Slammed!

In my manic state before the two final exams before the big exam before plenty of more exams in the years to come, I was finalizing the dates for what I've labeled the "Upstate Mile Series."  If you don't like the terminology, I'm talking about the Ithaca Festival Mile, Charlie McMullen Memorial Mile, and Wilbur Duck.  Anyway, maybe my brain is fried but I thought it was a bit hard to find the date for the McMullen event.  I did end up finding it eventually, but before I did, I came across another site via Google search.

I guess the kid that won last year blogged about his experience doing so.  He didn't say anything nasty about me, but reading his account was a firm reminder of how racing when you're out of shape isn't the most fun thing in the world.  Thus, it pissed me off.  For those of you who are too lazy to click on the link above, here are the last three paragraphs:

"Sam Mackenzie has put a small gap on the rest of the pack. I've got one lap to catch him. I'm holding pace for the time being. It's the fastest pace I've run yet in the race, but I've got some reserves and I want to keep them in the wings, ready to deploy. With 200 meters remaining I've worn down Mackenzie's lead, but there is still a gap. I'm not right on his shoulder and I'm thinking, oh, it's ok. I'll wait for the final 100. Deja Vu. What am I thinking? I'm not making this mistake again. I kick hard at 200 meters.

I catch Sam on the homestretch. I'm throwing everything I've got down into the track. I want to pass with confidence-wilting speed, but I don't have that much of a kick and Sam is moving fast, so I pass him real slowly. The track, the stands, the spectators are flying by, but from my frame of reference Sam is moving back slowly. It feels so unnatural to be running at top speed and, oh, look, there's this other object floating by like a boat nudged by a breeze.

There's two sets of cones near the finish and I don't know, so I run on through both of them. First place. 4:20.47 is most certainly a personal best for a real and true mile. It's raining again afterwords and I feel good. I'm breathing big whale breaths. I probably feel good because the air is cool and all that wicked pollen has been flushed. It is a good day."