Unwilling to (lead)...

Not wanting to be the first, I slowed my steps.

Господа, взгляните-ка сюда...
https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Avoiding+taking+the+lead%2C+Not+willing+to%2C+Without+wishing+to%2C+Unwilling+to&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2CNot%20willing%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CWithout%20wishing%20to%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CUnwilling%20to%3B%2Cc0

Valery, “avoiding” is used after the fact to mean “having avoided.” For example, “Avoiding the crowd gathered in the lobby, the singer took the stairs to his room.” This means that AFTER having successfully avoided the crowd gathered in the lobby, he took the stairs.

Unwilling also doesn’t work here. Unwilling is used when you’re faced with an offer or option, and you categorically refuse to go along with it, usually on moral grounds. The correct translation here is “not wanting to.“ The speaker simply did not WANT to come in first.

“Without wishing“ also does not work.

🙏👍

Улий, так что же подходит тогда ? not wanting to ?

Да, Not wanting to come in first, I slowed my pace.