^{PLACE & TIME:}  Robin 6th - 5:28:39 (33:52-1:43-3:06:16-1:52-1:44:56)

Previous PRs or Personal Records:

It's race morning once again.  I bike down Lynch Hill to the transition area with dozens of others.  I find my spot and set up.  After a bathroom break and some stretching Team FCA gathers for a prayer.  We pray for safety for all the athletes, a good time, and for Michelle's back to feel good after the bike.  Later on, Michelle and I run into Dale and Tana Jackson.  Dale is racing this year and Tana is taking a break.  We say a prayer for no flats and safety. 

It's windy today.  I hope it doesn't affect the bike dramatically.

Off to the start I go.  My swimming hasn't been feeling as strong.  My workouts have consisted of shorter intervals in the last month.  I hope to do a 32 min swim.  After the wave before goes off, I jump in to acclimate...it's chilly but good.  My wave is the women's 30 to 34 in white caps.  We line up just before the water... it will be a running start.  I'm in the middle of the 2nd row.  There's really no where else to go.  I hope I don't get beat up.

The horn goes off and I'm running for the water.  I find a good spot and sprint out.  I get into a good rhythm.  I seem to be in the 2nd pack of swimmers.  I find myself behind, ahead, and side by side with the girls in my pack all the way out to the turn around.  Once we hit the turn, we're dodging swimmers from the earlier waves.  It's all about finding spots to squeeze through.  I hone in on one particular white cap ahead of me,  I focus on trying to follow her and catch her.  It's a bit choppy out here but not bad.  As long as I focus on my stroke and the girls ahead, I don't really notice.

We round the final corner and I can see the balloons of the swim finish ahead.  I push harder and continue to chase that girl.  She's pulling away little by little and I just try to hang in there.  I'm really close to the shore now.  I feel like I'm going fast but when I look at my watch I'm already at 32 minutes!  Oh boy, a little slow.

I get out of the water with a handful of white caps.  As everyone runs ahead to the timing mat, I rip off my wetsuit.  I like to take it off right away because it's much easier while there is still water inside it.  (Once I cross the mat, I'm the 12th official girl in my age group out of the water.)

I struggle at the start of the bike.  As I'm exiting the transition area and getting on my bike, I notice my shoes are not securely fastened so I have to almost stop to fix that.  The first 2 miles of the bike are on a bumpy, winding road.  I feel a bit tentative and struggle to get into a rhythm.  The next obstacle is the very steep Beach Hill.  I get up it fine but I can feel the fatigue in my legs.  I want to average 19 mph today so I know that I need to break through the feeling of fatigue.

It's another few miles to one of the main roads, Interlake Road.  Once there I finally am able to get into my aerobars and get the legs moving.  The wind is definitely going to be a factor today.  It's pushing pretty well against me and it's keeping my average low.  There are very few women out here probably because my wave was the second group of women to go.  I see quite a few 25 to 29 year olds but only one woman in my age group.  Where are the rest of them?  Ahead of me?  Behind me?  I see our friend, Scott Widoff, fly by.  His coed relay team is trying to beat the top men's relay team.  He's obviously determined and focused on catching their cyclist.  

I see some FCA Endurance signs, yeah!  These signs have thought provoking statements and scripture.  It's a real encouragement!

Just before we turn onto Jolon Road at Mile 18 a few girls in my age group go by.  I try to match their speed for as long as I can.  My legs don't have that extra oomph so I know I need to dig to keep this up.  By the time we are on Jolon, they are moving away from me.  I just try to keep up my cadence and not to loose hope.  I leap frog back and forth with a 26 year old.  We encouraging each other every pass.  Without aerobars this would be brutal.  The wind is pushing across me and I have to hold on tight to stay straight.

This part of the course is rolling.  I try to give a solid effort on the uphills and hammer the downhills (a trademark move borrowed from our friend John Doughery).  It's hard to have patience when I'm getting passed on the uphills.  It's almost equally hard fighting my body's desire to coast the downhill part. 

I'm approaching Mile 26.  On Wednesday I biked the 2nd half of this course.  I know that the next section is 8 miles of a slight downhill.  Probably my last opportunity to really get my average up.  I'm really looking forward to it.  It's funny because in years past I've found this section to be boring and dull.  But now I know I have a job to do and I'm psyched up for it. 

At Mile 26 my average is 16mph.  Troy has done this course so many times that he knows it front and back.  In his experience, you have to average 1 mph faster than the average you want by Mile 41.  That means by Mile 41 I need to be at 20 mph.... a steep goal considering where I'm currently at and the wind factor.  Here it comes, here I go.  I tuck down into my aerobars and go.  It's amazing how fast this section goes when it has a purpose!

I watch my average increase in little increments.  By Mile 33, just before the next turn, I'm just under 18mph.  I'm not sure I can continue to increase it much more.  I have 8 more miles to do it and this next section is a bit rolling.  Surprisingly I'm able to keep the speed up even with the wind which seems to push against me in every direction I'm going.  As I approach Mile 41, I realize that hitting just 19mph is going to be hard enough.  19 is my goal for Mile 41.  I'm content with that.  I know that God will help make it so.  I purposely ignore my average pace and just push.  I keep repeating to myself and God that the average will be 19mph. 

As I pass Mile 41, I look down and see 18.9.  But, Lord, I know it's really 19mph, and I believe that means I'll be at 18mph at the finish.  I just know it will be. 

Mile 41 to 43 is a tough hill!  One you just have to patiently ride out.  A guy notices my FCA Endurance jersey and asks if I'm a Christian.  He's a Christian too.  This is his first time on the course and I let him know he's almost to the top.  We go back and forth a bit and encourage each other. 

We make a right at the top and climb some more.  Now, it's pretty much down with a little up for a bit and then comes the steep downhill.  I love, and hate, this part.  It's nice to have free speed but it's a little scary for me.  1/2 way down there's a rough stretch and I pray that I don't hit a big bump. 

Phew, I'm at the bottom!  Now it's back to work getting my average up more.  Mile 45 to Mile 51 is rolling.  I remember from the other day that each mile has a downhill in it and that I just need to maximize those parts.  It's not the most exciting part of the course but I push as much as my legs can go.  There are some more FCA signs!  Cool!

Mile 51 to 56 brings us back into the park.  I know that I'll see Troy and Anna just before the descent to the transition.  There's Troy!  He's trying to get Anna over to see me.  I smile and wave to him as I go by.  I fly down Lynch to the transition area.  I'm done!  Yeah, thank You Lord!!  (I'm 8th off the bike)

The run is an unknown today.  My hamstrings have been beat up since Big Sur.  My focus is on taking small strides to minimize extending the Hamstrings and causing them to tighten.  I've asked God to help me feel strong today. 

I head out of transition with another girl.  There's no age visible on her calf (they write your age on your calf so others know what group your in).  She could be my age.  She's running a brisk pace which at the moment is a little too fast for me.

I have to go the bathroom.  Lately this has been happening a lot.  Do I stop?  The timing chip on my ankle is bothering me so I have to stop anyway. 

Ah, much better.  The girl is gone now.  I'm sure I'll see her at the 10 mile turnaround.  Again I see few girls.  The ones that I do see are 25 to 29.  From Miles 1 to 3, I really start to get a good pace going and my hamstrings are doing well.  Thanks God!  Please keep them happy(=  Miles 3 to 9 are mostly on dirt trails that with some tough climbs.  I'm interested to see how I'll fare here. 

A 44 year old comes by around Mile 4 and I tell her that she's first in her age group (her group started behind me and she's the first I've seen)  I catch back up to her as we start the big hill.  We encourage each other along.  Wow, I feel strong!  It gets steeper and everyone is walking.  I've had to walk this hill each time but today I shuffle up it.  Thanks God! 

My racing buddy catches up to me and we prepare ourselves for the last tough hill on this section of trail.  Last year Troy and Anna were waiting at the top.  Sure enough I see Troy near the top and it pumps me up.  I give him a high 5 as I pass.  He points to sleeping Anna in the stroller...so cute!  Again, I'm able to keep running all the way up.  Thanks God!

I've lost my buddy and must continue alone.  At mile 6, I think she's passing me but it's another women, in the 45 to 49 age group.  Boy is she running fast!  I cannot match her pace!  Impressive!!!  (She goes on to run a 1:33!!). 

After Mile 7, we're running through the main camp site.  Another hill.  There's Anna and Troy...and Anna is awake and smiling.  I give her a high 5...so cool!  Troy tells me I'm catching some girls in my age group.  I feel stronger and stronger with each mile now!  My hamstrings are hanging in there!  It's amazing!  There are more FCA signs too!  I getting more and more pumped!  I say Amen out load as I read each scripture. 

I catch up to a girl in my age group before Mile 9.  I know there must be many more ahead.  It's a steep descent to Mile 10.  What goes down must go up...eek!  On my way down I see the girl from the beginning and a handful of others.  It's hard to tell who's in my age group.  I give each of them a smile and say good job.  They'll be tough to beat that's for sure!

Coming back up I know that I'll see 5 more FCA signs.  I helped Neva put these here.  She's with the Living Hope Church of San Clemente (our campmates this week..cool group!).  I read each sign as I go by and count them off.  I know there are 5 signs to the top.  Thanks God!  I push hard and keep hoping to catch more girls in my age group.  I just have to make it to Mile 12 and it's literally downhill from there...free speed!

Coming up on Mile 12, I see another girl in my group!  I catch her and encourage her as I pass.  Now it's down, down, down!  I let my legs go.  The hamstrings are good to go as I make my way to the final stretch.  At the bottom of the hill, I pass a group of guys.  I tell them, "let's give it all we got".  One of them takes off ahead of me and I follow him into the chute.  I finish with a gesture that Betsy Davis (the race director's wife) taught me to help give the Glory to God: raise hands, cover heart and touch each palm with a finger (the sign for Jesus).  Helps me remember His sacrifice for us and that my heart is for him.  I cross the finish line (4th on the run) with pure joy!  Thank You Lord Jesus for a great day!!

As human beings, we can take so much for granted.  We look past the little blessings or even forget them.  It's often these small blessings that are the most profound.  As I looked over the results a few days later I saw 18mph for my bike average.  I had totally forgot about that moment when I told God I believed I would get 18mph even though it wasn't quite 19mph at Mile 41.  The realization floored me.  God rewarded my faith at that moment on the course.  That is such a big gift considering my faith in Him is flawed and weak and I'm undeserving of the rewards.

Donna Douglass

Michelle Ridder

Sandy Douglass

Hector Tovar

*Wildflower PR by 1:01