Talking to someone yesterday who knows a 45 yr old guy who'd been busting it over the past 2 plus years to break 20:00 in a road 5k. He runs this local race a while back that starts and finishes on a HS track. The guy gets off well...running his prescribed pace, making his splits, etc. From the gun, there's an older woman he (turns out she was 51) who stays in front of him. Slowly he gains on her and, with about 1k to go, he realizes that he's got a lot left and can easily pass her. He picks it up a bit. As they get on the track to finish up, a lot of locals are in the bleachers cheering on the participants. Instead of feeling an adrenaline rush to the finish, the guy apparently gets bummed out with guilt! Like he doesn't want to have to sprint by the older lady in front of him and maybe embarrass her. So, he pretty much pulls up and finishes 3 tics behind her in 20:02. Again, the guy's goal was to PR under 20, and he could easily have done it.
If I were him, I'd have passed her w/o question.