| Date/Location: | July 4, 2022 – Coronado, Ca – Racing Since 2011 |
| Distances: | 12km |
| Time: | 1:02:42 |
| Place: | 2nd |
| Others: | 12K: Robin Soares |
(Story below...)
We get out on the course and I'm pushing my pace to 8:30 to stay with my mom for a little bit. It's really cool that we get to run with each other this year. As we get close to running under the bridge, we pass a group of drummers playing for all the runners. They do this every year and it's really appreciated.
We head out further onto the course and start running around the golf course. Usually, I do the 5K and I only run a little bit around the golf course, but now I get to run around the entire thing and beyond. At the 5k turnaround, 1 1/2 miles, my hip starts to feel a little sore. I drop back from my mom to take it easier. As I'm running, a lady runs by me and tells me that she likes my jersey. I tell her thanks and God bless.
After running for a while, I start to curve towards the end of Coronado. We are now running by the pier. I remember hanging out here with my cousin and uncle watching the parachuters. Up ahead I notice my mom has stopped by the side of the road stretching. I ask her what's wrong and she says her hamstring isn't loosening up and it's just staying tight. I pray that God will help her be able to keep running.
I continue ahead now hoping that she'll follow close soon. I am now at the end of the pier running on a long highway road at the end of Coronado. This eventually will connect to Imperial Beach. As I'm running along, my hip is starting to bother me a lot more. I decide to try to find a spot to quickly stretch it. I see a spot off the side of the road and I stop to stretch my hip. I start running again continuing to focus on my form. I have been going at a slow and mellow pace for most of this race in order to keep my hip in good shape. Now I'm going to try to pick it up these last three to four miles and to try to give my hip a different feeling. Up ahead I see the turnaround. I'm so excited! I turn around and start heading back.
As I'm heading back, a girl younger than me passes me. This reminds me to keep picking up the pace. I pass her and start running with an older girl going my pace ahead of me. We run together for 2 miles. I enjoyed talking to her about Coronado. I try not to talk to her too much though because I don't want to tire her out. And soon start curving back by the golf course.
I've started to pick it up and run further ahead. The younger girl then passes me again and I run on after her. I catch up to her and then to the lady who commented on my FCA Jersey. I talked to her for a while too and enjoyed being able to run and talk with great athletes. The younger girl than passes me again, so I take off casing her. I'm so close to the home stretch now as I pass her. My hips starts to hurt a little bit more and I take a quick stretch to help get me to the finish. It is pretty sore now, but not like injury pain, just distance pain. I run under the bridge and push towards the finish. I run through the finish and give God the glory. I'm really happy that I was able to finish this 7 ½ mile race. This has been my longest run for the past few weeks because of my hip. I’m glad got God got me through this. My overall time was 1:02:42, with a average pace of 8:24. I was also blessed with being 2nd in my age group.
Praise The Lord For He Is Good, His Love Endures Forever!