Crown City 5K-Ariel-2019

Date/Location:	July 4, 2019 – Coronado, Ca (Racing here since 2015)
Distances:	5 km
Time:	24: 42, PR! (Previous PR 29:09-2018)
Place:	9th (72 Total), 1- 14 Girls
Others:	5K: Anna Soares, Jan “Grammie” Heidt; 12K: Robin  & Troy Soares

My Race Story

Written by, Ariel Soares

This is a girl’s race story about finishing the Crown City Classic 5k. Age 10.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Go! I start to run. Mommy holds my hand as we run under the American flag. Mommy was doing the 12k and I am doing the 5k. They combined races. We got stuck in the 2nd wave. If I finish right behind someone who started in the first wave, which means I would have been ahead of them with my time.

We start to run on a sidewalk. I can see Daddy way ahead of me. I stay with Mommy. We run under a bridge onto a gated path. I start to lose Mommy but try to catch Daddy. So, I run faster and faster and finally I catch up to him. We run together and talk. Daddy is doing the 12k. We come to an aid station. I get a drink of water. I see the mile sign. We keep running.

I see Anna running towards us. We cheer her on. We keep running. We can see the 5k turnaround. I see this girl go past holding a 25 min 5k sign. I tell Dad "that looks good." I get to the turnaround. I go around it. Daddy keeps going because he's in the 12k. I start to run faster because I want to catch up to the 25min girl. I try to keep her insight. I see the aid station. I get water and keep running.

I can see the 2nd mile sign. I keep running and running. Finally, I can see the path. I know there is not far to go. I see Grammie. I wave. I keep running on the gated path. I can see the bridge that I ran under earlier. I go under it. Finally, I catch up to the girl holding the 25-minute 5k sign and I stay with her. I see the finish line I start to sprint. I pass the girl and sprint into the finish line. Thank you, God!

Tri For Real #1 Aquathon–Anna-2019

Date/Location:	6/9/19, Rancho Seco Park, Herald, CA
Distances:	1.5km S – 10km R Aquathon
Time:	1:41:02
Place:	2nd Female
Teammates:	TeamMates/Friends: Troy Soares, Troy Outman (Aquabike), Ariel (Kids Tri), Dave Campbell, Keith Hansen, Tony Marengo,  David Slothower (Aquabike), Tiana Rockwell

SWIM

I get my wetsuit on and am excited to race. I get in the water with my dad. We both get water inside are wetsuits so they are easier to take off. I do a small warm-up swim. And then watch my dad take off in the swim. He is doing the full Olympic distance and I am only doing the Swim & Run of the Olympic distance.

After a little bit, it is my turn to swim. I am very excited and nervous at the same time. The announcer counts down. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0. I take off. I feel good but I know there's a long swim ahead. I try to draft but everyone is mostly ahead. I focus on the first orange guide buoy. Troy Outman told me it's better to go on the right side of the guide buoy because it’s a shorter distance.

There is a lot of seaweed underneath us but it soon disappears after a while. I finally get to the orange guide buoy and focus on getting to the first turn buoy. I am catching some people in the heats before me. I keep swimming and get closer to the turn buoy. When I get to the turn buoy, I go around it and head for the second guide buoy.  We are on the other side of the lake and I start to see more seaweed. I mostly stare at the seaweed and swim. I look up to make sure that I am going the right way and not swimming into people too.

It is a long swim and I finally get to the second orange guide buoy. There is one more guide buoy until I get to the 2nd white turn buoy. The swim is peaceful and I enjoy it. The seaweed disappears and appears underneath me. It looks like mountains and mountains of seaweed. All of the sudden I feel my cap ripping. I know though that it can’t fall off because of my goggles. I try to draft behind some people and swim next to them.

I get to the white turn buoy and head back to shore. I try to draft behind someone but they keep zigzagging. They are on my left and then there on my right. I am now in the middle of the lake and can’t see any seaweed. The sun has started to shine and I see sunlight rays shooting through the water. I pass the last and final guide buoy and I am now close to the shore. As we get closer I can see some more seaweed. I can now see my Mom and sister waiting on shore for me. I see them but I don’t think they can see me. As I get closer to shore the seaweed gets closer. The seaweed stops though and it is all sand now. I swim a little farther and than get up and start to run. When I am out of the water, I take off my wetsuit, cap, and goggles. I run to transition and get my running gear on. I start to put my race belt on but it is all tangled. I finally get it untangled and take off.

RUN

My Dad said that I should give it a good effort and to try to get 7:30 pace. I am running and feel good. I am running on a dirt path and it is hot. I don’t feel the heat much though. I see a lady up ahead. I think she's the one I met in transition, Liz. Up ahead I also see the aid station. I get water and drink it. The last bit I pour on myself. I continue running and start to feel a cramp in my lower stomach. I keep running because there is nothing else to do.

I run up and down the hills and keep my eye on the girl. I am slowly gaining on her. I also see an aid station up ahead. I start to eat my gel so when I get to the aid station I can drink water to wash it down. After running for a while I pass the lady and we say good job to each other. We are at the aid station and I grab water. I drink it and throw the rest on me. I am running on a gravel road now. My stomach is not getting better and it is uncomfortable.

I start to run downhill on a road. At the bottom is the turnaround. As I am running my stomach hurts a lot and I walk for a second. I try to stretch my stomach cramp but I can’t seem to stretch it at all. I start to run again. I see a lady in front coming back from the turnaround. I think I can catch her but my stomach cramp is not letting me go super fast. I get to the turnaround and turn. The lady in front of me has already turned back onto the gravel road. I start to run up the hill and see the lady behind me. She has spider webs stuck to her back dangling behind her. I wonder how they got connected. I run up the hill and I turn onto the gravel road at the top. I check my watch and am surprised to see that I am going 7:20 min pace. I try to keep up the pace. I see the aid station ahead from before but before I get to it a sign says to turn onto a trail. The trail is windy and I don't enjoy it too much. I can see the finish area over the lake. It looks a long way away. As I am running I see a bunch of spider webs dangling everywhere. So that's how she got the webs on her. I get some on me as I run.

I walk one more time and then the trail ends. I am at the aid station on the gravel road. I grab some water and drink it. I then turn onto another trail and there are a ton of spider webs. I duck underneath them. Or at least I try. I run on the trail and go across mini bridges. I have to walk sometimes. The lady behind me catches me and tries to help me out. She tells me to keep walking. I keep walking even though it's starting to really hurt. I walk and run but stop a lot and sit. I get in some shade and stay there. It is too painful and hurts really bad. I ask God for help. After a while, a man comes around the corner. He is a race official who was out running the run. He comes over and I tell him that I am hurting. He starts to help me up but I start to throw up. It is uncomfortable. He looks at my bib number and tells me he will get the truck. He leaves and I throw up a few more times. I lay in the shade and am still hurting but the pain starts to lessen. After awhile I feel better.

I start to walk and then I start to run. I run along the trail. I then start to see someone running towards me. It is Liz who passed me earlier after I had passed her. She had heard from one of the officials I guess. She asks if I'm ok and I say yes. I thank her and she says, “I can’t let someone faster than me finish behind me.” I tell her that is sweet. We run together and I see an aid station up ahead and I see my Mom there too. I get there and she tells me to get water and I do. I found out my Mom heard the news on the radio and ran to the first aid station. I keep running and Mom follows behind so she isn’t like a pacer. I see me Dad running towards us because he is doing the Olympic distance and starting the run.  My Mom quickly explains why she's running with me and we continue on. I also see Troy Outman who is racing. He cheers me on.

We are getting closer and I try to run fast. My stomach is hurt a teensy bit which holds me back from going really fast. I start to run on the grass and the finish is just ahead. I get to the road and run though. I point to the lord because kept me stable in it all. I get checked out by a medical person afterward. I am fine and said I had heat exhaustion. Thanks to the Lord I still got 2nd because my friend, Liz, who helped me out.  She finished 3rd.

Praise The Lord For He Is Good, His Love Endures Forever!

Tri for Kids #1–Ariel-2019

Date/Location:	6/9/19, Rancho Seco Park, Herald, CA
Distances:	50m S – 4mi B – 1mi R
Time:	25:12 PR! (Previous PR 31:35 – 2017)
Place:	2nd Female, 1st Femaile in Category
Teammates:	TeamMates/Friends: Troy Soares, Troy Outman (Aquabike), Anna (Aquathon), Dave Campbell, Keith Hansen, Tony Marengo,  David Slothower (Aquabike), Tiana Rockwell

SWIM

‍

10, 9, …, 3, 2, 1, go! I start swimming. I start kicking faster and faster. It feels like I'm behind a lot of people. But when I put my head up there's actually not a lot of people in front of me. I go around the buoy and then swim a little farther and then I feel the ground and I start running out of the water. I run to transition. Dad, Mom, and Anna cheer me on. Dad said he thought that I came out in fourth place on the swim and that I had the best kick out of every single person.

(Ariel is the 3rd swimmer from the front)

BIKE 

‍

I get on my shoes and socks. And bike out of transition. I pass people as I go over bumps. I keep trying to pass people as we start going over the bridge. I can see someone all the way across the bridge. It is the first person from the older kids race. As I get closer to the girl, I realize that it's my sister's friend, Shantelle. She is way ahead of me. There is no way I can ever get her. I pass more and more people as I go. I keep hoping that the turnaround is soon. I go past the entry to the park. Then I see a boy from my race coming back so I knew the turnaround wasn't that far away. Finally, I come to the turnaround. I go around the turnaround and see a lot of people. I see a girl that I know named Bella. I see some boys in front of me. I pass them right before I get into transition. I get off my bike and quickly take off my helmet and off I am on the run.

RUN ‍

I start on the run. I want to pass some more people. I don’t really know what place I am in. I run on some grass and get some water at the aid station. I run up a hill and down. I run over a bridge that they made. I run up and down and the I see the turn around. I turn around and run as fast as I can to the finish. Some boys are behind me. I go up and down. I get back to the grass and start sprinting. I finish.

Praise God. I got 1st place, Anna got 2nd place and Dad got 5th place.

TBF Tri for Real #1 (Troy)

Date/Location:	6/9/19, Rancho Seco Park, Herald, CA
Distances:	1.5km S – 40km B – 10km R
Time:	2:29:38 (27:59 – 1:23 – 1:09:29 – 1:08 – 49:38)
Place:	5th, M 50-54
Teammates:	TeamMates/Friends: Troy Outman (Aquabike), Ariel (Kids Tri), Anna (Aquathlon), Dave Campbell, Keith Hansen, Tony Marengo,  David Slothower (Aquabike), Tiana Rockwell

The TBF Tri-for-Real at Rancho Seco Park is a good venue for the Olympic Distance.  Warm water; flat, straight bike that can be windy, and a mixed-terrain run that can be hot!  I’m really run-down coming into this race.  There’s been a lot going on with the remodel at home and my last training ride I felt very fatigued.  Even though I’ll have to go slower to get through the race, it doesn’t mean the attitude or appreciation has to be less.  I know if I focus on God, every race has a purpose.

Anna and Ariel are also racing. Robin is supporting all 3 of us – I appreciate her support so much!  It’s good to see familiar faces: Troy & Sarah Outman, Dave & Francie Campbell – as well as their grand-daughter, Bella, who is racing the kids tri, Keith Hansen, Tony Marengo – a nice 17yr old kid in our neighborhood who is also a top triathlete, Tiana Rockwell, and Dave Slothower – who I’ve been racing with since 1995!

I warm up a little bit on the bike, a little in the water, but the only prior run I do is a barefoot sprint back-n-forth to transition watching Ariel’s performance.  She started a 1/2 hr before my race and had a great swim!  I got to see her transition from bike to run before I had to go to the start.

At the start, 4 of us gather to pray: Troy & Sarah Outman, Anna & I.  I’m reminded how good it is to have the Lord’s leading into any competitive event.  There are so many opportunities in a race, but without God I’m sure I would see only the competitiveness.  Instead of the depressing focus on the fact there is always someone faster, I can have the inspiring focus that there is always someone needing encouragement.  If I let Him, God can do that through me.

Swim

The start here is great – it’s a wide, clear, straight shot to the buoy.  I feel smooth, but quickly I’m losing touch with the group.  Right away I can tell I don’t have a higher gear to latch on to faster swimmers.  Around the first buoy and I can’t see too many in my wave.  I’m swimming straight and calm and having no issues.  I like seeing seaweed below at times because it shows I’m moving forward.  My pace feels good and I imagine I could still get a good time.  It takes a LONG time to get to the 2nd buoy.  I check my Garmin but the distance looks accurate.  It just feels long.  Around the buoy finally and towards shore.  It’s hard to see where the finish is but I try to trust my guess.

I come out to the wonderful support of Robin and Ariel (who had now finished her race) telling me I’m 1-1/2 min behind Dave Campbell.  It’s fun competition and I’ll give it my best.  [Keith Hansen is 4 min ahead, the lead woman in the next wave is 1-1/2 min behind, and Troy Outman, 2 waves behind is 3-1/2 min behind.]

Bike

I have a good transition, jump on my bike and it feels good to start biking.  But I can feel that my legs don’t have power.  Leaving the park I fumble my water bottle and drop it on the side of the road.  It will cost me some time but I’ll pick it up on the way back to comply with the no-littering rule.

There are plenty of bikes to try to keep up with.  A guy in just a speedo is ahead and I try to work on my pedal form to improve power and catch him.  Some positions seem good and I speed up, but at the cost of fatigue or comfort.  Other positions are not fast and he pulls away.  For all of us, it’s a perfect day out here without wind.

Last year I had all kinds of shifting problems.  This time the bike is working well.

1/2 way to the turn-around, the lead woman goes flying by me.  Pretty impressive.  A while later, the 5th place 50 yr old goes by me just as fast.  Before the turn-around, I see Dave Campbell going back already 3min ahead of me.  I yell, “Great job, Dave!”

At the turn-around I make an efficient fast turn and start pushing more with “compressed quads” (another pedal form I try sometimes).  Troy Outman is 1-1/2 min back.  I pass the guy in the Speedo again for the 5th time and he jokes as I appear, “Stop following me!”.  1/2 way back I see a gal on the opposite side of the road with her bike upside down.  I ask if she needs help and she says, “if you see sag support, tell them I’m here”.  That could be a long time for a small race like this, but not much later I see sag support heading towards her.  Thank you, Lord, for helping her.

The twin cooling towers of the old nuclear power plant are getting larger which thankfully means I’m almost done with the bike.  As I turn into the park, I hear Troy Outman, “Come on, Soares!”, moments before overtaking me.  I’m glad he’s having a good ride, especially because he has a running injury forcing him to do the Aquabike instead.

I pull of the road, jump down into the ditch and retrieve my water bottle.  Rookie move dropping it.  The guy in the speedo passes me during the manuever.  Finally, I come into T2, great dismount, slow transition tying my shoes, and now to see how much energy I have to run.  Anna should  be finishing the run about now.

[1st place 50 yr old is 12 min ahead, Keith is 8-1/2 min ahead, 5th place 50 yr old is 5min ahead, Dave Campbell is 4-1/2 min ahead]

Run

I high-five Troy Outman, who is now done, and head out with a smile.  I’ve got to drink a lot.  I start out slow, the body is tight, but the right achilles isn’t bothering me much.  1/2 mi out I see Anna running back, with Robin next to her.  “She threw up five times,” Robin says.  Poor Anna.  I wonder what happened and wish I was there to help, but I also feel the Lord’s comfort that, as painful an experience she had, it’s good for her to learn how to get through it and keep going.  [Anna most likely got dehydrated/heat exhaustion.  Robin overheard radio conversations to race officials at the finish about a young girl who was sick and ran out on the course to meet her for the last mile. Anna persevered and still got 2nd place].

I’m reminded of a race where Anna got terrible cramps and I chose not to stop and help, instead encouraging her to pray.  And I prayed that she would see his hand at work helping her finish. That proved to be an important experience and I pray today will, too.

Mile 1, 7:57.  I take a Hammer Gel and plenty of water.  I’m really feeling the fatigue and the heat, but gotta keep moving and remain positive – it might feel better, I might catch someone.

Mile 2, 8:01. I drink a water, pour a water on my head, try to look forward to the downhill to the turn-around.  I expect to see Dave coming back onto the dirt road from the street [actually Dave was 7min ahead so had just turned back off into the trails]  On the street now, with runners coming and going, and some struggling with the heat, I notice the sag van with multiple riders inside including the woman I saw on the side of the road.  I make the turn-around and push up the hill.

Mile 3, 7:47.  This hill seems harder and hotter than usual.  Turn left onto the fireroad, onto heavy gravel.  A guy passes me running farther to the side on the flat road.  I follow his idea to avoid the big rocks.  Onto the single-track, which is usually fun and I was hoping Anna would enjoy it but, under the circumstances with her feeling sick, probably not.  A quick stop.  Then an aid station - another Hammer Gel and a lot of water.  I’m beat but try to stay motivated to push.  I start counting the cool, curved, wooden bridges on this trail.  I pass a couple runners and try to encourage them by pointing out the bridges.

Mile 4, 8:24. [Tony has finished]  After 7 bridges, and almost back to the road, I see the 5th place 50yr old walking.  I ask him if he’s allright and he says, “No, I’m overheating”, but he’s walking fine and doesn’t appear serious.  I remind him there is water in 1/2 a mile.  I continue on and say a prayer for him, that he might be able to run the last mile. [Dave Campbell has finished]

Mile 5, 8:05.  1 more mile!  [Keith Hansen has finished] Sports drink and water on my head.  Thank you Lord for getting me to here.  Help me smile and press on.  I do smile.  I pass a couple more runners.

Mile 6, 7:55.  I see Robin up ahead.  And Troy Outman.  And Anna.  I point to God and smile with much appreciation for Him getting me through a hot struggle amidst much fatigue.

Mile 6.2, 1:28.  Done.  Thank you, Lord.  I talk with Dave, Keith and Troy.  I’m glad to see them excited about their bike times getting faster.  I’m usually a little bit faster than them and I know how exciting it is to finally catch someone you’ve been working hard to beat.  Some days you get caught, and sometimes you pull ahead, it’s fun sport if you can remember that, and a worthwhile sport if you can encourage others to race their best despite what others do. Now to recover, sleep, and be better prepared, Lord willing, for the next race

Folsom Lake International Triathlon (Troy)

Date/Location:	April 13th, 2019 – Lake Berryessa, CA
Distances:	1.5km S – 40km B – 10km R
Time:	2:26:57 (25:55 S – 1:13:26 B – 47:36 R)
Place:	2nd 45-49, 20th o/a
Teammates:	OLY – Dave Campbell, Keith Hansen, Dominic Pollizzi AQUA BIKE - FCA: Troy Outman SPRINT – FCA: Ariel & Anna Soares; Josh Cagney

Anna, Ariel and I arrive at Granite Beach.  Robin is sick and not able to do the Super Sprint as planned, so Ariel is doing it in her place!  It will be Ariel’s longest race event.

There’s a lot to get ready and we get to the start barely in time but we always stop to pray beforehand.  We want to remember there is so much more going on here than just seeing who is fastest.  Triathlons are about persevering and giving your best even when things aren’t going your way – which is perfect training for “life”.  This is something I need constant reminding of.

I’m doing the Olympic distance which starts an hour after the Super Sprint so I have time to swim with Ariel in her race before doing my race.

The Super Sprint starts!  Anna’s in the middle. Ariel’s near the back.  And I’m still putting my wetsuit on – with help from others near me.  I jump him and catch up to Ariel.  Thankfully she had a different color cap (due to changing Robin’s entry to her) so I could find her. 

Ariel is doing terrific, swimming straight.  I swim alongside talking to her peridically.  The water feels great.  Usually I’d be concerned about getting cold before my race but it’s nice.

Near the end of the swim I see Anna get out and struggle with her wetsuit.  I have a new water-level view of my girls racing.  Ariel gets out next and I get to watch her, too, while standing in the water beside her.

I watch their race while in my wetsuit, cheering through transitions, and even seeing Anna sprint to her finish before I have to run to the start of my race.

Go!  Into the swim.  And into the sun.  So hard to see.  It takes so long to get to the first buoy.  Finally, after the turn, I can see again.  We seem a long way out in the lake and the wind is making the water choppy.  Coming back in, I try to get some glide out of some of my strokes.  I see Dave Campbell just ahead as I come out of the water about 16th in the Over-45.  I struggle a bit with my wetsuit and run for the bike.

T1:   It’s a perfect day so I don’t need a jacket.  Keith Hansen is a couple minutes ahead.  I leave T1 before Dave somehow.  And my friend Troy Outman is probably not far behind because he starting a few minutes back in the Aquabike division.

Bike:  Biking out of the park, Dave Campbell, goes flying by.  He’s really biking strong lately.  I start pushing harder.  I was really concerned before the race because I realized I had the wrong 11 speed cog set on my wheel for my 10 speed bike.  But thank the Lord, it’s working ok.  I catch and pass Dave.  It was really helpful biking most of this course in a practice tri workout with Troy Outman a week ago.  It felt good then and today is shorter so I have no reason not to push hard.  I get different pains in my glute, foot, legs.. but each time I focus on the Lord and try to trust Him and not get anxious.  Each pain goes away and I’m riding pretty well.

On the way back (a long descent down Auburn Folsom), I catch up to Keith Hansen and go back and forth a bit.  Another rider passes me and drafts off Keith for along time.  Does he not know that drafting is not allowed in triathlon?  I remind him not to draft as I push hard to get by him.  Eventually Keith and I get far enough ahead.  It’s really hard staying in front of Keith.  We always make sure to keep the required 7 meters between us.  Keith goes by one time and even says, “Don’t worry, I wasn’t drafting”.  And I say the same to him when I go by.

I’m really tired and sore for the last climb up Twin Rocks Rd but now I’m almost done with the Bike

T2:  I roll into transition with a great dismount.  Anna and Ariel are cheering for me.  Such great supporters. 

Run:  There’s someone right behind me so I start off pretty fast.  I hope I can hold it.  My achilles has been bothering me lately and I pray the Lord will hold it together for me.  It’s a pretty course, winding through single-track under a lot of shade.  It is getting hot out.  On the dirt road it’s continuous up and down.  It’s tough on the legs.  Many racers who started earlier are coming back.  One says, “watch out, there’s a snake on the road”.  I wonder if it’s a rattlesnake coiled up on the side of the road.  I keep my eyes open.  Then I see a runner coming towards me reach down quickly and PICK UP the snake and move it off the road!  That’s when I notice it was only a King Snake.  At the turn-around, I make a move and end up passing 3 strong runners.  I don’t know the course at this point.  It’s a new trail which winds around and down and then up a steep climb back to the levy.  It’s really hard work but I’m able to stay ahead of the others.

I don’t know what my place or time is but I feel like I’m pushing hard and making the best of every part of the course.  I know God wants my best effort with a smile, not my best time with a medal.  On the way back, I’m not seeing anyone ahead of me to chase, but I try to push as if there is someone.

We round the water-tower hill and I’m so glad we didn’t have to climb it.  Finally down the finish stretch, there’s my girls, I thank the Lord, and I’m done!  I gave it my all and my body hurts.  Good effort.  Dave Campbell, 10 years older, finished just 30 secs behind me, which means his run was almost 2 min faster.  Another mile and he may have caught me.  Or the next race.. 

God is good and with His strength I can keep persevering in Triathlon and more importantly in life.  God Bless.

Folsom Super Sprint–Anna - 2019

Location:	5/11/19, Granite Bay
Distance:	400yr S – 6.5miB –  2mi R
Time:	48:20
Place:	1st, Overall Female + 14 & Under  Girls

We are at the triathlon and I am setting up my transition. I am running out of time but I feel ok. I finish and need to hurry. I then realize I need to be body marked. I go over and wait in line. I thought they would let me go ahead because my race starts in about 5 minutes. They didn’t body mark me right away and after I finished, I had to run down to the water. Ariel went to get something from the car and didn’t get body marked. She will be fine though. It is now 2 minutes until I have to race. I get on my wetsuit with dads help and get ready to go. The race director gives a 30-second countdown and I run over quickly and ask him a question. Ariel was going to do a relay with mom but mom was sick so that Ariel is now doing the whole race by herself. I ask him if Ariel should swim in this heat because she has a different cap and originally was supposed to be in a different heat. He said for her to be in this heat. I quickly tell her and dad this. My Dad was also going to swim with her because it was her first sprint. I line up and there is 5-seconds until the race starts. 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, Go!

I start swimming and feel good. It is a 400-yard swim, but seems longer. After swimming for a while, I look back. Ariel and Dad are swimming close to me. I start to pick it up. I pass the first buoy and am about halfway. It is choppy and I start to feel dizzy. I keep swimming and try not to slow down. I keep looking ahead to make sure I’m going the right way. I finally get to the second buoy and head for the shore. I swim strong but still feel a little dizzy. I swim to shore and look down. I watch as the ground appears and gets closer. I hit the shore and start to take off my wetsuit. As I am taking off my wetsuit everything looks like it is spinning. I try to stand up and take my wetsuit off but I fall over. I try again but I fall over. I take off my wetsuit in the water and then start running. As I run the dizzy feeling goes away. I get in transition and get my bike and bike gear and head to the bike out.

I jump on my bike and start biking. I bike out of the set-up area and start to slip my feet into my bike shoes. It takes me a while to get the shoes on. When I try to put my foot in the shoe, it would move. I finally get my feet in the bike shoes and take off. I get to the levy and start to bike hard. Because I was slow in the swim, I wanted to pick it up and get farther ahead in the bike. I get off the levy and start riding through the trees. It is a winding but relaxing bike course. There is some uphill but not too much. I keep biking. I fly down one hill and take the corner tight. The bike course is fun and I thank God for getting me this far. I remember that I am doing this for him. After biking for a while, I make a turn onto a road I have never been on before. I bike for a little bit and then realize that I am in a campsite, no one is camping though. I then turn around and go back. I bike and look for Ariel. Before I get to the road where I turned in to the campsite, I see Ariel. I continue on the road and come to a parking lot where a guy takes my picture and I turn around and head back to transition.

I see people biking as I am biking back and I am surprised to see many adults behind me. It is the super sprint though, so the adults doing it aren’t as experienced. I get to the hill I had flown down and now I have to climb it. I get to the top and I am close to the levy. After a little bit, I hit the levy. It is windy as I bike across but I keep my head low. I get to the other side and get ready to unstrap my feet from my bike shoes. I see a biker ahead of me starting to take his feet out of his bike shoes. I take my feet out of my bike shoes and pedal down to transition. I get in transition and jump off my bike.

I put my bike and bike gear by my wetsuit and put my running shoes on. They were a little tight and it was difficult to slide them on. I finally get them on, grab my visor and run out of transition. I see Dad as I start running. He cheers me on. I also see the guy that was ahead of me on the bike. I focus on him and gain ground.

When we hit the trails, I pass him. I run through the trails and enjoy the view. The trail hits the road and I see two people ahead of me. I pick up my pace slightly. I hope I can catch up to them and maybe get first woman overall. I feel content with whatever place I get. About half way down the road, I catch up to the man who was ahead of me. We say good job and I keep running. I can now see the lady in front of me. I think I am going a faster pace meaning that I should catch up soon. We are getting close to the end of the road and I am closer to her. I pass her right before we turn. There is an aid station at the turn and I grab some water. I accidentally cut her off a little bit, but say sorry.

It is all trials now. I zip along on the trails feeling good. I start to recognize the trails now and know that I am close to the finish. I cross a road and then I am back on the trails. I then come out of the trails and hit a dirt road. I know this dirt road leads to the finish. I smile as I run down the path. I turn the corner and see the finish. I sprint in. I finish strong. Ariel also finishes strong getting 2nd place in her age group. We watch Dad later and he too finishes great with 2nd in his age group.

Praise the Lord for He Is Good, His Love, Endures Forever.

Folsom Super Sprint–Ariel–2019

Location:	5/11/19, Granite Bay
Distance:	400yr S – 6.5miB –  2mi R
Time:	1:00:17
Place:	2nd, 14 & Under  Girls

(Robin was too sick to race so Ariel raced in her place.  This was her longest triathlon!)

Swim

The race director says 10, 9, 8, 7, and I am still getting my cap on. Finally, I get it on right, when he says 2,1, go! I start to swim. This is my first super sprint (longest triathlon) so I'm kind of scared. The water isn't that cold and it's kind of warm. Dad says that this is like four 100 yd swims in the pool which should be easy. I keep swimming straight and keep looking up to make sure that I'm not going the wrong way. I try to stay with the people I'm swimming with, but I'm not doing that well. I hope I can catch up to Anna on the swim. She's really fast so I don't think I will. I see Dad swimming with me. Dad told me that he was going to swim with me because it was my first super sprint (longest swim). Dad is doing the Olympic which is an hour after mine so he was going to do a practice swim with me and help me. It is a win-win!

I go around the first buoy and keep swimming. I'm swimming in like a rectangle. I can see that the other race is going to start soon so I try to swim faster. I'm trying to swim as fast as I can so no one from the next wave will catch up to me. I go around the second buoy and I'm starting to feel good. I can see the finish line now. I see that there's a person in front of me I wonder who that person is. And then I realize that that person is Anna. I swim to the finish line just as Anna is finishing getting off her wetsuit. I take off my wetsuit and then quickly run transition.

Bike

I get on my bike and bike out of transition. I bike up a hill. I am biking the same bike course as the Happy kids' Duathlon series. In the place where I usually do a U-Turn, I keep biking onto a course I have never been on. I keep getting passed which doesn't feel that good.

I get to a really big hill. People are still passing me. The bike has a lot of up and downs and it’s winding. There a lot of spots that are not flat but are like hills. There are a lot of winding spots and up and down rodes and some with both.

Then I turn and go around a small turn-around in a parking lot. Then I bike straight. I’m heading back to the start now. There is a guy with a camera who is taking pictures of people.

And now I am back onto the course I was on before and I finish the rest of the course that I did on the Happy kids' Duathlon.

Run

I get into transition and I take off my helmet and start running out. I keep running. This course is also like the Happy Kid's Duathlon. On the course, I see these people in orange outfits. I wonder if they are friends or if they are on a team. I like their group. I keep running.

I see a path of the Happy Kid's duathlon but I turn off onto a road which goes straight until the turnaround and then goes on to a path. As I pass some racers, a girl says “that girl is amazing. She used normal shoes on her bike!”

I keep running. I come to the turnaround and get a drink of water then I keep running and running. I'm on the path now. I keep running on it. I see the people on the road. I keep running and start to recognize this part of the course. I remember the boulders from the last race I did here. Again, this is part of the Happy Kid's duathlon course. I go through the boulders and now I'm on the straight away. I run as fast as I possibly can and finish.

Then I realize that Dad hasn't left yet for his race. Anna and I run down to Dad's race start as fast as we can run. We get down there right as they are starting to say 10, 9, 8, .., 2, 1, Go! We cheer Daddy on as he starts to swim but I don't think he hears us.

I finished in 2^nd place in my age group. Anna finished 1^st place in her age group. And Dad finished 2^nd place in his age group.