This race was a tough one... I started out at a very fast pace behind some young buck. I never stopped that same pace after he burned himself out in the first quarter mile. It was pouring rain and a perfect temperature of 65 degrees. Not the usual for TX this time of year and despite the rain hiding the potholes in the roads it was beautiful. When I was about 3/4 of the way through the run I thought I was free and clear of victory until I heard the pitter-patter of another runner behind me. At every turn I picked up my pace for a few meters trying to shake his pace but he kept getting closer and closer... It was difficult to gauge where the finish line was. Every time I would think I was closer I had another 100m or so to try and shake this guy. I kept thinking, "How much can I handle?". Finally I recognized the final stretch and then I sprinted as fast as I could, my calves were on fire, and my energy level was dropping as I picked up speed. It was everything I could do to push through it, and then I won. It was an awesome feeling even though it was just a local 5K. I am addicted to winning. There were about 150 people the race director said...great turnout for a great cause. My finishing time when I crossed was 17:39 ( I think, I was more worried about not cramping up). The official results will be posted on the abilenerunnersclub.com website.
