You've got to want it to win it

This morning after arriving at the park and taking a quick potty break I ran out a mile and back on the Porter Rockwell trail.  Abigail and Clayton joined me on the way back.  We stopped to look at a zebra that some people own who live near one of the crossings of the trail.  Then I did another half mile out and back.  Then I had about 12 minutes to race time so I hurried and changed shoes and headed over to do a few strides.  I did probably about 3.  The start area was different this year so it was packed just walking back to the start, not to mention having to narrow down to go under the red arch and by the finish.  Fortunately, I was able to get out with a great start.  Kiley was with me for the first bit, but then I passed her and didn't have contact with any other women in the race.  For a few seconds.  Then Stefanie was right by my side and soon Allie was there too.  I went with them when they would pass guys, and then I was thinking to myself deciding what I should do.  I could stay with them and just match their moves, but I also told myself that I had broken away at Murray so why shouldn't I be able to break away here?  I went with the second option and surged ahead, focusing on the pack of guys in front of me.  I caught up to Ryan, and at that point we were sort of the lead of what had become the second pack as the larger pack of leaders was breaking away.  Working with Ryan really helped me, I did my best to hang on up to the first mile mark.  There wasn't anyone calling splits and I don't race with a watch, but I'm sure I ran a decent time for that mile.  Around the corner I glanced back (not a great angle to do so in this race but better than just turning to look) and saw neon yellow close by so I knew this was not going to be easy.  Also I read my blog entry for this race last year and was reminded that on this slight downhill portion of the race last year was where Emily broke away from me, and I didn't want that to happen again.  A guy in red caught up to me so I decided to push to stay with him.  Going around the second corner I was pretty sure I could hear female breathing behind me so for that side of the race I was running in fear of getting caught and passed.  I passed the guy in red back and forth a few times which helped, and I kept my eyes up on Ryan in his blue because that was an easy focus point.  I threw in a lot of surges and fought a really hard mental battle to be strong during this stretch.  My back was hurting and my pockets were sore but I pushed through the pain because I wanted to win.  Coming around the corner going east again I think was the last time I could hear breathing behind me.  I had closed a bit on Ryan but when we got down the driveway and to the final few hundred meters he kicked it in hard.  So did the guy in red, I tried to stay with him but his kick was too strong.  I finished just over 18, and am not disappointed to not have broken it.  The next girl finished 6 seconds behind me; if I hadn't made all the surges I did I think she would have beat me.  After Kiley and Abigail finished, we went with Ryan and then found Ethan to join us for cooldown.  We did a 5 mile loop that goes backwards over part of the course and then up on a road that took us back onto the Porter Rockwell trail.  I did another mile when we got back to the park to finish at 70 for the week :)  It was awesome :)  Next week I think I will go to 75, and the week after that are my last 2 days of work so I think I will be able to use my free time to try to make it to 80 :) and get some good workouts in.