2009 New Year's Challenge

^{PLACE & TIME:} 

Hill Climb -

Run -

10M: Robin - 2nd, 1:24:05

The Bike (Troy)

Bike Leg It's a chilly, foggy morning. At 9:30am we meet at the Auburn Overlook Park, the beginning or end of most races here in the Endurance Capitol of the World. This is Team Soares' 8th Annual New Year's Day Challenge!

Dave Malicoat and Lance Loveday biked to the start while Hal Tacker, Robin and I drove. Reining champ, Dave Campbell is nursing a sore knee this year and is missed in the line-up. We're all covered head-to-foot with layers, but Lance remains bare-legged without even a jacket. We get cold just looking at him but complain he would never do. Hal drove 65 miles from Calusa and was unsure of what to expect with this "bike-racing thing". Dave hasn't been on his bike in months but he's never one to turn down a ride. Robin, the only girl on the ride, starts 8 min early. Always nice to have someone to chase.

We start by flying down Auburn-Folsom through the gray dampness towards Granite Bay. The cold air wakes us up on this New Year's Day morning. We turn on Newcastle Rd. It's great to be riding together! We see a few others out, too. We head back to Glenview Dr. for our "warm-up" climb at mile 8. The first pitch is pretty steep but Hal hauls butt up it and is out of sight. Then Lance and then Dave and I. In the distance we can see Robin, and Hal's bridging the gap. The hill truly does warm us up and all feels good now! And now the sun is out!

After our 10mi warm-up loop, we cruise through quiet Downtown Auburn on the famous Lincoln Hwy passing the Victory Velo Bike Shop and Auburn Running Company. We gather at Lincoln and Hwy 49 and ready for the 1000' drop to the American River Confluence. It's a breathtaking descent... curving near the steep drop-offs with the river below.

We catch Robin at the bottom, as planned, and shed some layers in preparation for the first of a 2 stage hill-climb race. Robin, Hal and Dave have the same handicap and start first up the 3.3-mile Old Foresthill Rd. Lance and I didn't see them start so had to guess to insure the right gap. After 2-minutes I start because I just turned 40. Lance waits another 2 minutes because he's still under 40. It's a raw deal to have to start a hill climb alone and dead last... but this is also about mental toughness which is a strong point for Lance.

This hill seems harder than I expect. It's almost 1000ft at a steady 7% grade. The traffic is always light and the ravine is beautiful below. Far up ahead I can see Hal, then Dave and Robin. After a few minutes I look back and already see Lance making quick gains. I catch up to Robin & Dave and Robin surges. We love challenging each other. For a ¼ mi we're both going all-out until I finally start to pull away. Less than a mile to go and I'm giving it everything I got in hopes of catching Hal. But rounding the last corner I finally see him waiting at the top! There's a 35 sec gap between us. Robin comes up 1:46 later. David finishes another :50 later, close to his time last year even without the training. But he came off a great year of high mileage and a fast Death Ride so probably drawing from that. My time's about 1 min off my best but real good for my current strength. 34 sec later, Lance arrives, probably wondering, "how is climbing a hill by yourself supposed to be funner than sleeping in on New Year's Day?"

We coast down Foresthill Rd and across the Foresthill Bridge (California's tallest). The 2nd climb starts at the Auburn-side of the bridge with a staggered start according to the finish times of the first climb. First to the top wins the bike portion.

Hal takes off at full throttle, knowing we're all trying to catch him. Then myself, then Robin, then Dave and finally Lance. Each less than a minute behind the other. It's a short, .7mi, climb of 270ft but it's a grind. Only near the top do I start to gain on Hal. But he holds on and wins the bike challenge by 25 sec! Lance makes a big push and passes Dave and Robin to move into 3rd. We all take a while to catch our breath as we cruise back to the Overlook and prepare for the Resolution Run in a couple hours. Hal will be running the 5k and has an advantage with his 1st place bike finish. My teammate, Courtney Loveday, will be running the 10k and her place will add to my 2nd place bike finish. Lance will run the 10k and will try to place higher than Courtney to move ahead of the Troy-Courtney team in the overall. Robin will run the 10 mile and will hope for a 1st place to add to her 3rd place bike finish. A score of 4 could tie her with Hal if he places 3rd in the run. David will opt out of the run, as that's just not his thing, and hope the "default" mid-pack placing does something amazing to his overall score. We all agreed it was a great ride!

The Run (Robin)

I'm unsure what today's run will hold.  I forgot to bring my Garmin and I'm mad.  I fear there are no mile markers out there and I'll have nothing to go by.  Troy reminds me that I'm wearing an FCA-E  (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) jersey.  Oh yeah, how silly!  AND I remember that I'm injury free and Troy isn't.  I have so little to complain about!  However, I continue to hold some of the anger still.  I check to see if there are markers and there are...thanks God!  You have my back.  Immediately I feel bad and tell God that I'm sorry...and Troy too.  Putting this incident aside, I line up on the starting line with the 5Kers, 10Kers and 10 milers.  I give last minute encouragement to Hal, Courtney and Lance.

Ready, set, go!  We are off!  I know this course well and I know it's going to be hard!  The first 2 miles are downhill and then it's going up!  I'm feeling good heading down into the canyon.  I can see speedy 50 year old Mo Bartley way up there...she rocks!  I literally run into John Doolittle.  Troy and I swim with his wife Rachel.  I meet his running buddy Cheryl.  John tells me the good news that Rachel is pregnant and doing the 10K today...just like I did last year.  as we hit the first mile, the 5k and 10k 'ers split off....7:13. 

Mile 2 is 7:28.  I catch up to John and Cheryl.  Talking with them takes my mind off the coming hills.  As we hit the first one, my body signals that it's hurting.  Eventually, I find my niche and make it through.  I'm regretting my apparel: tights, long sleeve shirt and running vest (for gel).  It was cold and cloudy starting off and now the sun is shining.  This is going to get heated!

Mile 3 is 7:57.  As I pass a man and his son, the son says "God bless you".   I say "you too".  And soon we are chatting about FCA Endurance and a friend in common, Brian Priddin.  Tim and his father, Kim, are quite the pair reciting scripture and keeping their focus on Christ.  It's good to remember to keep my focus in the right place.

Mile 4 is 8:34.  Now we are descending again back into the canyon until the next climb...ugh!  I catch up with John and Cheryl again.  We hit the next batch of hills together.  It's another shock to the system and my body doesn't seem to adapt as well as the last hill.

Mile 5 is 6:15.  We all agree that that marker is off.  I miss my Garmin!  Be content Robin!  You don't need it.  I'm hurting as we roll up and down.  I'm keeping myself distracted by learning more about Cheryl and her kids.  I try out my new squeezable gel flask.  I cannot seem to get the gel into my mouth but try.

Mile 6 is 9:21.  We are heading towards Robie Point and one of the few flat sections of the course.  It's a welcome break for my system which continues to struggle.  I keep my hopes up and remember that anything can happen.

Mile 7 is 9:53.  We are run from Robie Point out to Hwy 49 and back.  This is a good section to size up the competition.  I see another speedy runner Brian up in the front coming back.  Soon after him is Mo!  Wow, you go girl!  There is another girl that looks about my age and I know there's no way to catch her.  I encourage her and the other runners...it's more important than anything else to do that.  This spot is chilly and I appreciate my clothing at the moment.

I realize my shoe is untied...rookie move!  I tell John and Cheryl that I'll catch them and they continue on.  Just then Rachel comes around the corner and John points me out.  I tell Rachel great job being out here!  As I make the turn around I see a girl coming behind me.  I tell her good job.  I pick up the pace a little but my body doesn't feel so great.  I see Tim and Kim and give them a thumbs up.

Back to the big hill up to Robie Point.  It's a brutal climb!  My goal is to run the whole thing no matter how slow!  Mile 8 10:52...ouch!  I know there's a nice downhill on the other side, Cheryl and John to catch, and another girl chasing me down...a few things to keep me motivated!

Now it's down!  Woo-who!  Oh, it's tough to get down this steep trail but I manage.  Mile 9 is 6:20.  Even with the downhill, that cannot but right!  There's a few short steep hills left but do I have enough energy?? 

As I look across a hairpin turn, I see that girl coming!  Oh boy!  I'm all alone and Cheryl and John are still far ahead.  I ask God to help me get to Troy.  I finally climb my way up and over those hills and now I'm heading off the trail and to the finish!  I see Troy and I hand off my water bottle and vest...ah, better!  I make it to the finish holding my position...yeah!  Mile 10 is 10:07.  My final time is 1:24:05...8:24 pace.  I'll take it.  The girl chasing me finishes and we shake hands..."good job!"

Now we get to hang out and get some pizza!  Yummy!

CONGRATS TO HAL WHO ONE OUR CHALLENGE OVERALL!

* last year – climb 1 (16:17 to 22:30)

Final climb

After Run

"Trying out my new bike"

Lance & Hal

1st Place for Hal and Mo!

Mommy & Me

Play Time!