Sunday morning race at prospect park

Category 4 - 31 miles - 82 starters.

It's not easy racing at 6:30am. Especially when bedtime is never earlier than 1am and usually closer to 2am. It means leaving the house at 5:45am in order to get to the race in time.
Today's race was fun and fast but my head really wasn't in it. I had no problem staying at the front. At the end, I poured on the power a little too soon, and ended at an imaginary finish line -- 100 yards ahead of the real finish line. Once I realized my mistake I decided to coast into the finish. A good workout, nothing more.
The difference between finishing mid-pack and finishing "in the money" appears to be mostly MENTAL. One must be prepared to win.