Date/Location: | 3/9/19 – Auburn to Granite Beach |
Distance: | 5 Miles |
Time: | 41:15 |
Place: | 1st Female, 1st in AG (14 & Under Females); 4th Overall Woman |
Teammates: | 31K: Robin Soares; 50K: Ardelle Seely |
I am getting ready to go. I take off my jacket and give it to dad. The yellow fuzz that was on the inside of the jacket is stuck to my black arm warmers. It’s not that bad because it matches my FCA outfit. I get to the start and I'm ready to go. I’m going to try to do a 7:10 pace.
10, 9, 8, … 3, 2, 1, Go!!!! I start running, one of the runners takes off sprinting. I don't think he's going to hold that pace all the way through. I start running up the hill and turn on to the levy at the top. I run across the Levy feeling strong. I am keeping my 7:10 pace and think I will be able to keep it all the way, maybe. In the beginning, there are trails with water and I have to jump over them. It takes up some of my energy. We start going up some hills and down others. At mile 1, I am starting to feel tired. I am not staying with 7:10 but I am not really worried because I planned that I might not be able to keep the pace.
There is a steep uphill which tires my legs out and then another steep uphill which also tires out my legs. My stomach starts to feel bad and it's somewhat slowing me down. I try not to slow down, but my pace gets slower. I am keeping a 7:40 which isn’t that bad. I then run on a trail that goes by a beautiful beach. Even though the view is great, the hills and downhills never stop. I am getting tired and I think I should have drank more water. When I finally get to the last 2 miles, I'm excited because the turnaround should be coming up soon. I start to look for the man who sprinted ahead, because if he kept up the pace he should be coming back by now. I see him shortly and tell him good job. A man passes me but I don't mind. I just try to keep going my pace. After a while, I see the turnaround at the top of a hill.
I get to the top and turn around and start to run back. As I am running back, I see all the people behind me. I don't see any women close to me and so maybe I'll be the first woman! Although I'm feeling content whatever place I get, all I need to do is focus on God. My pace is a 7:55 but I don't let it get me down and keep running hard for God. In the Bible, it talks about how we should give our all for God and that's what I'm going to try to do today, even though I'm going slower then expected.
After about a half a mile another guy passes me, but I keep him in sight. I think about maybe I can pass him in the end, but I am content if I don't. We get to a steep hill and he starts walking, but I decide not to walk because I want to run the entire thing. Even though I am running up the hill, I am going the same pace as he is walking. At the top of the hill we keep running and then hit another hill. He walks again but I run. My stomach still doesn't feel well but I don't slow down.
I'm about a mile and a half away now. I remember that my cross country races are that long. But a mile and a half seems longer now then when it did during cross-country. The man starts to pull ahead I'm not worried about trying to stay with him. At a mile left I try to pick it up. I get to an aid station and get water. I drink some and pour the rest on my head. About .6 miles away from the finish, I start to smile for no reason and feel new energy. I'm sure it's a gift from God. I have an average of 8-minute pace but I'm going faster than 8-minute pace now with my new energy. My shoe comes untied, but I don't stop to tie it. I turn into a parking lot and I see the man far ahead of me, I don't mind. I think of God and keep running. As I get close to the end of the parking lot, I see kids running the happy kids duathlon. I can see that I am running on the same trail as they're on. I check the time and know that I won't be able to see Ariel because she's probably already on the bike. I look behind me and see no women. Even though I won't get my goal time, I'll get a good place.
I hit the trail and now am .4 from the finish line. I start to run faster. I pass some kids doing the duathlon and keep running. There's a big puddle up ahead and only one way to get around it. There is a kid in front and she lets me go first. I yell back “thank you”, that was really nice of her! I can now see the long straight away to the finish. I hit the straightaway and start to pick it up. I pass a few kids running. As I get closer I see my Dad. I see the finish and start to sprint. I feel really happy and smile. I sprint in and point to God to give the credit to him, for he helped me finish. I pushed the last mile and was able to get my average pace down to 7:55.
Praise the Lord for he is good His love endures forever.
