| Date/Location: | 2/22/20, Granite Bay |
| Distance: | 1mi R – 3miB – 1mi R |
| Time: | Ariel: 27:00 |
| Place: | Ariel: 1st, 11-12 Year Old Girls |
Run
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, go! I start running. Yesterday, I injured my ankle and a week ago I hurt my Achilles. I was thinking they were going to hurt but, when I started running it didn't hurt. I ran up the hill. I'm trying to stay close to the girl that always beats me. I run fast because I know the trails coming and I don't want to be stuck behind any kids but I still try not to run too fast so my Achilles and Ankle don't hurt. The girl is getting farther and farther away, but I can still see her. I feel slower than normal. Surprisingly my ankle and my Achilles are not hurting. I try to run a good pace. I go past a lot of Driftwood and down a small hill. I go across a Driftwood bridge over a tiny little puddle. Kids are passing me but, I keep most of them behind me. The turn is marked with a driftwood curve that leads to a long path. There's a younger girl ahead. And I think I can see the lead girl, too, but she's very far ahead. My ankle and my Achilles are not hurting, but I'm still feeling very slow.
I realize something odd. There is always a big puddle to jump over but today there isn't. I think maybe they dried it up or maybe it dried out. I run up a small gradual hill. I’m still trying to set a steady pace. I set my goal on a person in front of me. I keep getting close to him but every time I pass him, he passes me back. I’d pass him for a while but then later he comes back and catches me. I pass him again and this time I try hard to stay in front. I know I'm close to the Finish and to the start of the bike. I want to stay ahead to the transition. I run around the corner and see people. I hear Daddy yelling at me saying “Go, Ariel!” I run into transition and get on my bike and run my bike to the starting line.
Bike
I’m off! I go up the big hill and onto a road that is turning gradually. I see the little girl in front of me. I want to pass her so I speed up. I go down a hill onto a long road. I'm getting closer and closer to her. My legs feel like I’m about to give up but I don't stop. I keep pedaling. I pass her. I set my goal on getting closer to the really fast girl. I know she's 13 but I still want to get closer and closer to her until maybe I can catch her. She's a tough competition. I bike down a small hill onto a long bumpy road. This helps me see my competition. I look down the Rocky hill that holds the road up to see if there are any really slow runners down there but I don't see any. At the end of the road, I drink some sports drink. I need it to have more energy on this bike. I bike faster hoping to get closer and closer to her. I get to the long and tight turn. I go up and down a lot of hills. I keep trying to get closer to the kids in front. I bike into a big, long hill. I go up a hill and then down into a sharp turn. I remember what they told me at training “Raise your foot that is on the inside of the turn" but instead I continue pedalling fast on the turns. I hear someone behind me and I go faster. He passes me but, I stay right behind him. I pass him back. I can see the hill coming. I plan to wait until I’m right at the bottom before switching to a lower gear. However, I don't switch to a low enough gear and I notice my mistake. I switch again to the lowest gear and it still feels a little hard. I know I started up it too fast and now I watch him get farther ahead. I don’t let him get too far before I pick up the pace. I go down the hill into a really tight turn. I hear the person at the turn say “nice turn!”. I ride up and down hills. I get back to the long turn and back onto a curved road. I get back on the really long road and peddle faster. I get to the end and rush down the hill into transition. I take off my helmet and put my bike up.
Run
I run out onto the run. I have to not let anyone pass me. I go up the big hill and then turn onto the trail. I run through the trees. I turn and go past a lot of Driftwood and down a small hill. I go across the Driftwood bridge. I turn along with the driftwood turn and get back on the long path. I set a steady pace but then as I get closer and closer to the finish line I go faster. I run up a short, steep hill and then go down it. I know I'm close to the Finish line. I run up a small path. I run around the corner and see people. I hear Daddy yelling at me saying “Go, Ariel!” I sprint all the way to the end and speed through the finish line. I got 1st in my age group and 2nd girl overall.
