This morning was the 2020 Run with the Yeti Trail race, 3 distances - 5k, 10k and 13.1 miles. I had signed up for the half marathon, but when my alarm went off at 5 am, I actually got back into bed and considered skipping the race. This week I had ran doubles on 3 days and I was feeling it. After 5 minutes I thought "fuck it" and got up and got dressed.
The half marathon started at 7 while the other two distances started at 8, it was 64 degrees and humid.... bleh.... I warmed up with 2 easy miles on the trails, I worked up a sweat and was already wishing I had pinned my race bib to my sports bra instead of the tank top.
There were 8 of us I think, maybe 9... I'm pretty sure there were 5 other women and 3 men at the start with me, but only 7 finished so I'm not sure what happened.
Everyone one but me was unsure about the course, I know it well and it was marked well too. I fell into first place at the start and to my surprise I held on to that position, and managed to put quite some distance between me and the others. I needed to pee but I told myself that I'd wait until the 2nd or 3rd loop, I wanted to continue putting as much distance between me and the others as I could.
It's an odd feeling, for me... to be in first place overall, I soon realized the pressure of it as well. I had originally planned this to be just a long run and wasn't going to push myself or "race", but I soon found myself unwilling to give up my position so I canceled any plan to stop and pee.
I took it one loop at a time, focusing on a steady effort and not doing anything stupid. All I needed was to hold this position and a good pace, nothing stupid or fast. I could feel hints of a side stitch trying to come on, or stomach pains/hungers throughout loop 3, but I focused on the trails and my breathing and conversations with the people in my head 
I got to see the 5k and 10k participants as I passed or finished my loops, it was an interesting feeling to be in.... but I can't explain it.
The fourth and final loop was pretty tough, my legs were getting tired and my butt was sore, my stomach was growling but I held steady and just kept telling myself I was almost finished, and I was still in 1st Place.
I finished with a sub 2 hour time, first one in probably...... 2 years? I got 1st place overall, sure out of only 7 people but I'm not going to focus on that, though I'm thankful the fast runners were either not running this race or running the 5k or 10k distance 
Finish Time - 1:59:04
Pace: 9:05 min/mile
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