Date/Location: | December 5, 2021 - Sacramento, Ca |
Distance: | 12.8 mi (Leg #1 of the 26.2 mi Marathon Relay. CIM relay races started in 1995) |
Time: | 3:23:32 (2-person relay) 1:32:54 for 12.8 miles 7:16 pace |
Place: | 1st out of 4 in “Girls” Division |
Relay Teammates: | Leah Booth (Leg #1: 13.4 miles) |
Other Teammates: | Relay *FCA Endurance: Troy & Robin Soares *Placer Speedsters: Leah Booth & Anna Soares Track/Local Friends *Pacers: Jim Kepfer, Tim Twietmeyer *Racers: Elias Alvarez, Jason & Libby Shykowski, Melissa Penwell, Wyatt Hamilton |
CIM 2021 - Half Marathon with Leah!
I get to the relay exchange, excited to start the CIM relay. Leah, my relay partner, should be almost done with running the first half of the marathon. As I'm waiting, I cheer on Wyatt and Elias, two boys from my cross country team, as they come through running the whole marathon. I then cheer my dad as he hands off to my mom.
I look around for Leah and spot her. I tell her good job, grab the chip, and take off. I'm going to try to run at a steady pace but I'm really excited. So far this feels like the easiest half marathon ever. At first I'm passing a lot of people who are going at a slower pace, but eventually I catch up to around my pack group. As I'm running, I look around for signs. My dad said that there were a lot of funny ones out on the course. They are pretty funny, but there are too many to read! I also enjoy watching the crowd and bands as I'm running. It keeps my mind off the long race ahead. I go by the first aid station and grab some water. I then go back to my pace. My dad said that I should do 8 minute pace for most of it and speed up towards the end. Right now I've been getting around 7:45 and I decide to keep it that way. I'm feeling pretty energized and I try to do a good job of saving energy till the end. I then decide to focus on different running muscles each mile. I first work on pushing off the first mile, then quads the 2nd mile, and arms the 3rd mile. At mile 3, as I'm looking around I see a nice CIM water bottle on the ground without a top. I debate on whether I should pick it up. However, I run by it before I decide. That's too bad, I'll try to look for something next time that I can get. Not too long after as I am running, I see a nice running water bottle on the ground. While still debating if I should grab it, I run past it! Next time, I tell myself, I should just stop and grab it because they're pretty nice water bottles.
I then see a girl about my age ahead of me. I run to catch up. I introduce myself and find out her name is Maeve. She does cross country also and went to state this year too. She went individually and is a great runner. I also find out this is her second half marathon and she's doing the relay with her mom. I'm really excited that I found someone my speed to run with. I find out that her overall half marathon is faster than mine, so I told her I'll try to stay with her as long as I can. Now I'm going at a faster pace with her at 7:30 min. I think I can hold it to the end because I'm about halfway. We enjoy talking and running together. I hit six miles and grab my gel. I can't wait, it's pomegranate flavored! It tastes good, and then I wash it down with some water at an aid station. As Maeve and I are running, we see the 3:30 pacer group ahead. We run by and pass it. I'm really excited about passing a pacing group and maybe we can catch up to the 3:25 group.
Maeve and I continue to run together and we run by her cross country coach. Maeve says hi to him. I then find out that he does 100 mile runs. It's cool to have a cross country coach that understands longer distances.
At the next aid station I grab a banana. It's really good, and I know it will give me some energy for the end of the race. I’m now at 9 miles and can take my next gel. However I'm so close to finishing that I don't want to take another one. We're both starting to pick up the pace now as we get close to the end. I can start to see the city come into view. All I have to do is get into the city and I'll be done with the race. I have less than 4 miles left. Maeve and I can now see the 3:25 our group. Yay, I get to pass another pacing group!
I'm now starting to look for my mom and Elias. My mom had a head start and I thought that I could possibly catch her. For Elias, this is his first marathon and he won't be going as fast as he normally does. I keep my eye out for them as I go over a bridge. On the other side we go through a tunnel that has the sign saying,”Welcome CIM runners.” I'm almost done!
We're into the city now. I'm now starting to drop Maeve and I hope she keeps up the pace. I have 2 miles left to go and I'm pushing it. I'm starting to feel the classic marathon pains as my knees, hips, and feet are starting to be sore. I push through the pain. Normally XC racing pain hurts really bad and I don’t like it, but for me long distance pain is my favorite. I love pushing through it. I enjoy pushing myself and picking up the pace, getting below 7 minutes. I keep my eye out for the Christmas tree which I know I can see before I finish. I still have a mile and a half to go, but I keep up the fast pace. As I’m running, I see a guy sprint pass me as he gives a push towards the end of the race. However, after a while I catch back up to him. He does this a few more times, I guess he's more of a sprinter than a distance runner.
I keep pushing with less than a mile to go! My whole body hurts, but I know I'm really close. I can see more and more people and move my legs faster and faster. Up ahead I see the runners turning. I know the finish line is around the corner! I push around the corner and push towards the finish line. As I’m running, I remember how God helped me run a race without my hip interfering with my running, not letting me roll a ankle, giving me energy, giving me pain I like to push through and a friend to run with. I give Him the Glory that He deserves when I finish. I feel very grateful for the race He gave me! I see mom and we congratulate each other. I wait for Maeve and cheer her on. I couldn’t have run that fast without her. I told her good job and that she still could have beat me because I could have had a head start with the relay lineup. She did such a good job. God overall blessed our team with a 3:25:32! I also ran a negative split the last mile from the first!
Praise the Lord for He is Good, His Love Endures Forever
RELAY HISTORY
Year | Team Name | Relay Div | Place | Time | Teammates |
2021 | Placer Speedsters | Girls | 4/62 | 3:23:32 | Leah Booth (#1)* *3 and 4-person relays have been retired |
2019 | EV Cain Speedsters | Co-Ed High School | 2nd/ 11 | 3:20:46 | Hunter Glass (Leg #1), Leah Booth (Leg #2), Holden Robertson (Leg #4) |
2018 | EV Cain Speedsters | Co-Ed High School | 1st/ 12 | 3:06:33 | Enzo Gallo (Leg #2), Leah Booth (Leg #3), Hunter Glass (Leg #4) |
2017 | FCA Endurance | Co-Ed Fitness Club | 2nd/24 | 3:19:01 | Greg Biddle (Leg #1), Troy Soares (Leg #3), Kris Kennedy (Leg #4) |
2016 | FCA Endurance | Co-Ed Fitness Club | 43rd/739 | 3:19:43 | Troy Soares (Leg #1/2), Kris Kennedy (Leg #3) |