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Robin's Race

Today is Anna's big day!  She's competing in her first race ever: the Pre-Kindergarten 200 yard dash.  Her warm up today is going to be the 8K race.  Daddy is pushing her again and Mommy is on her own.  With our power breakfasts in hand we climb in the car and head to Palo Alto.  It's raining this morning and we hope that we'll get a break for all of our races.

We're here at Juana Briones School.  The Juana Run is a fundraiser for the Juana and Barron Park Elementary school PTAs.  We run into Meghan Kirkpatrick.  She's getting ready for the San Diego Rock n'Roll Marathon with Team In Training.  She's pumped and ready to see what she can do.  Troy and I get our race numbers and t-shirts. We're told that Anna's number and shirt will be ready later...how exciting, her first t-shirt!

We run into the West Valley Track Club Gals (WVTC): Teresa Clark, Anita Giusti (a new member that's fast and dutch...what a combo(= ), Beth Bourne, Dee Gibson and Karen Saxena (race director of the Juana Run). 

Anna is having a blast playing in the puddles in her new pink kitty boots and pink rain jacket...what a cutie!  Megan, Troy, Anna and I join the WVTC gals for a warm-up and learn more about the fast and very sweet, Anita. 

We make the 1/4 mile trek to the starting line of the 8K race.  It's not raining...yeah...thanks God!  Troy and I say a prayer asking that we glorify Him in our race today.  The plan is to go 6:40 pace today.  We'll see how it goes.  I get in the second row behind the gals and Troy goes back a few more rows.  I hope that Anna and him can make it through the crowd alright.

Go!  I notice I don't feel as good as the Stampede.  It's going to be a tough one.  At least Troy and I can battle it out.  As soon as the thought comes into my head, Troy and Anna dart by as if they were shot out of a cannon.  Wow, look at them go!!  Woo-who!!  I'll try to keep them in my sight.

The course twists and turns through lovely neighborhoods.  Mile 1 is 6:45.  Better pick it up.  I feel tired but it could get better.  I see Troy and Teresa ahead in the distance. 

As I approach Mile 2, I cannot see Troy anymore.  Wow, he's having a phenomenal race!  And he's pushing Anna!!  Mile 2 is 6:52... ouch!  Okay, I need to focus.  My body keeps asking me when this race is over and my mind is asking why aren't you going faster.

Mile 3 is 6:41.  Much better!  I hope I can hold the pace.  A guy next to me asks if we're running 7 minute pace.  I tell him we are closer to 6:45.  He decides to stick with me and I encourage him to keep it up.  A high schooler runs by and I try to hold her pace.  She's looking strong!

Mile 4 is a 6:56.  Oh boy!!  This is uncomfortable.  It's a mental game now.  I have to keep telling myself to not let up and keep pushing a little more.  The high schooler is off in the distance.  I catch up to Teresa.  We encourage each other.  This last mile is tough.  I'm mustering up what I can to finish.  I start to pass a guy in the last 1/4 mile.  I encourage him to stick with me...we'll both need help getting to the finish line.  On the home stretch I tell him to go for it and I pull ahead.  Mile 5 is 6:53.  Go!!  We sprint in and he pulls ahead and finishes strong!  We congratulate each other at the end.  Yes, it's over!!  And look, there's Troy and Anna!

I ran 6:56 pace today.  Slower than expected but I know it was a good effort.  Thanks God for the ability to even be out here!  You're Awesome!

Go Meghan!

Troy's Race

It's a rainy day.. but not too cold. Anna has her favorite rubber boots on and is discovering puddles. This is a "pure runner's" race as Robin says and you can tell.. a lot of cross-country runners, high school, college, grads, etc. We get a good warm-up and my foot is feeling ok. It's fun talking to Meghan Kirkpatrick who is running as part of her Team in Training for a

marathon!  We walk to the starting line. I'm pushing Anna and will try again to catch Robin today. We pray before the start. It's going to be a fun race. The rain has stopped. It's good temperature. Anna's pretty mellow. Some last minute stretching and...

Go! I sprint through each opening I can find because the course gets narrow later. Anna & I find a good channel down the left side of the street. I'm surprised we're passing so many so quick. I see Robin and then Teresa... we just blew by them. This was strange.. I guess I'm feeling really good.

Anna and I have a good rhythm going. Being efficient. Taking the turns smoothly.  Maybe I'm going too fast? Maybe I'll die out too early? That makes me even try harder to go fast while conserving energy. I see Beth ahead and try to keep close to her. At 2 miles we turn onto the bike path. It's a mile gradual downhill. Anna is pulling me along now. We pass Beth. She says we're doing great. Beth just did the Stampede 1/2 Marathon last week.

At 4mi it's really getting hard. All that burst of energy in the beginning has run out. I see Amol Saxena ahead but don't think we'll catch him. But we're able to maintain our pace while others are slowing a bit and pretty soon pass Amol. We're pacing with a High School kid now that periodically looks back at Anna. He's a good runner to be able to joke around a little this far into a race. My foot starts hurting with .5mi to go so I notch the pace back a little.

The final stretch. A girl goes flying by us. We're the first baby stroller to finish! I look up to thank the Lord before the finish. We finished with a 6:29 pace!

Anna's Race

I don't know what's going on here but mommy and daddy are pretty excited about something. I like how I have my lightweight shoes on after wearing the rubber boots all day. I just want to walk all over now. Like into these bushes... but Daddy keeps putting me back in this line of kids spread across the street. They all seem to be waiting for something. I think this paper pinned to my shirt is pretty cool. What was that? Everybody's running. Cool! I can run, too. Hey, someone's taking pictures of me. Ah, you make me blush. I better focus on running before I fall. Hold it. Why am I running? All those kids are far away now. Walking will get me there just fine. Hey, water on the road. I love walking in water. Oh, look, a doggie! Boy Daddy is really eager about me hurrying to go to him. But he keeps backing up. I like that everybody's clapping for me. And Mommy's laughing with that camera thing. I think I'll just stop and stretch. Oh, Hi, you want to walk with me. How nice, this girl wants to hold hands and walk. But it's such a great day and I could be splashing in water.  What's with this walking, walking, walking.  I don't even know where the finish line is. And now fall down.  That's just great. In front of everyone and on camera. Makes me want to cry. But the girl is helping me and there's Daddy. Cool, now we're hand-in-hand and I can see the finish! They're handing out shiny ribbon things. Oh yeah I want that! I'm done and I've got a ribbon... I think I'll just keep going, this just got interesting.

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