Race of Attrition

I guess I am no yet man enough to really race a 50k, here is the recap.

The 50k started out with our typical van ride up to the ski venue (yeah, it's a venue), but this time Kristen was ready with waxing ideas and an iron (we arrived with blank skis, 50k's require binder). It was a tough waxing day (in the sun it was a little slushy in the shade powdery) and Kristen advised using a hardwax binder on our best pair and trying covered klister on a second pair. I was able to get both pairs working pretty well and headed to the start.
The 50k started out well but an early downhill propelled my into the lead of the main group (something that I was trying to avoid) and I stayed towards the front for all too long on the first lap. I then missed my first feed (huge mental blow) and had a slow second lap. Then I got my strongest drink after the second lap (not planned) which wasn't that bad of a thing in the end. The third and fourth laps went very well, but I started feeling a muscle injury that I had suffered from come up again and decided to go in for a ski change (I had great skis, hoped the others were even better) and decided to end my day after 30k. Needless to say my decision to forsake my great skis in hope of even better ones was a terrible decision and i was soon spending time at the top of each hill to kick the clumps off the bottoms of my skis. So coming in for the last lap I switched back to my original pair and finished up. Then after eating and drinking everything in sight I made sure to join in the cheering for the 6 actual finishers (of maybe 15 or so 6 actually did the whole 50k).
It was a very fun day in all and next year there is no way I am not going the whole 50k (though it will be skating).