Not Fade Away

This is my goal in every race-do not fade away at the end! Well it did not happen today-ran the Plano Balloon Festival Half Marathon today and I did fade at the end. It was a tough course but a good course if that make sense to you(in other words I enjoyed the course). This was a 1st time race and I think the race was very well run off and I will be running it again. Granted it was a lot hotter and more humid than I was expecting today but it's not like the race directors had any control over that.
       Back to my race-I knew I wasn't in top shape but I wanted to get a good race in. After all Jessica and friends(Serena and Dianna) were running so everything was pointing to a good run. We got to the race and parking was easy-bag check was simple and most importantly-no line at the port-a-potties. Got all the preliminaries over with and lined up for the race. The 1st song to come on my player-"Eye of the Tiger"-my running motivating music. What more could I ask for? The gun went off-the race started and it pretty much went downhill from there.
          I had a plan how I was going to run this race and I through it completely to the wind the 1st 2 miles. The plan was to go out easy and finish strong. The 1st 2 mi. in 14:40 was not a good plan. I believe a wise man once said "If you are digging yourself a hole and only going deeper-Stop Digging"(thank you David Burdette). By the time I stopped digging it was too late. I crashed and burned somewhere around the 9-10 mi. area. To make matters worse I ended up missing a turn and ended up running 2 to 3 min. extra. One of the volunteers evidently let me run past the turn at 11 and I went and extra 1/2 block too long. Those things just happen.
         No excuses for me-I knew I wasn't in top race shape and wasn't expecting my best time. I have 3 weeks till my next 1/2 in Tyler and a lot of work to do. When it comes right down to it take away the extra time and I ran pretty much what I thought I would. The only trouble with that is I always think I can do better. I wonder-think that's where Jessica gets that.