^{PLACE & TIME:}  Robin 3rd OA, 40:49

                Anna 1st (1st Soares across line)

(Click on Pictures to make larger)

Robin's Story..

It's so exciting to be racing in Davis on Labor Day.  This race is something I helped start with Fleet Feet when I coached the Davis High Cross Country team.  It was and still is a fundraiser for the team.  I'm hoping I will run into some familiar faces.  Anna is racing today too (see her story below). 

We arrive in Davis and go for a warm-up with Anna in the jogger.  Troy's foot starts hurting so he stops to stretch. I continue on.  It's interesting noting the familiar places and, yet, all of the changes as I run along.  Coming back I see Anna running alongside the jogger.  Troy tells me she's compelled to run.  She knows she's going to be running later and she's already excited. 

Before the race starts I run into two familiar faces: Bill Gregg and Nancy Riedel Steinmaus ("Reunion in Racing Spikes" article).  Bill Gregg took over the Cross Country program from me at Davis in 1998 and has continued to grow it.  There are now over 100 kids on the team!  His daughter is an accomplished runner at UCD.  Right now Bill is instructing the kids on how to direct runners and provide aide on the course.

  Nancy Stienmaus ran at UCD before me.  She was, an is, an amazing runner.  We notice she's wearing a Moms In Motion jersey.  She coached a San Luis Obispo team and now has moved back to Davis.  It's cool to connect with her!

It's race time.  Troy and I take a moment to pray and thank God for today.  It's a gift that I am here.  A few weeks ago training was consuming me and affecting the 3 of us negatively.  I had to take a step back and reconnect with Jesus.  I needed that reminder that my home is my most important ministry, and He is all I need to be complete...not a certain number of miles at a certain pace.  As we finish the prayer we hear Anna's little voice say, "Amen"...so sweet!  I kiss my sweeties and line up with the 5k and 10k runners.  It's going to be a tough start with over 700 runners racing onto a narrow bike path.  I say another prayer for protection.

"On your mark, get set, go!"  I take off and surprisingly have no problem getting onto the bike path.  Spots just seem to open up and I'm able to run fast.  I remind myself that there's a 5K crowd around me and not to get caught up in running too fast.  I'm not exactly sure what my legs can do today.  I kind of hobbled through my 1 mile run yesterday after doing 20 miles the day before.  I hope all the stretching I did will pay off today.  My hamstrings have been nagging me.  I hope they hold up today.  I see Nancy's pink MIM shirt off in the distance.  This will probably be the last I see of her.  She's off to a great start!

Mile 1: 6:36.  Okay, that wasn't too bad!  Let's see if I can maybe average something close to 6:30.  The 5k'ers are splitting off.  Now I can see my competition.  There are 3 girls directly in front of me.  I pass 1 in the next mile and keep my eyes focused on the next 2.

Mile 2: 6:33.  A little faster and no real hamstring pain yet.  I move closer to the next girl and as we descend into an underpass she pulls ahead.  I look forward to coming up the other side.  Thanks to all heavy hill training in Auburn I feel like I'm floating up this little hill.  I pass the girl and we tell each other great job.

Mile 3: 6:21.  Wow!  That's a surprise!  As I continue on, the girl shouts from behind "what was the time?"  I shout back, "6:21".  "What's our pace?"  I look at my Garmin and shout back "around 6:30, keep up the good work".  I press on and look ahead.  I can see another girl in the distance.  She'll be hard to catch but I'll try.

Mile 4: 6:29.  Okay, body, let's see if we can maintain this pace!  I can see the next girl ahead of me.  I make my way up to her and finally pass her....

Mile 5: 6:32.  Okay, I really need to make this pass stick so I push harder.  I'm not sure if I can hold this pace but I have less than a mile to go now.  I think back to recently when Troy and I were watching an old Hawaii Ironman with Mark Allen and he was talking about giving it all you have and not saving anything...a guts race like "Pre" would say.  I surge and I feel my energy has been depleted.  Almost there, hold on!  Thank you Lord for letting me have such a great race!  I can see the other girl and she's pretty far ahead of me still. 

Mile 6: 6:26.  Home stretch now!  Go, go, go!  I sprint through the finish and am so amazed!  Thank you Lord!  I find out later that the girl ahead of me was Beth Zinkand  She's a studly former pro triathlete that is now focusing on being a mommy.

The fun isn't over yet!  It's time for Anna's race next!

Mommy & Me
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Time to Reload!

Race Results

Anna's Story...

I am so pumped up! Watching mommy run the 10k race.. and some big kids in the 5k.. I wanna run, I wanna go!  Now, my first race.. I thought running was fun but puddles, doggies and people were funner!  I was easily distracted back then.  It was a LONG 200yds.  But then I ran the Ironman... ok, it was 1km, but it was the first part of the Ironman, my mommy did the rest.. and she was great!  Ok, my daddy carried me for 1/2 of it.  I do love it when he holds me, but I want to do the whole thing this time!  "No, Daddy, Anna do it"

I think we're going to the race start.  Wow, big kids everywhere.  I like starting in the back.. holding on to daddy's legs. Oh, there's mommy, with the camera.. This one's for you, mommy!

"Go!"  This feels so easy.  I feel like a fishy with many other fishies.  Oh.. there's goes all the fishies.  Just me and the road now. 

There's mommy! But I'm focused on the turn ahead.  I used to miss turns but I got it down today!  Daddy, on the other hand, is all over the place.. you're wasting energy, Dad!  And don't try to pick me up.. I'm not stopping till it's over.  Oh, but there's some dirt along the road... yea, a little out-of-the-way but it's better running on dirt... it's funner!

Wow, people are really excited. But this is just what I do.  Hey, they're telling me to go to the finish line, but I'm supposed to do 2 laps.  Daddy, why the high-fives?  Everyone's saying I did great... that's nice but I'm not done.  Where's the track? .. There!  I'm off.  Good, here comes Daddy after me.  Lap #2... and there's mommy around the corner with the camera.  See, Mommy knows what's going on... 2 laps dad!

Whew, I'm getting hot.  But I'm doing it, I'm really running the whole thing.  Daddy... up!  Wait, what am I doing... Daddy.. down!  Brief lapse of concentration there... must stay focused.. a few more steps to go.  All done!  All done!  For me?  Oh my, a medal, I love it!  That was great!  I think I'll keep jogging for a warm-down.. come, Daddy!