Notes
Well, my origional plan was 76s for 15:50 pace and see what happens. But then Mike appears five minutes before my race and says "78s" and I'm like "What?" Then he's like "what were you thinking?" I say "I really want to break 16!" so he says "Ok, 77s thats 16:02[.5]" so I agree and head to the start line. I was given number 20 so on the very outside I pushed a little hard and ran a 35 first lap but was like in 3rd or 4th and then I tried to slow down to 77s and came through the mile in 5:04. I continued to cruise and adjusted my headband cause it kept coming up. At 2000m I realized that I was in a 3-3 breathing rythum and thought how awesome that is! I let a few people go past cause I was pretty close to pace and I knew that the real race is the last 1000 meters so I've just got to stay relaxed until then. Second mile in 5:11 and I still felt relaxed but I didn't go out and hammer it. At about 1200 left it got harder and I think I maned up and passed a kid at about 1k left then I was around CG kids and an Amhearst freshman that was tiny. At that point I tried to keep up whatever I could. With 400 to go it got really hard and I think one CG guy passed me with 300 to go. 3rd mile in 5:12 and then I was totally in pain but a 33 would get 16 flat so I gave it everything (which was a 36) and was completely exhausted at the finish. Most exhausted at the finish I have been since xc. So...22 second PR! but I am left hungry to decide how to cut 4 seconds off my time at MIT. I'll get it. This was a 70 mile week. Thank God! He has again made me phenomenal beyond what I ever thought I would do!