First, before I go on about my race, I just want to thank my coaches, teamates, competitiors, and most importantly my family for helping me have such a great race. Most importantly I'd like to thank my dad for helping me out today.
A very Bitter-sweet race. Mainly bitter though. These last two weeks my throat had been very dry and sore when I woke up every morning, and I would wake up a few times a night because of it. I would just get a drink, and then it'd feel better. Well, today it didn't go away in the morning, so I kept drinking water all day. It finally went away about 30 minutes or so before the race. I had drank a lot of water though. I warmed up with my team, and I felt good other than my throat and my stomache was starting to hurt a little from overhydration.
The gun went off, and I sprinted out well, got in my position, and ran my race that first mile. I kept looking back to much to make sure no one was passing me (mistake #1). I ran up the hill, and it didn't hurt too much. I should've sped up, but no one was too close to me. I don't know where the mile marker was, but I heard 4:50s and 5:00s, but I wasn't sure. I just kept running. Right about the first time I went around the pond, my stomache started hurting. I then went into a go-for-the-win mode instead of go-for-the-record. I mentally just lost it, and kept looking back. I kept running, and was at mile 2 just under 10 minutes. This is where I should've known I'm going to have to hurt to get the time. Chuk told me I ran 5:07 for that mile, and I wasn't sure what that meant. After this I should've pushed it. I was on record pace, and I knew I can kick and finish with a sub-2:20 final 800m, but I knew I'd won the race if I just finished well (mistake #2 or 3 or something). My stomache felt better when I slowed down, so I went with that. I heard I was still in the high 13 minute range with less than a 400m left. I think my last 400m I just got out of the zone. I remember it feeling easy when I ran across the road, and hitting the track, and just watching the numbers go up. My last 50m was like 10 or 11 seconds. I was supposed to sprint. Mike Buckly ended up second just like he was at region, except this time he was closer. Good race for me, but not great.
Cooled down after with my team, then ran 4 more miles when I got home.
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