Notes
Misunderstood the start time by over an hour. So I had already warmed up and stripped off some clothes. Ended up running another 3 miles just to keep warm.
Gun went off and I was 3rd. Two guys moving up my six for the first half-mile. Then my breathing went wonky. My throat started closing off and I couldn't get the volume of air I needed to keep the pace I was running. The pace was probably 5:40 pace on mostly flat but curvy paths. Footing was a bit of an issue as some of this part resembled XC as we ran around Montecello's grounds. My lack of XC experience was a handicap.
When I stopped getting the volume of oxygen I wanted my pace faltered to 6:00 pace, which is slower than I'm usually good for on the track. The two guys behind me swept past me. I was now in 5th.
The second mile is downhill. I had 5th place and a lead on the 1st woman until we hit the downhills. Then she easily passed me and kept expanding the gap between us. I could feel my heel stopping me. I tried leaning forward a bit, but felt very unstable. Wasn't sure my feet would keep under me. Instead, it ended up an aerobic rest period of sorts. My air-problem solved itself. I just couldn't go any faster without losing it, though. On the flat I overtook her again until we again headed downhilll -- this time on slippery wooden bridges. Here I couldn't speed up well as I felt every footfall slip just a bit under me. She passed me.
At the hairpin at the base of the bridges, we were warned by staff, "It's slippery". I was on her tail at the turn, but when I tried to slow before the gravel I just ended on my ass. "Yep, slippery," I said as I picked myself up and charged upward.
Uphill I again overtook her until a muddled part that must have been the 3mile mark. She passed me and tried to pull away. She must have known the course -- I wasn't sure how far we had or if I should kick. Then I saw the LEDs of the timer ahead. So I kicked and smoked her by 3seconds.
I ended up winning 1AG (40-49), but only because #2OE(42) and #3OE(47) were warded for their OE status. Still, it ended up being a free race for me with my gifts.