my makeup may be flaking

This is basically the Salt Lake City Track Club winter 15K of Atlanta. It was FREE for members and $10 otherwise. And yet, there were only ~1000 finishers compared to 20,000 for the Hot Chocolate 15K 3 weeks ago. I really don't get that.

Anyway, good race that went about as well as I could have hoped, yet I still feel like I left something out there.

There are two races 8K and 15K, that start together. The 15K loop is the 8k course plus another 7k loop that is almost the same. I ran with a group of guys running the 8K and just tried to let them pull my along.

I got a little excited at the start, and my heart was jumpy. However, my pre-race plan was to be a little agressive and then just hang with whoever was around. I reached the first mile in 5:48 (5:34 on course tool) and I was in oxygen debt, I settled in and cruised the second mile downhill, easily staying with the group 5:41 (5:51).

The third mile contains a megahill which I look at everyday from my daily run and tremble. My daily run is on a rails to trails path that crosses over the race course. Right at that point are some weird sculptures. When I looked up today, I saw that they were really figures writhing in agony. The third mile was somehow 6:11 (5:33), which I only managed by tucking in behind the 8k guys. I seemed to be working much harder than them, which had me concerned. 6:02, 6:01 (5:38,5:48) to finish out the first loop.

Pretty much everyone turned out to finish the 8K and suddenly it was just me. I could see someone else like 40 seconds ahead. I really let down my effort here. 6:17 (6:05) for the 6th mile and the guy ahead was the same distance away. The 7th mile was a cruising downhill: 5:54 (6:07). Then up the megahill in 6:36 (5:59), this time with no one to push me. 8:06 (5:51 adj pace) for the last 1.32 indicating I had some more in the tank. The guy in front of me ended up taking a wrong turn in the last mile so I finished second overall (1st was 54:07).