So exhausted that she probably thought she'd already crossed it. I was a cross country and track runner and this happened to me in cross country once when I saw the finish line and I had thought I crossed it, but a girl ended up beating me because I was already stopping.
it's a pretty common startegy you let them get ahead in the last 10 m but not too far ahead
and when it's 2 m away you kick it and get ahead before they can react
and when it's 2 m away you kick it and get ahead before they can react