at the very beginning; first of all; first and foremost; before anything else
ahead (of); before; slightly earlier
before; previously; ahead; pardon me for leaving (before you)
self first; striving to be first; scrambling for
just when (one is about to ...); just as; the very moment when; on the point of
before or since; neither before nor after; no other time in one's life; stressing a particular moment or event as being unique or most extreme
light at the end of the tunnel