TROY Thanksgiving Day. The rain has let up. Our whole family is going to do (attempt) the 5k. We gather at our downtown square. Robin & I, Anna & Ariel, Dad and Oscar. Nice volunteers take our donations to “Stock the Closet” and give Oscar a dog treat in return. We catch up with some friends and Oscar meets some other dogs. We a lap around downtown to warm up. Oscar probably needs another 5 mi to get the anxiety out of him. He’s very excited. It’s a big turn-out with many dogs. Go! I’m nervous of Oscar tripping anyone so keep a close eye at the start. In doing so, I barely avoid hitting the photographer standing in the middle. Whew. Up Lincoln Ave, I see Anna and her friend, Leah, leading the race. Then Bailey. Then Oscar and I. We had Dad start 20 min early. I see him just beyond the Cherry Ave turn and call to him to insure he knows the course. Good, he’s going the right direction. Up the steep hill. Oscar isn’t following the plan of staying beside me so I pull-over to “re-emphasize” the importance of that. In the process, he gets out of his collar and now we have to put it back on. This sets us back in the race but we push hard and regain our position at the top of the hill. I’m huffing and puffing but that’s ok, only makes me stronger. Bailey looks at me very calmly. She just got back from the National College Cross-Country Championships. She’s not even breathing, the exact opposite of me. Long downhill on Finley. Oscar still hasn’t calmed down and twice runs to the opposite side of a pole so both of us get pulled to a halt by the leash. Back on High St, Bailey and the girls lead on the rt side of the street while about 4 of us follow on the left side. This is a “free” race so it’s up to everone to monitor traffic themselves and watch for cars. We did pray at the start that no one would get hurt. I hope my concerns always lead me to reliance on God. Mile 1: 7:02. We start up Pleasant Ave climb and, after stopping again for Oscar, I make it a goal to catch up to Baily and the girls. We cross the train tracks, go by Overlook Park and then by Railhead Park. Mile 2: 7:01. They’re still 20 steps ahead as we start down Sacramento st. Oscar is getting into the running groove now, calming down probably because there aren’t many other runners around. It’s fun running through our town. We’re careful going through the intersections. I’ve been keeping an eye on Anna and Leah to help insure their safe running. They wanted to do 6:40 pace, which is pretty fast, and I’m impressed with their smart running. As we approach the Courthouse and a Rt turn on Lincoln Ave, I make a move and sprint up to them. In front of the police station we’re all running abreast on the street and sidewalk. Anna says something nice encouraging me. She may think I’m going to win, but I’m pretty sure her sprint at the end is no match. Mile 3: 6:32. At the top, crossing Oakwood Dr., Bailey tell the girls to go for it. Sure enough they both put on a sprint that Oscar and I can’t keep up with.. actually Oscar could, but he’s forced to stay back with me. Anna & Leah finish first, holding hands. Bailey continues on to do the course again. And Oscar and I are glad to finish right behind them. Robin came in soon after and then Ariel came in with a surprising PR of almost 28 min! My Dad did almost a mile of the course and had a good time. Thank you, Lord, for a good time had by all. |
ROBIN This is the first time that Pappy/Al has joined us on one of our racing adventures. We send him off before the race starts onto the course. This is a really low key setting and there are a lot of people. Fun! We line up on an imaginary start line. Ready, set, go! Up Lincoln Way and past Victory Velo bike shop. This is my first race since July 4th and my body feels unaccustomed to it. Anna and Leah have taken off. I can still see Troy and Oscar. We turn and head up steep Cherry Ave. I look to my right and see Ariel keeping pace with me. “Great job, Ariel! Pace yourself”. I expect her to slow down on the way up but she keeps pace with me! I push down Finley and past the track. I pull away from Ariel and shout back “free speed down the hill”. I’m averaging about 7:41 pace at the first mile as I pass Taco Tree. Another climb up Pleasant along the edge of the fairgrounds. Hope to head there tomorrow to get our tree. I can no longer see Anna, Leah or Troy. I lament a bit about Anna growing up so fast, and to be as fast. Maybe I can still take her in a marathon. There are some young boys probably about Ariel’s age ahead of me. I work to catch them. I pass Overlook Park and pass one of the boys. On to Railhead. Mile 2, yay, almost done! I’m averaging 7:45. The hills are pretty much done so I try to push all the way home. I catch up to the last 2 boys ahead of me and pass them. I tell them less than a mile and they are surprised. “Really? Cool!”. I have a feeling they will come back strong once we are closer to the finish. At the final turn back onto Lincoln Way, the boys are back. I encourage them to run their hardest down the hill to the Christmas Tree/Finish. I push, too, and see Anna and Leah cheering. I finish with a 7:35 average. Not my best but I’ll take it! I tell the boys “I hope you guys run cross country because you are fast!” They say they do. Great! Here comes Ariel! She’s smiling and proud. Fun day for the Soares family! |
ANNA Go!!! Leah and I take off. We try to stay an even pace. We start to run up to where Victory Velo is. There are young kids in front of us, but I know we will catch up to them. Once we get to Victory Velo we turn to run up Cherry Street. While running up Cherry Street, I try to go easy to keep my legs fresh. A guy catches up to Leah and I on Cherry. I don’t mind. When we got to the top we start running downhill. I notice that my shoe lace is untied. I hand Leah my gloves I’m wearing and stop to tie my shoe. I tell Leah to keep the pace. I run after her and reunite with her. Leah and I are now leading the race all by ourselves. I am glad my dad had told me the race course so that we don’t lead everybody the wrong way. As we turn on to High Street I hear Bailey Cossentine start to run up behind us. We stay ahead of her all the way to Railhead Park. She is doing the 10k, so she isn’t our competition. We run together and she helps us out. We are just about to turn on to Sacramento Street, when I hear my Dad and Oscar catching up. He runs behind us as we run towards 7-11. We pass 7-11 and start to run right by the Barnhart Museum. As we are running by the white fence, I see a guy taking photos. I later find out it was the newspaper guy taking photos. We keep running. I see up in the distance the courthouse building. As we run past the building, my Dad starts to pass us. It’s the long uphill which then leads to the downhill into downtown. Leah and I start to pick it up. My legs hurt really bad. I know that I won’t be upset if my Dad beats me. As we near the top of the hill I can see the downhill. I know I have a good sprint. Leah and I start to sprint down the hill passing my Dad. My Dad says to cross the road and we cross over and finish. I finish hand in hand with Leah. God let that race be great. I do know that it was difficult for my Dad to run with Oscar in a race. So he could have gone faster. But at least I am glad I beat him in this race. |
ARIEL 1st mile 3, 2, 1, go! There are a lot of people. I start running. I am able to catch up with my Mom. We pass Victory Velo bike shop and turn by Monkey Cat Restaurant. Up ahead my Dad is calling to my Grandfather (Pappy) where to go. Then my Mom does the same. “Pappy this way! Follow the runners!” yells my Mom. I am staying with my Mom. Then we start up a hill. “go Ariel don’t waste your energy! Good job! You’re doing great! Your doing so well” called Mom. I pass one girl that looks my age. I get up the hill. I start going down the hill. My Mom is getting farther and farther away. A girl with a dog passes me. I want to stay with her. In my head I make a new goal. The goal is to stay close to her or stay ahead of her. We run the way that Mommy, Anna, and I would drive to track. Then we get to the main street and pass Placer High. We run some more. 2nd mile We turn by State Farm on Pleasant Ave. We run straight and uphill. I am still behind the girl with the dog. I pass a boy that looks my age. We run straight for a long time. I pass the fair grounds. Then across the train tracks. Then more straight roads. It is nice that there aren’t a lot of hills. I’m enjoying the straightness. We start up another hill and it isn’t so bad. I pass a girl that looks a little older than me. We pass the Overlook Park. I’m trying to pass that girl. Finally, I pass her. I run down the hill I start smelling smoke. It goes away and then comes back. There is a soccer game going on. 3rd mile I’m running past Railhead Park. I turn then I run past the new homes. I keep running straight. Then I cross railroad tracks. I keep running straight then I turn. Across the street. Past 7-11 and then past the Fairgrounds opening and the Barnhart Museum. Across the street again. I’m running straight and I’m starting to hurt a lot. I hear a dog leash behind me. Oh no, hope its not the girl who I’m trying to stay ahead I’m thinking in my head. The sound isn’t loud. I look behind me and see her coming. I run faster. I turn, go uphill a little, and, as I go down, I hear something that sounds like someone is running in flipflops. I look behind me fast and all I see is a blur. I think it’s a boy. He is trying to pass me. I see the finish. I sprint in to the finish. All done! |
