Notes
Overall assessment is that this racing was highly motivating for me but also very unsatisfying. My fitness is not where I want it to be, but I feel like I'm in a spot where I can make some good progress over the next 1-2 months.
I tried to start off patiently. My first mile was about 4:56. Looking back I probably should have been closer to 5 minutes. After the mile, the group of Runablaze guys I was with picked up the pace and we came through 2 miles in about 9:45 (so roughly 4:49 for mile 2). Then I started to let them go as I realized that pace was not sustainable for me. At that point I was our 7th guy. I came through the 5k in 15:23 so I slowed up quite about over the 3rd mile. Then I say Trai just a little ways ahead of me and eventually I passed him. Unfortunately I never saw the 4 mile mark, so I don't have that split, but I definitely was able to pick up the pace at least a little bit between the 5k and the finish to the point where I was able to pass a few people and still feel like I was racing and not just finishing.