get to transition.
I have a quick transition and get on the bike first. I start biking up the hill and over the bridge. I'm surprised I haven't seen those boys yet. When I turn at the end of the bridge, I look back and see one of the boys in the distance. I keep biking on the loop. When I get around the loop and start biking back, I cheer for the kids coming towards me. I see Ariel and smile at her. This cute little boy bikes by and says with enthusiasm “good job, you're doing great!”. He did the same thing in the last race! I tell him good job.
I keep biking and see my little friend Othniel Marshall. I say “ good job Othniel!”.
I keep biking and make it back to the bridge. I go across the bridge, down the hill and back into transition.
I jump off my bike, take off my helmet and glasses.
I start the run and there's no lead biker this time. I run along the same trail. A person directs me and cheers me on. My legs are still numb from the bike.
I get to the open straight away and start running to the finish fast. When I get close, I sprint. 
I point up to God as I finish. I am first overall. I see the two boys finish and shake their hands. Thank you God!
