Saturday, April 21, 2018

CEM Rescue Run 5K–Troy - 2018

Date/Location:
April 21, 2018 – Grass Valley, CA
Distances:
5km
Time:
23:22

Place:
1st Place, 40-49 (2nd Overall)
Teammates:
Anna, Ariel & Robin Soares, Elizabeth Katsura, Lauren Langhofer


Before the race starts I'm aware of my sore achilles that has been bothering me for a month. But I'm also aware the joy and excitement to be sharing why I race with Fellowship of Christian Athletes teammates.. The role I have is not to win but to be an athlete representing Christ.

After Charlie gives a summary of what cem is all about, he prays for us and the race is ready to start

Robin and Anna are towards the front Ariel and I are little farther back.

We all start running and suddenly I noticed someone falls. I slow down to make sure they’re okay in doing so I’m holding up quite a few people. I quickly see they are fine. Around the first Corner Ariel is right with me. Even after quarter mile she's still there. 9 year old and running with Dad.

Now we hit the first Steep Hill. Many kids slow down. I pull away from Ariel but I can still see her back there. After the climb We cross the bridge and descend through some beautiful twisty Trail. Sharp left turn over another bridge and then around the lake.

I'm thinking of Ariel and I look back hoping to see her and I do see her but she’s running right towards me "Ariel you went the wrong way you have to make a sharp left". Ariel calmly turns around and directs three or four people that also followed her to go back and they all get on the right path. I thank God that he allowed me to help because it would have been sad for her to get lost and not be able to finish her race. Now it's the hardest hill up to the canal. I encourage some other runners that I'm passing and I'm pushing hard myself.

I'm glad to get to the top but very winded and looking forward to recovering on the flat. I realize that we are running Upstream which actually means slightly climbing rather than running flat. Up ahead I see Anna chasing a man who might be leeding. Looking closer I can see he's in second place the actual leader is far ahead. I spend the whole section along the canal trying to catch up to Anna. I’m really impressed how fast she is running. She is really having a great race and I'm very happy for her. We make the turn and head up the backside of the canal and I’ve just about caught up to Anna. I'm proud of her. She is currently in second place. Suddenly she begins complaining of side cramps. They force her to slow down and even walk. She has been giving her races all to God and saying she's been trying to focus on him. I think that this will be one of those moments where God will help her if she seeks his help. I give her some advice and really want to stop and forget my race and help her anyway I can but I feel like it's supposed to be a moment between her and God only. I realized it could feel devastating possibly seeing her best race ever and having to let many pass her. As I run ahead,  difficult as it is, I pray that this will be a triumphant moment where God will answer her prayer and her relationship become stronger. It's great heading down towards the finish but I keep thinking about Anna.

After I finish I head back up hoping to see her come soon around the corner. I can see that she went from second place to 8 or 9 but finally she comes and she is running strong. Robin comes by and says that she is a trooper and afterwards I get to talk to her and learned that she did persevere. She understood that it may be a test from God and she was fine with it.

I know God works wonders at this Christian ranch. He also did wonders allowing Robin and I to run despite injuries, and giving Anna a unique important experience even though it was painful.

CEM Rescue Run 5K– Robin - 2018

Date/Location:
April 21, 2018 – Grass Valley, CA
Distances:
5km
Time:
25:57 (PR 23:59, 2016)

Place:
1st Place, 40-49
Teammates:
Anna, Ariel & Troy Soares, Elizabeth Katsura, Lauren Langhofer


Always fun coming to the CEM (Christian Encounter MInistry) Campus for this great fundraiser!  Anna and Ariel are amped to go for it today!  My race is uncertain since I’ve been dealing with a strained arch.  I’m not even sure I’ll be able to finish it.  I might have to drop out if it flares up like it did 2 weeks ago.  I was limping then.  If I can run it all, the best case scenerio is to do a sub-8 pace.  Last year was 7:51 pace.  The whole family prays for me.  And we lift up Troy’s achilles issue as well.

Very few races start off with a prayer and this one does!  Director Charlie Cazin reminds us that we are helping to rescue teens from ruin.  CEM disciples and educates troubled youth…and lives are committed to Christ and live are truly saved!

Ready, set, go!  Anna and Troy take off.  The arch is sore but ok.  The first 2 miles are majority of climbing and that can really aggravate the arch. 

I’m running next to some young boys.  They crack me up because everytime I try to pass, they pick it up and sprint ahead. 

Mile 1 is 8:43.  I make it up to the canal and the arch is not getting worse!  To get the sub-8 min, I pick it up.  I’m making great progress!  Thank you God!!

I’m sure Anna and Troy are battling it out far ahead.  I look on the road above to see if I can see them…no go.

I get to the turn to the upper road and start looking for the Happy Face.  The Happy Face means there are no more hills! It’s a bit further.  My pace is looking great!  I hear a guy sigh and I remind him that the happy face is coming.

Mile 2 is 7:32.  Great pace!  I come around a corner and see Anna walking.  I’m confused and ask her what’s wrong.  She’s got a cramp.  I slow down and encourage her to start running.  For the next few minutes she struggles to keep going but keeps trying.  Pretty soon, she’s running again though with pain.  I just keep talking to her and reminding her to look to God. Little by little, we are getting faster.  My arch continues to hang in there!

We make it to the downhill portion.  I remind her that it’s all down and to let gravity help her…and to just go for it.  She pulls away and picks up speed.

I can hear a runner behind me as I turn down the trail to the finish.  I try to hustle to stay ahead but he gets me.  I call out to Anna to sprint.  He’s right on her tail as she takes off. It is so close!  I’m impressed that this 50 something guy is so strong.  Anna is just a little bit stronger and pulls off the win somehow.  Thank you Lord!  What a great race!  I didn’t get my time goal but I got to help Anna and didn’t have to stop or drop out! 

Anna–CEM Rescue Run 5K, 2018


Date/Location:

April 21, 2018 – Grass Valley, CA

Distances:

5km

Time:

Anna 25:45 (PR 24:12, 2017)

Place:

1st Place Overall

Teammates:

Ariel, Robin & Troy Soares, Elizabeth Katsura, Lauren Langhofer

 

I am feeling good about the race and hoping to beat or finish with my dad this time. I know God is also with me.

At the start I feel like I am going a good pace through the trees. We get to a steep part and I try to relax up it. I make it to the top and start cruising up the canal. I hear my dad behind me.  I run past an aid station and keep going. I get to a turn and start to run uphill. I feel okay and then Satan tries to overwhelm me and I start to think that I can’t make it. As soon as my dad gets to me, not only am I overwhelmed but also a huge painful cramp kicks in. I stop and say it was hard to breathe. I think I exaggerated a little bit since I am overwhelmed.  My dad encourages me but it hurts bad.

My dad keeps running and then my Mom comes. She gets me going even though it hurts. I get water at the aid station and keep going. My Mom keeps encouraging me and pushes me. I start to go down hill and my Mom tells me to finish strong and to run fast. I start to run faster. I then get to the straight away and I hear my Mom yelling for me to sprint so I start to sprint. I look behind me and there is a man sprinting to catch me. I sprint in fast and it’s close. I beat him by a hair thanks to God. A nice guy helped me get water since I still felt my cramp and it was still a little painful. I wish though I had given it to God when it hurt and stayed with my dad and not complained. It was a test for later though. I could have not finished without God. It was a lesson and a test for me. I‘ll do better next time.


CEM Rescue Run 5K–Ariel - 2018

   
Date/Location:
April 21, 2018 – Grass Valley, CA
Distances:
5km
Time:
Ariel 31:47 PR!  (Previous PR 38:29, 2015)
Place:
Anna: 1st Female & First Place 10-15yrs
Ariel: 1st Place, 0-9yrs
Teammates:
Anna, Robin & Troy Soares, Elizabeth Katsura, Lauren Langhofer


I'm at the start. I'm next to dad. Charlie says ready set go and I start running. Daddy is still next to me. I stay with Daddy. We turn around a cone and go uphill. I pass a bridge and then go straight.

I hear, "Ariel you're going the wrong way. You had to make a sharp left" I turn around and run across the bridge. I go around the lake over a beach up the hill on to the canal.

I look around and see Elizabeth running behind me. I slow down a little because I know she has a good pace.

She catches up to me. I start running behind her. We talk a little. After a turn I see an aid station. I know that means we are close to the turnaround. After we turn we go up a slight hill. I say I think the smiley face is coming up. We keep running. She says I hope the smiley face is coming soon. We see it and say, "Yay!" as we go down the hill. Down down down we go. At the rock stairs before the finish Elizabeth says, " go ahead". I see Daddy cheering for me. Then Mommy. Then Anna. Then I sprint into the finish line!

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Happy Kids Du #5–Ariel-2018

Date/Location: 4/8/18, Granite Bay
Distance: 1mi R – 3miB – 1mi R
Time: Ariel: 37:29  (PR 31:53)
Place: Ariel: 3rd, 9 & 10 Year Old Girls


MY RACE STORY

BY ARIEL

1st RUN

I have been sick. I’m line up for the 5th and last duathlon. The race director says 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Go! I immediately start hurting but I keep running. I try to keep up with the 2 girls I saw in the 1st race but they are too fast. We all enter the trails. I can’t see the 2 girls anymore. I run down and up hills. I turn and twist. Then I see a road and cross it. I go through bushes and now I’m on the home stretch. I finish the first run and run into transition.

BIKE

I run Anna’s bike to the line and get on it. I bike out of transition and up the hill. I turn and go down a hill on to a long flat road. I bike fast so I can pass and get back in the front. I see a 2 girls and I want to pass them. I am getting closer and closer to them. I turn and then I do a big turn again. Then I do the big U-Turn. I pass the 2 girls. I go on the big turn again and then turn on to the long road again. I go down the hill into transition and get off Anna’s bike.

2nd RUN

I’m hurting and I’m tired. I run the path to the trails. I enter the trails. I still can’t see the 2 girls. I run down and up hills. I turn and twist. Then I see a road and cross it. I go through bushes and see some little boys finishing to. I start sprinting and I’m on the home stretch the finish line. I finish. I’m 3rd place.

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Mighty Dog 5K - Anna


Date/Location:

3/8/18 –

Granite Beach, Granite Bay, CA

Distance:

5K

Time:

27:24

Place:

1st, 5K Large Dogs

Teammates:

Manouch Shirvanioun

Oscar was doing great it seemed like with all the dogs, so I wasn’t worried about my race. I started to get more and more excited as the timer counted down. When the race director said go, I started running. But Oscar had a better idea of what pace he wanted to go. I tried to get Oscar to heal but he would not listen. I stopped to get him to know that I was the boss but it didn’t work. I kept stoping and trying to pull Oscar back.

Once I got to the first mile, dad told me to not stop but try to put my hand in front of Oscar. I tried what he said but Oscar still didn’t listen. Usually Oscar would heel to me, it was like he knew it was a race and he had to get to the front. I tried to trust God and not cry but it was hard.

According to the dog whisper, you shouldn’t have your dog in front because then the dog thinks he’s the leader not you. So it was hard when Oscar didn’t heal and just pulled me the whole way. We started to head back to the finish and I tripped and fell and dropped the leash. Oscar didn’t care he just kept running the race without me. Luckily there was a person in front of me who grabbed Oscar for me. I thanked him and kept running with Oscar pulling me.

I came though into the opening and felt miserable. Mom was cheering me on but it was hard. I turned around the corner and saw the finish, Dad and Ariel. I smiled and finished for God. I love Oscar even though it was not fun when he pulled me. It was our first dog race together but it won’t be our last. Thanks to God I got first in my age group. Could have been worse.

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