Slow Start, Fast Finish
There have been races I've been more prepared for. More consistent training sessions in the weeks leading up, more mileage as well. Nothing much to do about that anymore, though. I had to take today's race as it is, with the form that comes with it.
The good thing about low expectations: they lower the tension. No thoughts about running a personal record. Just start out slow and see what's left in the tank halfway. It helped that another athlete from my club ran the same tempo, so we could run together for at least the first part.
The race went rather well. The second half was faster than the first: a negative split, as we runners say. And I should have known. My running style has always been "slow start, fast finish". Going off too fast in the first half, even by a little bit, always trashes the second half. None of that happened today.
It's a note to myself for all the races to come this year: start slow, and speed up around halfway whenever there's gas left in the tank. A tactic that should be my default. I just need to be reminded of it once in a while.