"I didn't Win?"

I traverse the steep descent and can see the finish line down below. It was a tough start but my strong finish will earn me the victory today. I give a cry out at the top of the ridge so the volunteers, my wife, and the spectators can hear me. Of course I think they hear me but later I find out they couldn't hear me but they did see me along the ridge and a smattering of cheers rang out. It is truly a great feeling to know you have the victory. I sprint it in and cross the line in 4:08. A good time on a deceptively tough course. I begin to walk and my wife greets me with, "Good race. You finished second." I said your kidding. "No" she replies. "A guy beat you. He finished a while ago." Well, that was my day in a nut shell.

It all started with a two hour drive from the flat lands of Modesto, California. It was the first time my wife has been able to view a race of mine without the company of our kids since May of 2005. This was to be the measuring stick race of my early season training. I had been looking forward to this race all week. There was no thought of Chikara's 3:57 course record. I just wanted to have a solid race that would fuel me for the next nine weeks until D-Day.(Miwok) Of course in the back of my mind I was hoping my solid performance would be enough for a victory:)

Soooo, I took off from the start. I wanted to push the pace early but the lack of race readiness made it uncomfortable. I was hoping those cobwebs would shack themselves loose but that wasn't the case for the first half of the 23k loop. I came into the turnaround in fourth place.(I thought I was in first:)) I noticed I was the only one caring two bottles but I knew staying hydrated early would be key and I wanted to prepare myself for the races to come. I decided to ride 37 km 2nd place finisher Jason Reed like Zorro on the way back from the turn around. Thanks for the lift:) This is when my frustration turned to focus.

I come within a half mile from the end of the 23 km loop and nature calls. Then, I proceed to drop my beanie twice in the next quarter mile. At this point I have about had it. Moreover, my shoelaces came untied twice on the first loop. My focus was poor at best. If things couldn't get worse, my legs are heavy from the fast early pace and I leave the 23 km aid station with no food.

I decide at this point that I have had it. I proceed to put the game face on and start focusing on each climb. I wanted to cruise the downhills and attack the uphills and that is what I did. I noticed that Scott, Kevin, and Ryan were just a couple minutes behind me. If I wanted to keep the lead(Remember, I still think I am in front, but really I am in fourth place.) I would need to push the pace to gain some distance on them on this the first of two 14 km loops. That is what I

did. I continued to follow Jason Reed as I tailed him like OJ Simpson at a Ginzu Knife Convention. I grab two gels three miles into the loop at the well staffed aid station and I was off. Jason picked up the pace as he smelt the barn. I couldn't see my pursuers but the unknown pushed me to maintain the pace. I finish the 14 km loop, decide to go with only one bottle on the final loop, grab a gel and some coke, and I am off. I am determined to finish strong. My lovely wife who has been cheering for me at every aid station comments to me that there is a guy, Tom Clarke, just two minutes ahead, but I do not hear her. This is probably due to the strong winds blowing and my Sportscenter like focus on the trail. I make it about a half a mile and run into Scott D. and he says, "He is just two minutes ahead." I thinking, WHAT! There is someone ahead of me.(No Jon, there are three runners in front of you.) I don't panic but I begin to pick up the pace. I know not many of the runners will run the uphills hard. I have to think there legs are tiring and that I am getting stronger. I attack the hills and can feel myself getting closer. A mile or so later a passing runner tells me he is just up ahead less than a minute. As we are running along the upper ridge I can see Tom Clarke. We head into the aidstation almost dead even. I decide to stop and fuel and Tom blows through the aid station. My wife informs me that "both of them are right there." I am thinking there is not one runner in front of me but two runners.

Well, within the next mile I pass Tom and Kevin Weil. I pick up the pace even further to give myself some space for the final four to five miles. I come to the final decent and see the cars below and I think I have the victory only to find out that Leor Pantilat decided to run the 50k instead of the 23k. He ran a gutsy race and came away with his first 50k victory. He has a bright future ahead. I definitely didn't have ten minutes in the tank.

Overall, I felt strong the last 28 km. That is a good sign this early in the season. I felt like I could run another 14 km. Sarah and Wendell, like always, put on such a great race. What a beautiful race location. The aid station volunteers did a wonderful job. Thanks runners, volunteers, Wendell, Aaron, and Sarah for a fun time. I will see you all on the trails soon.