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Allatoona Creek trail run race report

First year doing the Allatoona Creek race. Missed it last year because I had a duathlon on the same day.
This course is sneakily difficult with the most challenging being the Mason's Bridge section.  On a bike, it's easier and more fun because you can roll through all the dips but running through those is really tough.  There aren't very many climbs and no big hills but that course is a grinder.  There was a torrential rainfall a few days before the race so the first 3 miles was a mud run through open cross-country.  I really liked this part though felt I got off to a slow start.  Pacing is so difficult because I don't know how much energy I need to spare.   Feet were wet out of the gate but it was no big deal.  There's a twisted part of me that prefers adverse conditions.
Went in to the singletrack section at Rusty Bucket and shuffled through twisty sections, not very fast through there.  In fact, I felt leaden the entire race. I had ran the day before just a few miles.  Honestly can't tell if I'm over or undertrained at this point.  Feet were bothering me some. I've had tight Achilles tendons in both feet since March and my plantar fasciitis is barking at me.  I think I need to stretch more or do more yoga.
On to Mason's bridge and this is where I really bogged down. Lots of whoop-de-doos and short climbs really ate me up.  I was doing a 9-10 /min pace through there.  I also seemed to have footsteps behind me most of the race. I just assume it's people drafting.  At first it annoyed me now I get a thrill out of making runners suffer by having to keep up to draft! (Evil)
Toward the back end of Mason's Bridge, about 8 miles in someone came up behind me, again with the footsteps and they were really laboring. So much so that hey were doing the moan, which is really an agonizing sound.  There was a guy in front of me also who had been leapfrogging with me and he was obviously toast so I decided to floor it.  For the last .8 of a mile, I went from a 9ish pace to a 6:04 to the finish.  Granted, the trail was a lot more forgiving toward the end and we finished on a gravel road but I thought it was a strong finish.  I seem to favor those sprint finishes (see Rope Mill du 2012 and Pine Mtn 2012)

Hauling ass to the finish
Overall, a great race. Would've liked to have placed higher than 6th AG but I'll take it for a B-priority.
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