CIM (California International Marathon) Relay -

Team Catch Me If You Can!

^DISTANCE:  26.2 Miles

^{PLACE & TIME:}   3rd Place, Open Coed; 3:08:43

Approx Splits: Leg#1 - 40:54; Leg#2 - 51:15; Leg#3 - 49:22; Leg #4 - 47:12

This morning has been a lot of fun already!  I drove our Bay Area friends (Jami, Sherwick, Michelle) and some Auburn friends (Courtney and Pete) to the start of the race.  We had fun chatting, stopping a volunteer from beating on my car, finding a secret potty and just hanging out...all at 6 in the morning!

After dropping them off, I head to Leg #2.  I'm supposed to be ready 42 minutes after the race start. It's been a while since I've tackled this longest leg of the relay.  I'm looking forward to the change in scenery.

This is the 11th year of our relay team.  It is usually made up of the 4 UC Davis roommates, Leonie, Liesbeth, Kristin, & Myself.  This year the team includes Leonie, myself, Rich (Leonie's husband) and Kevin (Liesbeth's fiancé).   Kevin is running the first leg.

Troy and the girls show up and we all get ready and wait for the time Kevin is to arrive.  I head to the relay exchange early and I see Kevin standing there.  Oh boy!  He just finished his leg.  I bolt over and move the chip onto my leg.  "Great job Kevin!"  I wave to my family as I hit the road.  The legs are feeling good.  After getting passed by some marathoners, I settle into a good rhythm with the runners around me.

Mile 1 is 7:02.  I decide to try to hold this sub 7:15 pace just so I can say I beat my goal.  I feel pretty comfortable and want to see what the legs can do.

Mile 2 is 7:07.  I continue to feel good and keep contact with the same marathoners.  The undulations in the course don't seem to bother me which tells me that my training in Auburn is paying off.

Mile 3 is 7:05.  My nose is running like crazy in this cold air.  I blow it... a little too hard... and suddenly I feel a bloody nose coming on!  Oh no, I should have seen this coming, I had one yesterday.  Maybe it'll stop, they never last that long.  I plug my nose and run along hoping it will stop.  Fortunately I have black gloves, but it's my light blue shirt I'm concerned about! 

Mile 4 is 7:03.  The nose is still going.  I look down at my shirt... there's blood on it.  I feel embarrassed and do all that I can to hide it.  I'm still plugging my nose and must look pretty silly.  A relay girl comes by and starts chating with me.  She sees my problem.  I ask if it's on my face.  "There is some blood", she says.  Great!  Just great!

Mile 5 is 7:11.  God, please help it stop!  I finally put my focus in the right place as I ask for the Lord to be with me.  The bleeding has slowed down.  Who cares what I look like!  I'm finishing this race with Jesus and that's all that matters!

Mile 6 is 7:03.  My nose is still bleeding a little.  Quite a bit is on the top of my shirt.  But I'm happy anyway and focused on the Lord.  I see that relay girl ahead of me and decide to catch her.

Mile 7 is 6:46.  Alright!  Just 0.6 to go!  I pass the relay girl and drive it home.  I hope Rich is there because I'm really early thanks to Kevin and God!  There he is.  We make the exchange.  "Go for it, Rich!" 

Thanks God!  What a morning!  Now I'm heading off to meet Courtney at the last relay leg so I can pace her in.  The day has just begun!

Way to go Team "Catch Us If You Can"

Go Sherwick!

Go Jami!

Go Pete!

Go Michelle!

Go Courtney!

Go Suzi!

Hanging Out!

Food!