I think I could have pushed the pace a bit to avoid such a close finish. There were a lot of times when I was content to be simply moving forward at a sustainable speed. I didn't spend much time at aid stations or resting, so making better time on the flat and downhill sections would have helped. It was strange getting to Laz, it was a scene I had envisioned many times and felt like a lifetime moment. But I was just one of hundreds of entrants to Laz and he was having a conversation with someone else standing nearby. I asked him if I could hike to the finish but didn't even pay attention to his answer, knowing I couldn't trust it. The last two hours were mentally exhausting, alternating between thinking I had a comfortable finish and that I could still throw it all away. If you go for the 50K and miss the final deadline, it's recorded as a DNF, same as someone who bailed out at Rat Jaw. Thanks for your comments!