i suck at being cocky

Last week i invited some friends to help with a teacher training and also to check out the new digs. We went to the center to grab some beers and Kazakh equivalent to bbq called shashleek. There happened to be a concert going on because of some government sponsored culture week so we stuck around a little bit longer than expected and had some more beers. By the time we got back to my place my director (who lives below me) had prepared a little feast unbeknownst to us so we ate again...and i think they sensed that we had some drinks so her husband took the opportunity to break out some cognak - we of course finished the bottle as good guests should. As i recently bought a refrigerator i had absolutely no money and made it very clear that i was not going to host a moving in party – i had also heard rumors about a race the next morning and was supposed to go. It was at 9, but i wasnt sure if it was really going to happen or if it would be organized and whatnot so i wasnt thinking about it too seriously. The next day i checked it out and figured what the hell the field doesnt look to intimidating and i have been training so ill give it a shot. It is also pretty common knowledge that i am training for a marathon as i have to run on the main street leading to the city and people are pretty excited about it (especially my buddies who drive the buses and hang out the windows honking at me). So i was coming into this race a pretty strong favorite and i knew it. Coming in hungover ...late...no breakfast, all very prefontaine-esque. After waiting around for awhile and getting cocky, they unleashed their secret weapon. Released from what i can only assume was doping center in the stadium was a man they referred to as “the Horse”. He had the build of a lightweight Iowa wrestler (hearty stock) and the steely gaze of a android. The race was a mile and i figured i could sit on him and then push the pace to eliminate his speed and use my endurance as an advantage. The gaunlet was laid and the match up was billed as a must see bringing out all the big names in the community on this drizzly May morning. In the end if the race was a dunk i would have been posterized. After the first lap of trying to hang with him i felt like i was going to pass out. I let down Salem Cross Country, I let down Baker, and worse i let down America...ala the 2004 basketball “Dream Team”. As we were getting our metals on the podium the dagger came when the mayor said maybe next year as he was putting the metal around my next (silver) – fat chance! the Horse is only 27! Which means i am going to have to get the age brackets changed so i can race with the 50 + women next year because i am definitely not going to train harder...plus if i was in that bracket i would have realized my dream of dominating the field and then singing the American national anthem during my final lap (as opposed to dry heaving and stepping in goat shit (vaguely familiar to my high school running days sans the poop)