Notes
The plan was to get into the same heat as Burger and hopefully help him to get under 4:40 for a PR at the end of the season. Seeded a bit over 4:38 and got put into the 23rd heat which was 4:36-4:38 seeds. My gut told me I was in 4:35 shape but I didn't quite believe it and am happy to have been put in the heat I was in.
I was in 10th position, 3rd in the barrel. I got out well and crashed down to near the front of the pack at the break and started with about 66-67 for the first quarter. I ran mostly 34-35 per lap and about half the pack passed me but I stayed calm and as they slowed down I passed almost all of them back. I ran 32 high for the last lap to pass the third place finisher and came in 2nd for 4:35.
I'm pretty happy with the performance and I am really glad that Burger got a 4:37 and that I was able to help however I could. I didn't feel like I was dying and I had plenty in the tank at the end; I had no trouble recovering after the race. I still haven't gotten over track pre-race anxiety - it just kept getting worse and worse until the gun. This race reminded me that I could get back into really fast mile shape but unfortunately I'm not going to - there just aren't enough opportunities and I'm ready to focus on slightly longer stuff (5k and up).