Not the best start to the day. Got ridiculously lost on the way to the race and despite planning on getting there 1 hr ahead of time we got there 7 min before the race started. I did not get a chance to use the restroom or do much warmup. Once the race started I felt great. The first 2 miles were downhill and we did something like 6:06 and 6:15. There were about 5 of us in a pack behind the 2 leaders who went out in probably something like 5:20. We were trying to hold back and did to a great extent, there was some major altitude loss in those miles. In fact the whole first half was slightly downhill and the entire second half was slightly uphill (until the last mile which was significantly uphill). Nothing of note happened until mile 6. Those miles went like 6:21, 6:18, 6:24. Then at mile 6 there was an aid station that had gu's. I wanted one but bedoukian grabbed the one I was going for so I grabbed another one but didnt quite get a hold of it so after a few seconds of juggling it without quite getting it I dropped it and decided to stop and get it. It took me only 20 seconds to catch the pack but it winded me a bit. I concentrated on relaxing and once I felt good I took the gel. That mile still went 6:24. Then we hit the turnaround. Without talking about it we picked up the effort a bit because it was now slightly uphill and we all wanted to average around 6:20. We did 6:16, 6:21, 6:18, 6:24. The pack stayed together until mile 8 when we lost 2 guys. At mile 10 I decided to show my cards because I knew that the last mile was significantly uphill and I am a bad climber. I moved ahead of bedoukian and the other guy with a 6:15 mile 10. I knew that it was uphill because I was feeling good and pushing but the times weren't that good. It felt like a training run until mile 10. I felt like I could kick the last 5k in at 19 flat on a flat course. Then mile 12 was more uphill and I was starting to feel my legs a bit-6:20. Then mile 13 despite pushing as hard as I could with the other guy only 10 seconds behind me I only managed a 6:53. Luckily he was hurting as much as I was. When I saw the top I almost hoped that he would catch me just as we crested the hill because he was 50 something and I am 23 and I knew I had tons more speed than him. But he didn't. It leveled out for the last 300m and I kicked it in. I am pretty happy with the time. It was 65 with 97% humidity which was not even a little bit cold. And the course was not "fast" as advertised though not very slow either. In 50 degree dry weather on a flat course I know I could have kicked it in under 1:23. And I am happy with 3rd place for sure. Number 1 went 1:19 and 2nd went 1:21 so I had no chance of catching them although both blew up pretty bad. They just had that much time to spare. And I beat bedoukian which is always a plus. Of course he always beats me in trail races (by more than I beat him in road races) but at least I am successfully defending my nitch.
Oh yeah, and I have a cold with a stuffy nose. Not that bad but when making an all out effort it can't help... Man I am the king of excuses.
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