See guy on my left

7-24-12--Germantown Academy meet.  I had my mind set on running both the 100 and the 800.  I realized that I was not 100% but I decided to go for it anyway.  I had plenty of time to warm up for my 100.  I did what has become my usual routine of an 8-minute mile, followed by dynamic and static stretching.  I tried some starts, but wasn't too pleased.  The starting blocks sucked and I wasn't getting the push I needed.  This would be prophetic.  Even though I asked Scott Landis to hold my blocks, I still wasn't quite satisfied with my run-outs.  I was in heat 3, lane 4 with a seed time of 12.14.  On my left was Clinton Field, who would win the heat in 12.06.  At the start I tried to stay low to the ground.  I did, but I felt slow.  From the start, I could see that I was trailing Clinton.  A third of the way into the race I told myself that I had about 8 more seconds to catch him.  I couldn't.  In fact, he extended his lead by about two meters.  I finished in 12.54 or 12.57.  The headwind surely didn't help.  I was disappointed, as I felt that I had run faster in practice the other day.  At least I didn't feel my knee and quad, though.  I shook my disappointment off and tried to relax in preparation for the 800, which would be about an hour later. Admittedly, I had images of dropping out of the 800 and doing the 200 instead.  I resisted, however, telling myself that I had already committed to the race.  I jogged around a little, chatted with teammates, and did some strides within a few minutes of the race.  I would be in lane 8 of the 11 scheduled in the first (faster) heat.  Only 8 of us showed: lanes 1,2,4,5,7,8,9,11.  Phil Reilly was the top seed, looking to break 2:00.  I felt a little underprepared for the race.  I didn't even work up a good sweat in preparation.  I was a little hesistant mentally, as this would be my first 800 since the winter season.  I had images of stopping halfway.  I then fought them away.  So the gun went off.  I got out well and found myself in third place.  Rob Schwartz yelled a 200m slip of 29 as I passed.  I was doing okay.  At the 300 mark, I knew I had to pass the guy in second place, as I could feel him slowing up and the distance between Phil and me increasing.  So I did, cutting in from the inside of lane 1 right before the 400m mark.  I was at 60 seconds and feeling pretty damn good.  At that moment, a guy passed me and another took the bait as well at the 500 meter mark.  I was losing ground and fast.  I then remembered that I had read that if you feel like you're maintaining your pace with 300m to go, you're likely decelerating.  And I was.  I tried to "pick it up" (as in actually maintain my pace) and did for about 50 meters, that is until some guy passed me.  I saw the scoreboard clock read 1:31, 1:32 as I approached the 200m mark.  It likely read 1:33 by the time I crossed it.  Coming down the homestretch I tried to give it my all, but the headwind was enough to deter me (See below).  I did manage to get the guy who passed me, but I was again challenged by someone else (see guy on my left.)  I ran 2:08, a respectable time I suppose, given my challenges this season.  I wish I had run the 800 two weeks ago (hurt) instead of the 400.  I would have been a lot more prepared, mentally at least.  29/31(60)/33(1:33)/35(2:08).  1:59 won.  And, unfortunately, though he put in a great effort, it wasn't Phil.