first thing i'll say is that this is the best racing expeirence i've ever had. i truly gave it my all.
thoughout this week i was confident i would make it into top 5 so i would qualify for nationals. but as the race got closer my chances seemed to get slimer because i found out kramer, mock, heslington, and others would be coming, who had been beating me all year. especially after my perfermance at AF, it wasn't looking like i'd be in the mix. But dont think i gave up. i still put in my brain that i could beat them when it counted.
we got to the race at about 7 after a good nights sleep and a rough breakfeast. I felt excited but very nervous. i warmed up 3.5 miles cause i've always done the best when i warm up that distance. and i then mentally prepared.
when i got to the box, everyone seemed to have chosen their spot, and so kindly left me in the back. the officals only cared to let the 2 'elite' people, who i dont know how they chose it, in the front and the rest was first come. so i ended up in the third row.
The gun went off and my box got out fast so i ended up getting out fairly easy. i was in about 100th place and the first mile i just slowly moved my way up through the gaps and made my way to the front group behind cross and ben. first mile was 4:54 and i felt amazing.
through the next mile not much changed. some people dropped off but the front pack was still huge. it was anyones game. no one made any big moves out to the front and i felt i was in perfect position in case anyone did, to get with them. we made a tiny surge coming down the curve and came through at 9:48.
this is where i started moving up and Jordon cross (2nd at state 3A) , ben saarel (#22 in nation and state champ 3A), bernie montoya (#3 in nation and winner of the dream mile 4:01), luis martinez (#9 in nation and last years winner of this race), I (3rd at state 3A) picked it up more and i dont know why but i went with them. i just felt like i was flying. the pace was managible and i wasn't afraid of more. coming to the final 1K i was in a solid 3rd behind ben and bernie. i started to fall off pace a bit though but i was giving everything i had. (I think 3mile mark was around 14:45ish) i fell off ben and bernie and was running on my own till the final 600 meters. i could feel people closing on my back. all i could think of was to stay in the top 5, stay in the top 5. every ounce of me was resisting and i kept slowing down. then the group sucked me back and i just fell off. i really was giving everything i had though. the race seemed to play perfect for me, i just couldn't finish it off.
after that i thought i had lost it. 7 people had passed me in 400 meters. i tried hard the catch them in the last 10 meters but didn't and ended up 10th with a 15:10, huge PR. i couldnt think straight for another hour. i had left everything on the course and i have no regrets. i gave it my all and it just wasn't enough. I'm sad about it though cause i dont feel like 10th describes my race. i really felt my race was good enough to qualify for nationals. i mean, last year with this time i would have gotten 2nd overal. this years competion is just so much better. looking at the times i see that i was only 1.61 seconds away from nationals. but that is a long time in racing but it seems short just looking at it.
cooled down about 3 miles but only remember 1 of them. did most of it with Jessica Peterson. she was nice to keep me going in a straight line :)
now my final XC season will come to an end at footlocker. I'm glad i still have one more to shoot for. | 