After a few months off this winter to recharge and a few good blocks of training, I was ready for my 1st race. I was really excited to get on dirt and test my legs. I didn't have a time goal. My race plan was simple, don't go out too hard, ease up a little on the hills, and put it into another gear for the last 5k. Here is what I emailed to Eric.

I had a really good race. I learned how to push myself to another level
of pain. I will explain in a second.

I was 2nd in my age group and either 4th or 5th women overall. They only
have official results for 1st female overall and age group awards. I am
going off what people are telling me about overall women. I know I was
25th out of 327 men and women. A lot of men got chicked today. I forgot
to turn watch off at the end . My time from them was 2:26, 8.48 pace,
the course was longer -16.57miles. My avg HR was 172 and my max was 188-
yikes. I never looked at it after the 1st 3 miles and went by feel.
There was wind and the temp was perfect for me . Race start around 37
and finishing inflow 40¹s.

I started like you told me. I eased into zone 4 and didn¹t go higher for
at leaf the 1st 3miles. There was a nice hill and I kept it easy. Then
I stopped looking at my watch. I fueled after hard efforts. I had 3
gels. there were 3 hard long climbs and 2 fast downhills. There was a
good technical section and then some dirt roads. I knew that there were
only a few women ahead of me . After about 8 miles we were on a long
climb with switch backs and I saw a women slowly gaining on me. That was
it, my competitive side kicked in and I didn¹t want her to catch me. I
stuck with our plan and kept it easier on the uphill knowing that I could
go harder on flats and downhills. She got within a hundred yards of me
with 5 miles to go. I had one more uphill and I hoped that she wouldn¹t
catch me on it because there was know way I could hammer it and then kick
it into another gear. She continued to gain on me but I kept pushing.
This is were the new level of pain kicked it. This is a time when I
would have probably eased up a little. She finally caught me with about
200 yards to go. She did what I did at the 10k. I was spent and so was
she, she said that I had been pushing her for the last 8 miles. We
crossed the line together. I literally thought I was going to pass out.

Anyway, body is tired but I was able to eat and drink pretty soon after
so that was good.

Thanks as always. Your training is key to my success.