Long course is long

I swam at a USA Swimming long course meet yesterday and let me just remind everyone that long course is, in fact, long. I swam the 400 free and the 100 free. The 400 went pretty well, but I didn't push it. I went exactly what I thought I should right now and split it well. The 100 was another story. The kid next to me was out fast and I think I went a little out of my comfort zone to stay somewhere near him. I came off the 50 well, but by the 75 I was hurting bad. My legs were dead and that last 25 felt like I was going to come to a dead stop. The funny thing is my wife told me I was right with another guy a couple lanes over (I was breathing to the other side and didn't really see him) and I actually took him at the end. I thought everyone in the pool was going to pass me down the stretch. My splits were 28.76 31.14, which doesn't seem too bad, but if there could be a breakdown by 25 I bet it would look uglier! Anyway, I did break 1:00, so I'm happy! Especially since I haven't swum long course at all since last summer. Good way to start off the long course season.