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Date/Location: |
11/25/21, Auburn, CA |
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Distances: |
10K |
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Time: |
45:47, 7:19 min/mi (Unofficial) |
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Place: |
5th |
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Teammates: |
Teammates- 10K: Dillon Holloway, Jim Kepfer, Robin Soares 5K: Ariel Soares, , Jesse Redding, Micah Redding & MANY OTHER AUBURN FRIENDS |
I’m glad to be running with my family at our local downtown Thanksgiving Day 5k/10k. Robin & I are doing the 10k while Anna & Ariel and other friends do the 5k. I’m running with Oscar which I haven’t done in a race in quite a while. He’s going to be crazy excited so I’ve got the bigger leash and collar to keep a hold of him. He always wants to please but he feels it’s his job to find a way to the front of the pack. He doesn’t realize that I can’t run as fast as the High Schoolers 
I want to see if I can be close to 7:00 pace. We pray before the race. The Lord is the reason I’m even able to run. I’ve had a lot of trouble with my right heel but this summer the Lord blessed me with good runs and I’m very thankful for that.
As usually happens here, someone says “Go!” and I’m not ready. Oscar & I are surrounded by runners, mainly young kids going out way too fast. Soon we’re going up the steep Cherry Ave, away from the crowd. Anna is running next to me while the other high schoolers are farther up ahead. Anna is staying back with me to save her legs for the State Meet in a couple days. I guess she notices some confusion ahead and tells me they probably don’t know which way to go. I pick up the pace realizing to get closer to them. They start to turn left but I yell “straight!” and they’re back on track. Whew! I hate to see the winners go off track.
Mile 1. 7:21. Oscar is still overly excited but we’re managing ok. We’re running with Micah, the little sister of Jesse Redding, one of Anna’s cross-country friends she’s competed against for a number of years. Anna invited them today and Jesse is up ahead. We can still see her. She’s going the right way.
Up the final big hill. I’m focusing on my form. My heel has been tender lately but that may also be because of sporadic training. Micah is falling back a bit. We encourage her that it’s all downhill soon.
Mile 2. 7:43. The downhill starts! We cross a couple streets. Anna is wanting to press the “Walk” buttons to help the lights for Micah behind us a ways. We get to the big turn at the Court House and by this time can’t see Jesse ahead. There are arrows from other Auburn races going straight. I hope she didn’t follow those… she’ll be headed towards Loomis!
Mile 3. 7:06. We come to the town square. Anna sprints ahead and finishes. Thankfully we see Jesse who finished first woman. I continue on for the next loop. The highschoolers doing the 10k are so far ahead I can’t see them and no one else is around me. Oscar is calm. It’s just us… until we catch up to the 5k walkers. We have to weave through the crowd but it’s great seeing everyone and wishing them Happy Thanksgiving.
Mile 4. 7:26. Ok, a little slower than our first time here, but will try to pick it up some. Foot is warmed up.
Mile 5. 7:09. That’s a big improvement over the first time up the long hill. It’s all down hill and I feel good. Oscar and I are running fast. I see a high schooler, Dillon Holloway, our friends’ son. I think I can catch him. I give a great effort. Still 50 yds ahead with a slight climb to the finish.
Mile 6. 6:39. Still possible to catch him. 200 yds to go… then Oscar stops to use the bathroom… ok, we lose about 10 secs, but we still finish fast.. behind Dillon.
Thank you Lord for letting us all be able to run and have fun and to be healthy. It’s a great blessing!