as a way to avoid a long explanation, I am going to give only the basic facts.

To make a long story short, I was young and ambitious and I thought I could beat the guy.

• hit stride
• hit the books
• hit the bottle
• hit the brakes
• hit the brick wall
• hit the buffers
• hit the ceiling
• hit the deck
• hit the dirt
• hit the ground running
• hit the hay
• hit the headlines
• hit the jackpot
• hit the mark
• hit the nail on the head
• hit the panic button
• hit the right note
• hit the road
• hit the roof
• hit the sack
• hit the skids
• hit the something mark
• hit the spot
• hit the wall
• hit up