Notes
I think I'm making a case for GOAT race cherry-picker... I've been placing far too well for the times I'm running...
Felt awful today and once again would not have done this if I hadn't already paid for it... and if I didn't have an UNCONTROLLABLE ego. Spent about 20min in the bathroom getting down to race weight beforehand if you know what I mean ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) but still was not confident on that front afterwards. Really have no reason to be running hard right now so wanted to do the minimum to win without seeming like a douche. Thought it would be another battle of attrition with crazy heat like usual but we kind of lucked out with cloud cover and wind at race time. Still warm and still VERY humid but overall better than last time I think. As usual, some dude went HAM to start, no worries about him, but crowd favorite Victor Fallon went to 2nd with a more controlled pace. I hung back for a while, maybe in 6th or so, before I got worried that Victor was getting away just a weeee bit too much so I started moving up. No more than 10s behind at the mile, slowly worked up to him by the end of 2, ran with him for about half a mile, then gave the last 0.5 an... acceptable... push. At least the splits went in the right direction last time, and yeah the time is slow and I expected it slow but it was by no means all out. 5:42-5:35-5:40 according to the markers (GPS useless on those trails) but I was just matching pace with Victor on the first half of that last mile.
Did what I wanted to do, dgaf about the time right now considering the last few weeks. Talked to Victor after, he was wondering where I was for so long... I apologized for not helping out with the lead but told him I really wasn't feeling it those first two. Feel bad beating him because clearly everyone loves him. Oh well, someone has to win.
2/4