Notes
This was completely unexpected, even while I crossed the finish line. I was bogged down in a crowd at the start. I began moving up through the knots, and was surprised to see the people ahead of me kick it into high gear on the first hill. I passed a couple here, a couple around the bends toward the water station. I hung with the kid ahead of me, who was visibly tiring, and cruised on past toward the steep hill. That hill didn't bother me in the least, but I felt I was running a conservative pace. I worked a bit and kept my pace up during the gentle uphill following the steepest part. That stretch makes or breaks a race. Since this was a laid back race, I relaxed and really got a head of steam toward the finish. passing the water again I was really cranking. Felt great, and I figured with my slow start I'd have a chance at making my predicted time of 22:00. When I heard Don Grant call out 'Nineteen..." I was dumbstruck. Dumbstruck is the wrong word, I said 'Holy Shit!' becuase sub 20 on this course was something I thought of as unattainable. Go figure ...