Kilometers 1-3

The race started and I was in high spirits. Vice President Joe Biden surprised the crowd, walking out during the pre-race announcements to say a few words and had teared up a bit during his opening remarks. My adrenaline was pumping as I crossed the starting line and the first mile blew by. I wasn’t listening to music and I try not to glance at my watch during races but I couldn’t believe how fast the first mile marker had come up. Similarly, as I passed by the 2nd marker, I became more suspicious about my supposed pace. So far the hills were brutal but the immediate downhills provided an excellent opportunity to catch my breath. I was still going strong when I saw the 3rd marker up ahead and checked my watch to confirm my suspicions; they had marked kilometers, not miles on the trail. Mentally, it was a tough blow but I tried not to think too much about it, focusing instead on the 2 kilometers left to go.