Maybe I'll Blog, Maybe I Won't

Last night I went to bed at 2:15 AM.  Got up at 8:30 and didn't feel tired at all which was amazing.  Got ready and went down to the park to get warmed up etc.  Warmed up just jogging around and doing some small striders and stuff.  Legs feel pretty good.  A couple of small sore spots but nothing of concern.  

Started the race feeling like the pace was really easy.  Didn't bring my watch because a) I think I left it at home (in Hurricane) and b) I just wanted to run by feel anyway.  Legs felt fine for the first 2 miles and I was running with this guy who seemed very fast.  He said he knew some bloggers too.  We were way out in front.  One other guy was behind us a bit but no one for a long way after that.  He was going for under 35 too which was kinda what I was hoping for too so I determined to stick with him.  Unfortunately, those dreams were short lived.  I don't know whether it was the marathon still in my legs or excessive mileage earlier in the week but my legs just kinda shut off after about two miles and he pulled away and built up a big lead by the time I hit mile 3.   About mile 3 I got passed by the guy who was a bit behind us but I got my stuff together and stuck on him.  Still trailed by about 3-5 seconds but didn't let him build any lead to speak of.  He turned out to be a very good front runner.  I would surge to try and get him but by the time I would catch him my legs would be dead again and he would pick it up and get his lead back.  This happened 5 or 6 times the whole last half of the race.  Almost got him at 1.5 to go, but I wasn't as familiar with the course as I should have been and it just kept making turns and making turns and I was wondering when the heck it was going to end and my legs kept doing this surge-sputter thing.  Last .5 mile he has a good 15 second lead but I tried to kick it pretty hard and cut it down to about 9 or 10 seconds by the finish.  Ended up 3rd with 35:29:14, so I didn't get any of my goals but I did PR by over a minute (not counting USG) so I'm satisfied for now.  I think I kind of redeemed myself from the TOU 5k as well...felt much better about my time and mental state.  I didn't let the guy get away from me hardly at all and I was in the race the whole way.  Pretty happy about it.  Will probably jog a couple more miles today.  That later.