Dunlap TT

This was my first my first time doing a TT of this distance (31km). With six turns, two left and four right, the course could be considered technical by some. We got to the race site with plenty of time to get ready. We were almost too early because I was filled with all this nervous energy with nothing to do.
The first thing I did was to make sure I set my watch to the race clock. I've missed my start time before at a local low-key time trial, and it's not fun. I made sure to pin my number in the most aero way possible, not really, but I'm sure there's people out there who have figured the most aero way to pin their race number.
I hopped on to my trainer for my warm-up 1:15 before my start time. I wanted to make sure I got in a solid warm-up. It seems it takes a lot longer for me to get warmed-up these days. I guess it's old age.
I jumped off the trainer 15 minutes before my start. I threw on my disc wheel, helmet, and headed for the start. I did a couple of laps up and down the cross street before lining up at the start.
At the start I made sure not to go out too hard. I kept my power a slightly lower than my FTP for about 3mins. Then I slowly started to pick it up. I made sure not to go too high. I tried to keep it around my FTP (for my TT's). Just as I started to pull up on my 30sec man I was passed by the guy 30secs behind me. This is when it became a cluster. My 30sec man started drafting off of the guy who just pass me. Then I passed both of them. This is when the constant passing started. Me and the guy who started behind me would pass each other every once in while, all the way to the finish.
Mentally I was feeling good. I was pushing myself, but not too hard because I didn't want to blow myself up. I think I played it a little too safe. Halfway through the race I noticed my power start to drop, but then I would pick it back up.
Not knowing the course made it a little difficult to know when to start pushing harder.
I started to push harder after the final turn. I was still battling with my -30sec man. I finally passed him for good at the 1km mark. This is where my calf muscle started to twinge like it was going to cramp. At the 500m mark is where I started to run out of gas. However, I continued to push on. I wanted to stand up to sprint but I didn't want to cramp, plus I'm not sure I had any gas left.
I finished with a time of 42:09. I placed 14th of 31. The winner, Roman Kilun posted a time of 39:XX - that's fast! I feel I pushed myself hard. I also feel I might have been a little too conservative during the middle of the race.
I'm excited for Sattley. I wonder how much more painful the extra 9km will be. Plus we'll be at a higher altitude so that means less oxygen and less power.