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Warrior Mountain Classic

October 2, 2010 (Afternoon)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: A little warm, but not bad.

Comments:
Although this wasn't a big meet, in size or in importance, I feel very satisfied with how I did in it. One of the main things I've been struggling with the last couple races is my outlook on racing in general. They're supposed to be fun, rewards for hard work. And recently I've noticed that although I love most XC workouts, especially the hard days, I can't seem to find the excitement and intensity for meets. That changed for this race. I mean I wasn't smiling and giving high fives the entire race, but I shot some people a thumbs up and I know I enjoyed just racing more than the last couple meets as well. I came into this race with a plan, go out and settle in the middle of the pack. I wanted somewhere that I could make my base camp and start my climb up through the other runners making sure that I would always be moving forward, not backward. My other goal was to destroy Briant Quinn. Don't know why I make him a huge target, might be a track thing, but he beat me at Firman I and know I'm way faster than him. I told myself that I was going to tail him the first mile and half or so then make my move.

Mile 1: The gun went off and as soon as I started off up the small hill in the beginning my legs felt a little tired. Unlike the entire Rocky Mountain team who went out pretty hard, I chilled behind Dylan and Dan. I was super surprised that they weren't up by Ross, battling for the lead. So I kept my pace pretty cool-bean like for the first mile mainly for two reasons: First I didn't actually feel that great, I was kinda worried that this might turn into another Bob Firman for a moment, and because I wanted to have a race I could pass people, not the other way around. I can't describe how much better it is that way. At the very end of mile 1 I started to move up a little, it seems the fast pace got to the Rocky runners a little earlier than they expected, so it was just Ross, Rocky Mountain's own Briant Quinn, 2 centennials, Dan, Dylan, and me.

Mile 2: I think mile 2 was the most successful part of the race for me. It started off good with the little bit of downhill to take a quick breather from the uphill right at the mile marker. Once I started back up to the main trail I passed a centennial kid and Quinn. I felt really positive then, perhaps the most positive I felt in the entire race. I had executed my plan flawlessly so far, now I just had the hill. Coming up to the hill I think I was just behind the 3rd place runner. Overall, I didn't have any problem with the hill itself, I can concentrate enough to block out everything for the time it takes to run up the hill. I even moved into 3rd on the 2nd hill. I was super excited to be where I was, I couldn't believe it. I was looking over my shoulder just waiting for Dylan or other runners to pass me by, that's how weird it felt to be that far up.

Mile 3: Out of all the race, I think that this mile and its downhills cost me 3rd place. It was a constant game of cat and mouse the whole time. The centennial runner would get super far ahead on the downhills, I'm not good at them because if I go all out I know I would end up landing wrong and tumbling down the hill instead of running down it, and on the uphill and flat sections I would slowly reel him back in. Its just that on the last downhill I let him get just a little to far ahead. I still thought that I could outkick him though, but when it came to the finish he put on the speed at just the right time to counter my last minute surge.

Even though I think I could have gotten a better time and place, I really consider this run an accomplishment. I can say for a fact that my head was in the race the entire time. Also unlike at Bob Firmam where negativity ruled my race, I felt positive for the parts of the race that really mattered. Just being able to mentally cross out the list of things I wanted to do gave me small boosts of confidence that really kept me in the race. Also I've been so into this season that I've forgotten about last season. I think that this race is one that I truly sat back and looked at my times from last year to this. I've focused so much on becoming successful from last year to now, that I've overlooked the success in which I've trained for. I pr'd on this course by 2:53. I need to realize that even though I'm always looking to improve, that I can stop and feel good about how far I've come in the last year. To end this I'm going to agree with what Meghan wrote, that this race is a turning point for the best.

p.s. Happy Birthday Rusty, I know you'll read this!