Step by step, mile by mile

My team arrived to region about 30 minutes before the first event(1600) was to start, so I was pretty nervous. Based on last year's times I'd need to run a low 4:46, with my best being 4:46.85. I knew I could do that, but the recent sickness I was recovering from filled me with some doubts. There was thunder and lightning, so the meet was delayed an hour. While we all took shelter at Morgan High School, and while we waited Mason, Aaron, and I ran about a mile around the school to keep our muscles warm.

After the hour passed the three of us ran about a mile and a half for a warm up and did some stretches, and got on the starting line. I wasn't feeling too well, but I told myself that I would stick with Aaron. The first 400 we came in at a 66, which was around my goal, but it felt bad. The next 400 was even worse. At the end of the first lap I was in fourth, on Aaron's tail, but aaron went too quickly as well so he started to die out. I got passed by two park city kids during the second lap and the gap between Aaron and I grew. My next 700 was basically a jog. I got passed by another park city kid and I couldn't care less. The gap between aaron and I was an entire stretch. In the last 100 Kedric caught me, so I sped up and basically sprinted my last 100, feeling full of energy. I could have easily run the same time again, which was a 4:57. I felt like I let my team down, but I told myself there'd be redemption in my 800 race tomorrow.

I felt much better today. Yesterday all of the team went to Applebee's, but Mason and I wanted good food so we went to chick-fil-a and bought uncrustables afterwards. We got to our room an hour before everyone else, so we just browsed instagram and had a major freak out to find out our boy Matt Maton broke a 4 minute mile! Props to him. Anyway, to the race.

The morning of it was raining pretty intensely. In order to keep warm Mason, Aaron and I ran the mile and a half course, but mainly to keep Aaron company because the 3200 was the first event of the day. We were all top four on the team in the 3200, but coaches wanted me to qualify for state in the 800, and for Mason to win region in the 800 so we weren't running it. We did, however, cheer our hearts out for our boy! He was ranked fifth in the race. There were three park city kids who all ran mid 10's, and Andrew Allen, who won XC region this past season so his state spot was assumed(he told me he was going for fourth). The first 1600 Aaron had the lead, with Kedric on his back and Park City and Andrew close behind. Park City's 3200 plan is always to pace the first 1600 and go quickly for the second half, so when they hit that fifth lap they struck. One Park city kid, Sam, decided to take the lead. Aaron knew it'd be stupid to fight, so he let him take it. Andrew passed him soon after, and caught Sam as well. The final 600. Andrew had a large lead, and Sam had some ground on Aaron. Kedric was about 50 meters behind, with Wes trailing him. Wes wisened up and kicked it in. By the final lap he had Aaron, but Aaron was going strong. Mason and I are going mute screaming. The two fought it out, With Aaron losing by .1 second to Wes, 3 to Sam, and 5 to Andrew. But my boy made state! He was so happy. I'm proud.

Flash foward to the 800. It's pouring. In in straight spandex, so is everyone else. I was ranked 6th, but Wes dropped out to save energy for the 4x400(he'd lose anyway). False start. The rankings were Mason in first, Andrew in second, Mason Stephens(Park City) in third(technically Wes would have been third), Aaron in fourth, me in fifth, a Morgan kid in sixth, Austin in seventh. Gun goes off. I told myself prior to the race I'd need to beat Mason Stephens to get my state spot because I didn't forsee Wes pansying out, So I decided to stay on Aaron. As we hit 150m I was in like 8th. Mason Walk and Andrew were battling it out for first. Austin was in front of me, and he hadn't beaten me once this season so I realized this pace wasn't right. I sped up at a comfortable pace and caught Mason at 250. Felt good. Amazing. As we hit 350 I realized that I was feeling comfortable, something I'd never felt in the 800. I didn't like it. I sped up and caught Mason and Andrew at the 400 mark and went for the pass. I kept the lead up until a bit past the 500 mark, then time slowed down. It seemed like Andrew was going at a full sprint as he passed me. Same with both Masons, and the Morgan kid that passed me. In the last 100 a Morgan kid, Austin, and a Park City kid caught me. I was mad at myself, I did beat Aaron though for the first time ever. I'm almost sure if I hadn't gone for the pass for the lead I could have kept up a sub 2:07 and qualified for state, but oh well. Just seeing the pure shock on both Mason's faces and the confusion on Andrew's made me happy. Austin acted like he was better than me at the finish line, and maybe he was. For the day. But I have a full second faster PR that begs to differ. Cooldown around the ol' mile and a half path. Pretty irate to not go to state, but now I have a fire in me to win. I guess this loss will just make my victory next year all the sweeter. Time to put it in work, and lay it out on the #grind. 1:57 at region next year or bust.