^WHERE:  Sacramento, CA

Anna's 1 Mile Kid's Race

Today I'm going to do the 1 mile kids race.  I always do the 1/2 mile and I know I can go farther.  But I don't want to do a 5k until I'm a little older.  Daddy has me do some warm-up runs racing against him across the grass.  I feel good.  Now it's time for the kid's races.  I do some stretching and Mommy puts my hair in a pony tail. I watch the other races.  Mine is last.  There are some big kids getting ready for it.  One girl is stretching on a big gate so I join her.  She looks like she knows what she's doing.  I'm really exciting to get running.  I move through the tall kids up near the starting line.  Daddy's telling me the plan... "I'll take your jacket before you start. 

"Don't go out too fast.  Be careful at the start, don't get knocked over.  I'll give you your dolly when you're 1 minute from the finish line."  Daddy probably doesn't think I'll remember all this but it's easy!  Just follow everyone else, have fun and cross that cool finish line with dolly!

It's fun running up on the grass, then down on the road.  And I'm glad my tummy doesn't hurt or anything.  There's Mommy & Leonie.  Mommy can't believe I'm still running.  I'm not stopping until the finish.  Oh yay, there's Daddy holding dolly.  I'm so happy to grad her.  That means there's 1 min to the finish.  We both run across the finish line so happy and so proud.  I have no energy now so we have to go eat and get more energy!  I had fun.  Daddy says I went under 12 min.  I think that's good but I don't want to count minutes now, I want to go to the zoo and then eat a LOT of food.  Yay! Follow me to the zoo!

The Video...

FUN AT THE ZOO

ROBIN'S STORY

This is an historical day for Team Soares.  Anna is racing her first 1 Mile today.  Troy is returning to run racing after the foot pain of many years has suddenly subsided.  And, for once, Troy and I are equally matched in pace.  So we have decided to take each other on.  Anna is pulling for Daddy and I am certain Ariel is pulling for me...well at least I like to think so(=  My buddy Leonie Alesci, 6 months pregnant, has come out to watch the girls while Troy and I battle it out.  Though the skies are cloudy the world is sunny to us.

Troy and I head over to the starting line and pray with Cheryl Rains whose husband Josh is also racing.  Then we position ourselves to the far right front of the field next to Josh so that we can be ready to give Anna a high five.  Troy sets his Garmin to 7 min pace...okay, that will be my pace too!

Ready, set, go!  Troy takes off at a fast pace and I go with him.  We run by Anna for a high 5...just missed!  I get Leonie's hand and off we go!  I look at my Garmin and don't like the low 6-min pace I see.  I decide it's not worth the fast start to stay with him.  I'll have to wait and see what happens. 

I see Cheryl catch up to Troy and they run together for 1/2 mile.  Troy slowly pulls away and I pick it up to avoid a huge gap from forming.  I catch up with Cheryl and another woman and we all stay together through the first mile.

Mile 1 is 6:55.  I'm not convinced I can keep this up but at least I feel good at the moment.  Through the first aid station I see that Troy skips the water but I'm sure to grab some.  No sports drink is available and we're both not carrying any Hammer Gel this time.   No excuses today!  I catch up with Troy and ask how his foot is doing.  "It's good".  Yes!  "Thanks God!", I say.  I slowly pull ahead of Troy.  I try to look at the competitors ahead to take my mind off my REAL competition(= 

Mile 2 is 7:02.  I again grab water at the next aid station and hope it's enough to keep everything going smoothly.  The same women from mile 1 has pulled up alongside me.  I pick up my pace to match her.  We pick off a few people together.  Soon she begins to fade so I surge ahead.  I cannot fall off this pace with Troy within striking distance.  Even though I tell myself not to look back until the next mile marker, I look anyway... okay, Troy's not too far back but there's a nice space between us.  I ask God to help us continue pushing hard and to continue keeping his foot in good shape. 

Mile 3 is 7:03.  I see Leonie and the girls.  I give them high 5's as I go by and they encourage me to "Go!".  Soon after I hear Leonie say "come on, get your wife".  I look back and see that I have a good lead on him.  We make a U-turn just before the finish line and head out for another lap.  There's Leonie and the girls again.  This time I give Ariel a little high 5 tap on the shoulder.  It's clear now that the fast pace is catching up to me.  My heartrate has jumped up and I'm feeling fatigued.  Please Lord help me keep going and let Troy and I be close enough at the end to really battle it out.  Again, I look ahead and see others I can pick off.  I see Josh Rains and a girl in pink...it's on, I'm going to try to catch them!

Mile 4 is 7:00.  I'm catching Josh but suddenly it appears as if he's gotten his second wind.  He passes the girl in pink.  I focus on at least closing the gap on her.  I glance back at Troy and he's closed our gap slightly.  I give him a thumbs up.  It's hurting and I'm asking God to keep both of us going strong. 

Mile 5 is 6:52.  Wow, focusing on the pink girl has helped me to pick it up.  I'm closer but still have my work cut out for me.  I look back and see Troy is getting closer.  A guy in a black beanie passes and I jump on his draft.  I really needed someone to pull me to the pink girl and hopefully away from Troy.  It's really hurting now but I remind myself that it's almost over!  Soon I can hear Troy coming up on my shoulder...uh, oh!  He tells me good job as he goes by and I return the compliment.  In my head, for a moment, I decide it's over and there's no way to go with him.  Wait a minute!  Catch him!  I surge and I get in his draft.  This hurts!

Mile 6 is 6:47.  Wow, we are flying!  We pass the girl in pink and now it's just the two of us head-to-head.  I push, he pushes.  We are neck-in-neck rounding the last corner to the finish line.  We both are digging deep and not letting up.  There's the finish!  Go, go, go!  As we cross the line it's so close that it's so hard to tell.  We give each other a hug.  Wow, thanks God for answering my prayer.  That was fun and a great effort for both of us!  Now it's time for Anna's race!

Our Friend Hal Tacker

TROY'S STORY

After praying consistently for healing, my 10 year chronic heel problem started going away one day last October.  Before that, the doctors said there was nothing that could be done, but we never gave up hope.  Just kept waiting to be able to run again.

In 2008, after a recommended heel surgery, I ran the Zoo Zoom 10k to try out the foot.  The result was quite a let down as the pain in my foot was worse, preventing me from running any more road races.  2 years later, I'm now trying the Zoo Zoom 10k again for my first race.

On top of that, Robin & I predict our pace will be similar and therefore throw down the challenge - "May the best Soares win!"  We love a good friendly competition  :)

With our good friend, and soon-to-be-mommy, Leonie, watching the girls, Robin and I toe the starting line, say a prayer, and take off... running our first race together in years!

We high-five Anna and start our loops through Sacramento's Lands Park.  My goal is 7 min pace and I hope that's good enough to beat Robin.  At .5mi, though, I'm at 6:30 and ahead of Robin.  I know I need to be smart so by 1mi I get back on the plan...

Mile 1 is 6:58. For the first mile I got to run with a good friend, Cheryl Rains.  Her husband, Josh, was way ahead and increasing the gap.  Robin catches me and moves ahead.  She asks about my foot, which is doing pretty good but it's a little shocked to be running this fast.

Mile 2 is 7:11.  Both my left and right lower legs are a little touchy and I alternate easing up on each side trying to balance the workload.

My garmin says I'm right at 7min pace.  The feet are pretty balanced now, just overall getting fatigued.  But Robin is up ahead and I'm trying to keep "locked on".  Suddenly a squirrel darts across the road in front of Robin and I yell, "SQUIRREL!" as in the movie, "Up!".  I can hear her laugh.

Through the neighborhoods I take all the corners well to maintain speed. Leonie & the girls are cheering for us as we finish loop 1.

Mile 3 is 7:09.  Another pass by Leonie, Ariel and Anna, along with a high-five, really pumps me up and prepares me for the 2nd loop.  My heart rate is 173, high, but expected for this effort.  Fortunately I find a tall guy with a black beanie to draft behind.  Robin is up ahead, alone, pushing against the headwind.  Robin's a great competitor and is using every trick she knows as well.  I know she'll be proud of my drafting strategy.

When we turn down-wind at mile 4, my plan is to try to bridge back up to her.

Mile 4 is 7:05. At 4mi, going by the rock band for the 2nd time, I start to make my move.  Running the tangents and gunning for my wife ahead, the pace is dropping but the gap isn't closing.  She's taking advantage of the wind as well.

Mile 5 is 6:51. At 5mi I know I have to make a move.  With the best form possible and using my arms I slowly close the gap.  In the first corner of the neighborhood section I cut inside, just brushing Robin's shoulder, and surge in front.  Will she let me go?  No, I hear her speed up to keep the gap.  I take all the corners tight, using the other runners to my advantage.  Now it's the straight stretch by the crowds.  We're neck and neck, running hard.  She's a tough competitor.  I love the spirit of the athlete inside her.  And I know she'll only really be happy if she knows I gave it my all.

Mile 6 is 6:45.  With 1 corner left I make sure to get to the apex first to gain a stride on her going into the 100 yd dash to the finish.  It's going to be close!  Side-by-side with Anna and friends cheering we race to the line.  I see more and more of Robin in my peripheral vision.  We cross the line and I'm sure she got a leg ahead of me.  Wow, what a great race!  I know she loved every bit of it as well.   And my foot feels good.  The race results show us as identical times but lists me ahead of Robin.  Even though her leg crossed the line first, I think the timing chip was on the other leg.  Tough break :)