Maranacook 9/4

the race sucked! As varsity walked to course the plan was to take the beginning slow because you go up a giant hill in the beginning and go up at least 2 more later on. It was also very hot and humid which just made it painful. Just before the race our number six dropped out because he had a sore throat and coach didn't want him to run. I had the same problem, but knew if I told coach fournier she wouldn't let me run, and I really wanted too. I started the race like we planned, although maybe a bit too slow, going up the first hill i was right ahead of Dan, with both Colins, Jake and Nick ahead of me. Right after we reached the mile marker was another hill, very very steep, and that is where i caught up to both colins, from there I was in pain. I managed to stay where i was and keep pushing though, reaching the second mile marker I felt like i couldn't go on and kind of blacked out for about 30 seconds....when I started thinking again I had made up my mind, i pushed for all i was worth and started to speed up. At the end of the race you have to go back down the hill you first went up, afterwards you go into a wooded path which is very narrow, I didn't go very fast down the hill, but I used the path to my advantage, pushing ahead of the other two guys I had been running with, i was first onto the path, now i knew i could relax just a bit. However coming out of the path without about 200 meters to go the real race started. I pushed myself as hard as i could with both boys starting to flank me, i managed to pass another kid as i finished and beat the other two...i then proceeded to dry heave for a second. Overall I got 14th with a time of 19:58, which isn't bad considering most people are like minutes worse on this course. I'm hoping for the leavitt course (which i hear is worse) I won't be sick and will be able to run up with jake and nick