Robin's Race

(Troy Reporting)

Today's going to be really fun.  We're off to Davis, Robin's college town, for a family day of running.  Anna wants to run the kid's race; Robin's doing the 5k Baby Jogger division; and I'll do the 10k.  Robin will push the jogger in her first race since the Hawaii Ironman a month ago.  She's really excited about it.  After 3 wks of down time recovering from the Ironman, she once again felt like racing so we signed her up.  She did a couple practice runs during the week with Anna and is ready to go.  I had a good 10k run in the San Francisco Triathlon last week but usually I'm still pretty tight the following week so I'll do what I can.  I know Anna can do the .5 mile run because it's shorter than her last 1km race a couple months ago.  She's been getting some running in while watching the local elementary school runs held in the mornings near our house.  Past Pro Triathlete, Brad Kearns, puts on those events.

As usual, Robin gets us the perfect, secret parking place next to her old Davis Aquatics Masters swim team center.  We register the 3 of us and start warming up on this foggy, chilly morning.  We run into our friends:  Bruce Beldin & his son Kamren;  Trudi Scott & her husband, Randy;  Hal Tacker, who we met at the Memorial Day Run in Davis.

Robin's race starts first and it's quite a sight.  A hundred sleek baby joggers poised to shoot off the line, racing for a coveted solid chocolate turkey.  Robin sees a friend of hers. They're both excited to see one-another, but Nicole comments, "well there goes my chances of winning".  I think Robin has a chance, too, but it's a big field and hard to tell.  I talk to a couple near the front and comment on their built-for-speed joggers.  The big wheels and aero design look like a serious threat.  But they tell me "the guy with the tatoos is the one to beat".  He's been 2^nd for the last 3 years.  He tells me the previous winner isn't here today.  He should have a clear shot for the title.

Through a curtain of fog, the baby-joggers dash through the start.  Anna and Robin look good.

(Robin's report)

Anna and I take off with all the other baby joggers.  The fast dads get out in front and we are with the second small group of dads.  It’s nice to have a clear road ahead.  We have lots of space and I can try out Troy’s technique of pushing the stroller up ahead of me.  I check the Garmin and see that we are running just over 6:40 pace.  If we can keep this up we might have a chance to take the mommy race.  I haven’t done much mileage and zero track workouts since Hawaii.  So I hope that my Hawaii fitness is hanging in there.  If not, there may be some major bonking. 

I haven’t heard a word from Anna.  I can't hear much with my heavy breathing and the wind.  I see a pile of leaves up ahead and decide to drive through them for Anna’s entertainment.  “We’re going through the leaves Anna!  Wee!”  We breeze through and then get back on track.  “Was that fun Anna?”

Mile 1:  6:42.  Not bad, keep going legs!  We are running with a Dad pushing a double jogger…wow, tough work!  Around a corner we are soon to cross a foot bridge.  “Look Anna, a bridge!”  "Bridge", Anna says.  Now I see a kitty crossing the street.  “See the kitty?” Man it’s getting really hard to talk but I want Anna to know I’m here.  Anna and I are ahead of the double stroller and find ourselves completely alone now.  

We are running up F Street beyond Covell Blvd.  I did a lot of running out here by myself and with the Davis High Cross Country team…memories!  We soon turn off F Street and head to the greenbelt.  My Garmin tells me that I’m slowing down.  Come on legs!  Just a bit longer!  We are on the greenbelt and heading back towards Community Park, right next to Davis High, another memorable place.

Mile 2: 6:46.  Not bad but come on body hang in there one more mile.  We fly by the tennis courts and high school.  I feel like I have tunnel vision and all I can do is look ahead.  We come up on 14^th St. and I see no arrows on the ground, people directing the race, or other racers.  I do see cones and a clear space between the cones straight ahead.  Without thinking back to the course map I printed out earlier, I go straight and then head diagonally for the other side of the street.  I see a fellow racer coming right at me.  He points me over to the other side of the street.  Oh my, I almost just cut the course!  It's pretty clear now that I was supposed to go left at the cones!  Sure enough, I see dads behind me running the correct route.  I weave back over to the right part of the course and do a short out and back.  Phew!  That dad saved our race!

Now it’s a straight shot down B St. to the finish!  It looks good for Anna and I but I don't know what my body or mind might do next.  Troy’s "push & catch up" technique doesn’t work well when I’m tired.  I just push Anna steady all the way to the finish.

Mile 3: 6:49.  I can see the finish and Troy ahead.  I gasp, “It’s daddy, Anna!”   I push as hard as I can through the finish.  Yeah, we are the first mommy baby team!  Thanks God!! 

I'm waiting at the finish, peering down the road.  Finally I see the silhouettes.  I'm surprised not to see the guy with tattoo's.  Then he arrives… walking… in 4^th place.  Turns out his one big opportunity was derailed by his son's "melt-down".  He sacrficied the race and walked the rest of the way carrying his little one.  Actually, if it wasn't for the 15min delay at the race start, his son may have lasted and the turkey would be his.

Right behind him, I see the first woman!  It's Robin!  Wow, sub-21 min.  Anna has her race-face on, void of emotion.  Maybe she's thinking of her race to come.  Wow, exciting fun!  Now I have to run.

Troy's Race

(Troy Reports)

I do strides the best I can.  Stretch as much as possible.  And get myself psyched up.  It always feels kind of funny, like I'm a poser, because I know the guys around me,  bounding and loosening up their well-trained legs, have put in the real mileage and the speed work.

But I go through the motions as it really helps my foot loosen up, and my body think that we've got the race of the season on the line.

Start:  Go!  I high-five Anna as I run by and feel pretty good the first ¼ mile. 

Wow, the pack is already so far ahead.  Although lagging this first mile, I know my splits will get faster as my foot loosens up.  It's sore right now but I do a few things to help:  try to run with good form; relax my legs; and use my hips more.  The most important thing I can do for a good race is to focus on God by remembering my answer to "Why do you race?";  and that is to encourage others and to be a reminder for Christ.

Mile 1: 6:36. Wow, it's exciting to be in the pack, running with the herd, thinking of strategy, and feeling the heart pounding and lungs straining for air.  It's a great course, all flat, weaving through bike paths and walkways behind the Davis streets and through green parks.

Mile 2: 6:32.  I think about trying to break 40min.  I calculate needing 6:26 miles but so far all are above 6:30.  That's ok, just keep trying. 

Mile 3: 6:26.  I'm just barely behind the pace.  I'm slowly passing some people.

Mile 4: 6:21.  I'm running well now and trying to move up.  So many men are ahead that it's easier to pinpoint the women.  If I can catch up to the top 3 women, I'll be doing pretty good.

Mile 5: 6:19.  In the last mile, giving it everything I've got, I pass the 4^th place girl and set my sights on the finishing stretch.  I can't wait to be done, I'm so tired.  With the fog it looks like the finish line is never getting closer.  Just keep going, Troy.

Mile 6: 6:13. Finally, I finish.. just below 40min!  Wow, I think I'm going to be hurting a lot tomorrow, but thank you, Lord, for giving me a challenging race and letting me be able to push my body like that.

Trudi Hughes Finishing!

Anna's Race

(Troy Reports)

Now it's Anna's turn.  We carefully tie her shoes and put her in some fast clothes.

First, to get pumped up, she watches the big kids run the 1 mile. But before they start, the race director makes the mistake of saying, "this is a test so nobody GO…."  As soon as the hundred kids hear the word go, they are gone!  It's so funny!  The race officials adjust quickly and the race is on.  They finish and now Anna is all ready to go.  She's pretty used to these starts now.  A friend of Robin's has her 3 yr old nearby so Anna stays near her.

Anna does some stretching.

Go!  We're off.  I run along with Anna.  But then I decide to go ahead and just cheer her by.  For a while it's great but then it confuses Anna.

All the bigger kids are way ahead and Anna is wondering why I keep stopping and watching her go by.  And then the course is confusing, too, as it backtracks through a finish line, goes by a start line, and then finishes at another finish line.

At 1/2 way, Anna goes by the start line and is distracted by the other kids starting the next race.  There's been a lot of excitement for her to look at.  She's having fun... at a leisurely pace.

Eventually we get to the real finish chute where people are cheering and photographers snapping.

  Anna runs all the way to the arch and gets her finishing ribbon.  She's all pumped up now and ready to go play in the jumpy houses and climbing wall.

It's a really fun day!  Anna tries all the slides, jumping houses, and even the big rock wall.  She's hesitant in the beginning but starts to overcome some fears.  Soon it's all over and the attractions are torn down and Anna is sad to say goodbye.  She sleeps well in the car.