Thursday, November 28, 2019

Run to Stock the Closet 10K-Robin-2019

Date/Location:
11/28/19, Auburn, CA
Distances:
10K
Time:

48:23 (Unofficial)

Place:

2nd Female Overall?

Teammates:

Teammates-

10K: Bailey Cossantine, Jim Kepfer, Martin Sengo, Libby & Jason Shykowski, Troy Soares & Oscar the Dog

5K: Anna & Ariel Soares, Boatwright Family, Ashley & Hunter Glass and HEIDT Family & MANY OTHER AUBURN FRIENDS

It’s great to be home for Thanksgiving and hosting my family!  We head down to Main Square Auburn and donate our canned goods to the local food bank putting on the race. There are no bib numbers, race results or awards but just a bunch of folks coming out to run (easy or hard) on Thanksgiving morning.  It’s like a mini reunion with many of our local friends.  Thanking the Lord that the rain storm has subsided!  It is still cold and cloudy.

Troy, Anna, Ariel and I say a prayer and just as we are finishing up, the race starts!  We quickly jump into race mode and take off. 

True Auburn style, we start running uphill into Downtown Auburn.  Then up behind downtown and past Placer High School.  The football team is practicing on their wet, new field for the playoff game coming up this Saturday.  Dedication!  I’m running with Jim Kepfer, Anna’s coach, and Martin Sengo.  Up ahead are Libby and Jason Shykowski.  Troy is behind us with Oscar and I can tell Oscar is not on his best behavior.  The excitement of all the runners to chase down is probably the issue.

MIle 1 is 7:55.  Glad to see that I’m able to run under 8 min pace.  Jim and I catch up to the Shykowski’s and pull ahead of Martin.

Up another hill along the Fairgrounds.  I see one of Ariel’s cross country teammates running with his cousins.  I tell him good job.  I’m surprised to see Anna and Hunter ahead.  They are cruzing along comfortable and not at a blistering pace today.

We run past Railhead park where a morning pick-up football game is starting. 

Mile 2 is 7:49.  Great!  Troy and Oscar catch up to us and go by.  Anna looks back and sees them coming and takes off.  Up another hill past the Courthouse building and then a bit more up to the police station.  I pull ahead of Jim. 

MIle 3 is 7:29 and my average is 7:42.  I hope I can maintain this when I repeat the loop!    

I pass the starting line and start the 2nd lap.  Troy and Oscar have pulled ahead by quite a bit.

Mile 4 is 7:52.  My average pace has creeped up after climbing up through Downtown.  I hope to make up for it later. 

Martin catches up to me and we chat for a bit.  He then pulls away after the climb past the fairgrounds.  There are a lot of walkers and dogs doing the first loop.  I see familiar families like the Boatwrigthts from our church and Life Group.  I keep my eyes open for my mom.  I hope to see her along the way!

Mile 5 is 7:43.  My average is getting close to 7:42 again.  Just got to keep trying.  I push to try to catch up to Martin.  Just then I hear my mom say “Rob!”.  I was focused ahead at that moment,  I wasn’t looking for my mom.  I wave over my shoulder and say “good job Mom!”

MIle 6 is 7:08 and my average is under 7:41.  Yay!  Thank you Lord!  Once past the police station it’s all downhill!  I push hard and finish across an imaginary finish line.  Done!  Thank you Lord!  That was a fun start to the morning.  Time to regroup with the family!