Nationals 50k

I hadn't felt 100% all week, so my motivation for this endurance test got pretty low. Having skipped the sprints, the 50k was an all or nothing shot.
I had an ok start, despite being on a less favorable side of the grid. I narrowly missed a big crash on the first big downhill. By the 1k mark I was around 15th, and starting to see a gap opening up to the lead skiers. I worked my way through a few guys to get on to the back of the first pack. The first lap was a bit difficult at times, but my skis brought me back when I needed it. The second lap, the pace slowed and I was more comfortable, besides being on track with my fee schedule.
About halfway through the third lap Ivan made an attack that splintered the 11-man group. I was feeling good and moved in to about 7th, but the leaders were nowhere in sight. I skied the third lap with Chazz and got the word that we were catching Robin. It was shortly after this I started to feel a bit empty. Chazz took off, and I wasn't keen on skiing the last lap at a walking pace.
Brian and Gord caught me going through the stadium, and I gained some reassurance in the fact that I could stay with them, although I knew the pace was awfully slow. Eventually they left me, and shortly after Chris went "flying" by. At that point it was just a matter of keeping everything moving. In the last couple of k's Werner and Riku passed. There was nothing I could do at that point. A decent result of 13th place, but dissapointing to ski almost 15k bordering on bonking.