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Notes

Got to the race a little early b/c I wasn't sure if parking would be an issue. Registered then headed back to my truck to hang for a bit before warming up. That's when I got the news on Facebook and email that Bill had passed away that morning. I hung out on FB a little, shot out some emails, let a few tears go sitting in my truck. I scribbled "For Bill" on my bib and went to warm up.

Of course I was too geeked up at the start and I was running sub 6 in the first half mile. Went out way too fast. Tried to slow myself down and just couldn't rein myself in. so, of course I paid for it later. Mile 2 sucked. No big hills but enough rolling rises to pay me back for the fast start. I just tried to relax and tell myself I'd pick it up in he last mile. At that point I really did think of Bill and had him in my head yelling, "c'mon Georgie!"

I was laboring but I got such a jump with that 6:15 first mile that I was able to hang on. Was about 7-10 meters behind a guy who passed me in mile 1 and just tried to keeep him there. Could hear another guy coming up behind me but I held him off and just tried to keep him back. At 2.5 I found a little something and pushed by the guy in front of me on a small hill and lost the guy behind me. Once I got over the hill I saw the finish and the clock and I was shocked to see 19:20-something with about 100 meters or so to go. It was downhill to the finish and I just opened up and gave it everything I had and was psyched to finish sub 20. Officially 19:56.5, 11th OA, 4AG. Garmin had the course a little short and I faded pretty bad but I'm not giving back the sub 20. Thanks for the push Bill. A good day to race.