Notes
Spring Thursday Night Trail Races #2
Goals (cascading)
A) Top 2
B) Stay with leaders through 2 miles
C) Good trail technique
The top guy from last week wasn't here so my A goal became maybe easier than my B goal. That also meant we didn't get out fast, in fact it was rather slow the first minute. But I didn't want to take the initiative which also lead me to get behind someone that I shouldn't have and Micheal (#2 last week) got 10m ahead. Oliver (#4 last week) made the pass and I followed. It definitely took a harder push than I would have liked to catch up to Micheal, especially when I haven't been feeling good to start races.
Thankfully, my body did what it normally does and settled down and I started feeling better. Not great though because the first 2 miles were constant ups and downs and the pace was not easy. I focused on staying on Oliver - maybe a little too close as it was a rocky and rooty trail. Micheal seemed very much in control, his long stride just eating up the trail. I was feeling good on the hills, granted none were huge, but I was still making sure I used every downhill to regain composure.
At 2 miles, the trail starts to parallel a stream so it's flat for over a mile. I was happy to have a break from the hills and to accomplish my B goal. However, the flat was not a time to relax. While I thought Micheal might have been fatiguing on the last decent uphill, he still picked up the pace now. I could see Oliver starting to waiver a few times and he did end up waving me by. The next mile was a mix of feelings, at times I thought about passing and pushing the pace myself, other times I felt like I was just hanging on to the seemingly composed Micheal.
My aggressiveness to stay with Micheal eventually faltered right before the hill (I don't really even remember him pulling away, but I was probably telling myself I'd get him on the hill). I pushed the hill and felt I was pulling back at times, but he did not relent and pulled away to win by 7sec.
Race Time: 26:58