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Oxford Classic Invatational

October 10, 2009 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: Cloudy

Comments:
Ok, so this was my second Varsity race and just like Silverwood I came into this race thinking that I really didn't deserve to be on varsity. The only reason I got on was because of Ryan and Dan having sickness issues the race before. But I thought that since Mike was on Varsity and he kept up with Nick and Sam in time on Gary Ward that as long as I could keep with him I would have a good time. For the race I wanted to run around 18:20. But I really didn't think I was going to be anywhere close to that fast. Ok, on to the race itself. So as I line up for the start I wasn't nervous like I was at Silverwood. I knew the course, my goals, and how I wanted to run the race. The question was could I do it. The first mile was a very tense mile and had me trying to keep up with Mike. We were leading Sam and Nick. At the end of the first mile when I learned that I ran it in 5:30, I thought that I had gone out to fast and it was just a matter of time before I died out and my race would be just another chance lost. To me, the second mile was unlike any other second miles I have run this year. Instead of being the mile where negativity really impacts my race I kept positive and most of all I kept looking foward. I saw who was in front of me. Halfway through the 2nd I was feeling great and that is when I began to pull away from Mike, Sam, and Nick, and all the negative thoughts in my head. I latched on with another faster runner and ran with him for a couple of minutes until I saw Clay ahead of me. For the rest of the second and the third mile I edged closer and closer to him until I actually passed him going past the end of the third mile. Unfortunately I started my kick too early and Clay easily passed me and finished 2 seconds ahead. When I finished I felt great and I remember looking back on the race and feeling that it was a blast. I can honestly say that this was the first race where I had fun the whole way through. I came in to this race feeling that although I was on Varsity, I wasn't Varsity caliber. By the end of the race I felt that I could hold my own on this team, but most of all help the team by how I run. I kept my spot on varsity by being the 4th runner and I don't plan to lose again this season.