^{PLACE & TIME:} 

2nd overall (3rd bike, 1st run 1:16:04*)

*(PR) Personal Record.

NOTE: Pictures by the wonderful Nicole Cook!!   www.nicolecookphotography.com

The Bike

I am delighted when 4 of our friends show up on a very cold and raining New Years Day.  Troy can't join us today due to a broken toe he got the day before but he'll be supporting from the sag-wagon.  I'm the sole representative for Team Soares.  This year we have another girl competing; Jessica Bonner, a young, up-and-coming triathlete well known for her swimming prowess.  RAAM alumni,  Michael Cook, is here, too. His wife, and amazing photographer, Nicole, www.nicolecookphotography.com, along with their son, Dylan, will be documenting the competition.  Our fast neighbors, Kayden Kelly and Lance Loveday, are here as well.

Due to the coldest conditions yet for this event, and seeing Kayden already shivering before the start, Troy asks if we want to cut off 10 miles of the course and just jump into the climbing.  Jessica says we should stick to the course and we all agree...it's hard not to be hard core in Auburn, the Endurance Capital of the World. 

After a quick photo, we all take off.  My legs feel tired already and this is just the warm-up.  It's fun though just being out here and starting off the New Year with a bang.  We've got Troy in the sag wagon and Nicole as our personal photographer... I feel famous...almost.  The guys eventually pull far ahead.  Troy pulls Jessica and I into the car at mile 8 so that we can catch up to the guys who will freeze if we make them wait too long at the bottom of Old Forresthill Road. 

At the bottom we all meet up.  With the "handicapped start", the women go first and the men under 40 start last.  Jessica and I jump out and quickly get started.  Just seconds into our hill climb, I cannot clip in my right shoe.  I do the first thing that comes to mind...  ask Jessica to turn around and start over.  (I guess I thought she'd feel bad if I never caught up, especially since we were rushed to the start.  But later I realized... I wouldn't do that in a real race.  Races are for making the best with what you've got.  I won't do that next time)

Troy re-starts his stopwatch... ready, set, go!  We are off again and Jessica pulls ahead.  My legs continue to feel tired.  The beginning is steep and it's hard to push.  Eventually, with Jessica ahead and the pressure of the guys starting behind me, I get into a good rhythm.  Soon I see Michael coming up behind us so I push and catch up to Jessica.  "Here they come!".  I pass Jessica and Michael soon passes me with a flash.  "Good job!"  Wow, amazing!  I know that Lance is close behind and I hope to hold him off beyond the half way point. 

I make it to half way and look back and there is Lance.  I cheer him on by and continue to press on myself.  The road temporarily flattens so I hammer to get momentum going into the last tough part of the climb.  The stop sign for the top is right around the corner.  I'm glad I've held off Kayden.  I dig... and I'm there!  Yeah!  Totally out of breath!  I'm really glad that there is no snow up here to hinder the rest of the ride.  I look back to see Kayden finish strong, followed by Jessica.  All 3 guys blew away Troy's record and Jessica and I blew away my old record. 

Now it's off to the last climb: Forresthill Bridge to Lincoln Way, 1.2 miles.  We start in the order that we finished the 1st climb.  Michael, Lance, myself, Kayden and Jessica.  Starting on the Forresthill side of the bridge, we can see the cars disappearing into the thick fog.  It's a bit scary with the low visibility and cars coming from behind.  It's my turn to go.  I'm tentative but push nonetheless.  I go for it.  I know that Kayden will be on my heals.  By the time I'm across the bridge and climbing, he's past me.  "Good job!"  I'm pushing really hard now and breathing really hard.  It seems like I cannot even get enough air so I breath deeper...man this hurts!  Almost there!  Done!  Yes!  Jessica comes up right after me.  We are all happy with our efforts but we don't take long to celebrate.  First on the agenda is getting back to get warm again, and then getting ready to run!  Here we go!!

The Run

After thawing in a hot shower, I'm ready to race.  The rain is holding off for the moment...yes!!  Not only do want to move up in the New Years' Challenge, I'm also trying to beat my friend, Dave Campbell, in the 10 miler.  I warm up, egg Dave on, and then hang out with the family.  Troy and I pray and then it's off to the start with less than a minute to go!  A few high fives to Jim Kepfer and Jessica and the gun goes off.  It's a mad dash down Pacific to the canyon trails.  I see Dave way ahead.  I was planning to hang with him on the downhill but he's too fast!  I see a girl with long blond hair in a pony tail way out there.. probably the first girl. Shortly ahead of me is my friend, Mo Bartley, and 2 other girls.  Can I catch them?  Jim and I run together and catch up a bit.  He's looking to better his time by going out more conservatively. I tell him that he'll need to beat Dave if I can't do it.

Mile 1 is 6:29.  Usually this would be way too fast for a long race like this. But when it's downhill like this, and you've got "free speed" (as Troy would say), don't put on the brakes!  Jim is pulling ahead of Mo's group now and I wonder if I can catch him later.  I chat with a guy next to me.  "Thank the Lord it's not raining!" I say.  He agrees and tells me that the forecast doesn't call for rain until 2pm...good timing since the race started at 1pm.

Mile 2 is 6:52.  Despite a few little ups, we are still going down.  This will soon end and it will be straight climbing!  And some trails.  I've gotten closer to Mo and the girls but they may blow me away shortly.  All of a sudden I'm on a rocky trail climbing back up.  I feel surprisingly strong and get into a good groove. Thanks God!  I actually pass Mo and the girls halfway up.

Mile 3 is 8:14.  I'm back on the road and mostly continuing to climb.  I still see Jim ahead but Dave is nowhere in sight.  Mo and the girls descended well so I'm hoping to create a gap now before we descend again... down the dam road.

Mile 4 is 7:26.  Now, heading down the dam road, I see Dan Tebbs (Victory Velo owner) walking back up with a twisted ankle.  I tell him that I'm sorry to hear that.  He just smiles and says, "it happens".  I pray for his recovery and the long walk he has ahead of him.  Looking into the distance, it's hard to tell, but I think I can see Jim and Dave way ahead.  2/3 of the way down we now hit the trails for good.  It undulates a bit and, again, I get into a good rhythm.

Mile 5 is 7:10.  I'm thanking Jesus for letting me feel so good.  I'm enjoying myself now.  Before I was just looking forward to resting afterward. Now the endorphins are going strong.  I take a Hammer Gel to keep the momentum going.  I climb up to the main trail and see the 10Kers heading back.  Right away I see Kayden coming...high 5.  Shortly after it's Lance...high 5.  Right after that it's Jessica...another high 5!  Wow, that's a tight race!  I wonder how their placing is in their age groups.

Mile 6 is 8:40.  A fair amount of climbing in that last section.  Now it's almost flat for a while. Soon I'll see the 10-milers running back towards Robie Point as I pass it.  How far ahead is Dave, Jim and that girl?  I see some fast guys coming back.  One of them says to me, "first woman".  Really?  I guess it really was a guy with long blond hair.  Sure enough, I see him, and am now excited to be in first!  Here comes Dave.  I give him the "I'm watching you" gesture and he tells me good job.  Not far back is Jim.  I see the turn-around!  Yeah!  Will I be able to gain on them in the last hills?

Mile 7 is 7:48.  3 more miles!  Running back to Robie Point, I see the 2nd woman charging.  I tell her good job.  Soon after is Mo and the other girl.  I give Mo a high 5.  I'm excited to climb up to Robie point.  It's my chance to catch some people.  I feel great and charge up the hill.  I pass a few 10 milers and catch up to some 10kers.  I'm trying to encourage everyone as I go.  I want everyone to be able to do their best and I know that the Lord is using me to help others.  I make it up and over to the other side.  I've been dreading this downhill because in the past I've taken it too slowly.  I pretend to be my buddy, Courtney Loveday. She just flies down like a deer.  I actually do well descending...yeah!

Mile 8 is 8:02.  Now the real fun begins!  Straight back to the Overlook.  It's going to be a hilly, muddy mess!  No sign of Jim or Dave.  Will I ever see them now?  The mud is amazing!  I'm so grateful for all the 10kers jumping off the course for me so I can go by!  It's very narrow now and hard for people to pull over.  I get to a section that parallels the trail I just ran.  I don't see the other girl.  She could be round the next bend so I try to push it hard! 

Mile 9 is 8:56.  On one of the last hills it's like a mud bog!  Oh my!!  Somehow I make it out and climb out to the Overlook.  Yeah, almost done!  I look forward to running in with Anna and even Ariel.  There's Anna!  I grab her hand and we finish strong!  Thank you God!!!  I give Dave a high 5.  He got me again!  I hope to beat his CIM PR at Napa...it keeps me focused(=

(Click on pictures to enlarge)

CONGRATS TO MICHAEL COOK WHO WON OUR CHALLENGE OVERALL!

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