1.5 mile warm up, stretches and strides. I've been really nervous for this race for a while, because it felt like I had a lot of expectation. Coach Write said just to run it tactilly, and not care about time. Just give it enought to win it, and save anything else for state.
The gun went off, and so did everyone around me. I didn't start out too well, but I was alright with it. I went around the pack during the first 200m and then just cut in and ran in back of Brian Jasper of Bonneville. The pace felt really easy, and I tried to pass him at the 400m mark, but he threw in a surge, and I let him lead for a while. We came across the 400m at 63, which seemed a lot faster than I thought we were running. I just stayed behind him and drafted for the next two laps. 2:11 was the 800m mark, which was faster than I thought we would be. We were at 3:20 at the 1200m mark. Right here coach yelled at me to kick, but when I tried to pass Jasper, Adam Hendrickson and Tanner Blaylock of Box Elder both flew around me. I passed Jasper at the 300m mark, and got out in lane 3 to pass the Box Elder duo. I thought I passed them, but when I tried to get into lane one on the turn I ran straight into Adam's arm, where he pushed me back to get some space. I stayed behind him with the rest of the turn, and when we hit 80m to go, I tried to pass him. He started getting out in lane 2 or 3 for the finish shoot, and I was trying to get on that side, so it was hard to pass him. We both fought pretty hard, and we didn't know who won, it was that close. My coach said I beat him, but I wasn't sure. After about an hour or so, they finally put up results, which said I beat him by a quarter second. That must have been the shortest quarter second in the world, because it felt much closer.
Afterward I did a good cool down, and the rest of the meet got post-poned because of lightning. | 