So yesterday I realized that I had totally forgotten to share how my last xc race actually went. Here’s a review (with pictures this time!).

Here I’m about 300 meters from the finish line. I ended up finishing at 28:14, tying my PR from Paul Short. At first I was a little upset to have missed PRing by so little. But in a way, it’s appropriate. It’s like I proved that I was performing at maximum capacity in both of those races. Or slacking off in both. We’ll say the former.

Classy guy, right? Here I am in my post-race glory, smoking a cigar. I don’t often smoke cigars (and never cigarettes for obvious reasons) but it’s a tradition for the men’s team to have one after their final xc race, as a salute to the end of four wonderful years.

Being sentimental, I knew from my freshmen year that I would one day smoke a cigar on an xc course. Being a writer, I love symbols. Being nuts, I love ritual.

All in all, that cigar tasted pretty sweet.