|
Date/Location: |
July 4, 2021 – Coronado, Ca (Racing here since 2015) |
|
Distances: |
5 km |
|
Time: |
24:46 (Previous PR 24:42-2019) |
|
Place: |
4th (65 Total), 1- 14 Female |
|
Teammates: |
5K: Anna Soares, Jan “Grammie” Heidt; 12K: Robin & Troy Soares |
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO! I start walking slowly as the crowd of people move through the start line. It took a while for the crowds to pass through and finally, I reach the starting line. I start my Garmin and begin to run. I run under a big American Flag that is being held up by people. Mom is running next to me and Dad is in front of us. Dad seems to be going at a good pace so I catch up with him and run with him. We run along the ocean on a bike path. There are a lot of runners. I keep losing dad in the crowd, at least he is wearing his yellow FCA shirt which makes it easier to spot him. We run next to a bunch of drummers. They’re really good. We run under a bridge and continue on the bike path.
I keep up with Dad and I am being quiet so he wouldn’t realize. This pace feels nice, I feel like I can keep it the whole way. I look down at my watch, I can’t believe that I’m going 8-minute pace. In my training, I was not even able to do this for 2 miles. I thank God for the blessing. I wonder if I can get my PR, 24:42.
I keep on Dad. We turn onto a road. I’m getting tired. Dad turns around and sees me. He’s surprised that I could keep up with him. I told him it’s a good pace. We pass a lot of people.
My watch beeps for one mile. I’m so happy, just a half-mile left, and I’ll be at the turnaround. I can see the next aid station. When Dad got there he did not get any water. Since I am not too thirsty and because I want to stay with Dad, I skip the water station and continue. I see some people coming back. I look for Anna. I’m tired now, but I keep running at this pace. My watch says 1.3, I’m almost there! Dad congratulates me on staying behind him. I keep passing kids and adults. Up ahead I can now see the turnaround. I’m so happy. I run a little faster to catch up to Dad. I pass a kid, who is probably 8 and started in the first wave. I say goodbye to Dad and I turn around.
I see a girl in front of me. She’s probably Anna’s age. I decide to stay with her. I stay behind her. I look at my watch, my pace improves to 7:54 pace as I stay right behind her. I start to feel even more tired. I know that I only have a little over a mile to go. Two adults pass me. I stay locked onto one. I can now see the aid station. As I get closer, my watch beeps 2 miles. I pass the aid station again and don’t get any water. I start falling back. I can’t keep this pace for another mile. (Later I figured out I was going about 7:30 pace.) My pace on my Garmin that had been 7:45 minute pace was now 7:50 pace.
On the other side of the cones, it was now mainly walkers walking out. I look for Grammie, who is also doing the 5k. All I remember her wearing was a black shirt. I can see the bike path. I look for Grammie on the bike path. There she is. I can’t believe I was able to spot her. I get closer to the bike path and she gets on the road. I clap and cheer for her. Instead of running back on the bike path, I continue to run on the road. Cones on the road funnel me and the rest of the runners onto a path next to the bike path. I’m almost there! Less than a mile away!
I can still see the girl I had stayed with, in the distance. I pass a guy. The guy tries to pass me back, but I run a little bit faster to keep him behind me. Two different men pass me. I look at my watch, it says 8:00 minute pace. I can’t believe it. It felt like I was running at a 9:00 minute pace. I can see the bridge. That means I’m so close. I run a little faster. The gate on the path ends and now we are back on the bike path. I run under the bridge. I can hear the drummers. I run past them. I thank God for getting me this far. I pass some people and go a little faster. I run past people cheering. I can see the finish line. I run into the finish line with my hands pointed to the sky, meaning I’m giving the turnout of this race to God because he helped me get here. I run through the finish line with a time of 24:48, 4 seconds slower than my fastest time. I was planning to run a 26-29 minute 5k, but God helped me get way better. I got fourth in my age group.
