Around the Bay- the race that almost wasn't

Yesterday's event was a blast. Love the race, the funny traditions and the insane course. It shows no mercy at the very end and is very rewarding to finish.
Race executed almost 100% especially given that last Monday my calf was so sore I couldn't even run. I had a bad month altogether in prep so with that fact I am pleased
My goal was to break 2- that was all I wanted to do.
The plan was to follow the 2 hour bunny but I knew from last year the guy doesn't run 4:00/k the whole but rather builds a buffer to allow for the damage in the hills to not be an issue. So I ran with him until about 15k at 3:45-3:55. Had I stayed at this pace I was on target to PB my half time on a 30k course. So I was in front of him (he slowed at a station) and I started to monitor my pace around 3:56-3:59. I was feeling awesome, legs were all good and was managing some twitchy and cramped inklings in my legs with gels and salt caps fairly well.
 All of this stayed the same until 25k although as expected the hills took 5, 10 seconds here and there in the pace. But I was on target and if I maintained same pace after the monster hill would finish in 1:57.xx. I was ecstatic with that posibility but no sooner than I enjoyed that thought did my right hamstring start to go. There was some serious slowing and damage controlled because this was a race breaking pull. I got over the hill and hope it would clear. Popped a salt cap and prayed it would help. The 27-28 cost me a lost 35 sec. I pulled up and stopped and it was seizing up and I knew I had to push it or quit. I pulled it together and finished the last 2 k at 3:58 and 3:56. I knew I could still make in under 2 even if it wasn't by a larger margin. I yelled very loud in excitement when I crossed and hopefully didn't make too big a spectacle of myself cause it'll be on the video coverage they'll release soon enough.
Mike crossed a mere 23 seconds over the 2 hour mark and beat his previous PB by 18 MINUTES!
 
So in summary- everything went according to reaching the goal but the ugly final 4k got in the way of a day that would have been above and beyond given the injury bad luck of Feb-Mar.