Notes
MAXED OUT!! ran too fast in the opening mile and a half and then the rolling hills started. By then I we were strung out and I was sitting in 7th and in no mans land. i allowed myself to slow some so i could get settled. After that i focused on staying strong and catching a guy who was way up the road and was clearly coming back through the field. After I caught him I figured I was good for the rest of the race. The next guy up started to come back to me a little in the last few miles but he was still nearly 500-600 yards up the road. At mile 6 I could tell I had someone gaining on me. At mile 8 he came up beside me. At that point I was ok with cruising in and saving my legs some for tomorrow. BUT....he says to me. "You must be training more because you have gotten faster". EXCUSE ME!! so much for cruising in. I ran with him for a few minutes and decided to surge on him. I waited til we topped a small rise then went for about a 10 second pickup then settled back in. I waited for him to almost catch me then went off on another 10 second surge and settled back in. I waited again to hear the footsteps and when they got close I surged one more time for about 10 seconds. then settled in. i looked down and saw we were at 8.75. I decided I was going to wait until mile 9 to do anything else. Right at mile 9 it sounded like he had come back within a few steps of me. But i stepped on it. Not the pace that I surged but a pace I could hold for another minute or so. 2 tenths of a mile later I started to dry heave and I knew vomit was not far behind. I looked back to make sure he wasn't pushing but he was toasted and about 15 seconds back I guessed. For some reason I decided to pick it up one last time for the finish. As soon as I got across the line i threw up. I feel really good about this one. No clue how to pace it. No idea what the course was. Ended 6th overall and 1st in my AG. turns out the guy at mile 8 was in my AG and my last mile made the difference of 1st and second!! Was really happy with myself that I found another gear and the will to fight when I had already planned to shut it down.