5k report and cars vs. businessmen

In my next life, I want to be a boy. An elite-running boy. Because it is indeed fun to just run as fast as you can, for as long as possible, but looking at the results, and seeing Todd's average pace of 4:31/mile.. well, I would love to know what it feels like to run that fast. Here's Katherine and I with the overall winner - he told me before the race he was going to break 14:30. He won it in 14:29. Plan, execute, end of story.

It's still Africa hot and humid as hell here, and the race started at 7 am, a little too late for this early bird's liking. I didn't know if I had a sub-19 5k in me these days, as I've been having some trouble with my lungs when running fast. Katherine and I fell in together after the crowd thinned out and I was surprised to hear a first mile split of 5:42. And even more surprised that I still felt great. We ran together until 2.5 miles, but I could tell she had a little more than me, as she kept getting a step ahead, and then I would fight to pull back to even. I have a problem with talking during racing. OK, I am the queen of verbal diarrhea, and I probably should have shut up and run a little more today. With half a mile to go K got a few feet up and I couldn't hang on. We finished second and third overall. I came in at 18:25, holding a pretty steady pace of 5:44/mile. I was not a PR, but still well ahead of what I had hoped to be, and secured a year of free Jamba Juice. And it was really fun this time.

Katherine, super-coach and race director Raul Boca, and me, ready to hit the water for a 2k swim after awards:

I don't know what Brandon was saying on the podium, but apparently it was fascinating!

And Jaco, the PT king, doing what he does after the races:

I got some great news after the race from the lululemon ladies - I was chosen as an ambassador! The first order of business is starting a monthly run to add to the run club. Beth, Rachel, Kirsten and the rest of the Carlsbad shop have a great one going that runs a 6 mi or 3 mi course, and the 6 mi is a fast-paced tempo run with the local fasties. I'm already recruiting and hopefully we'll be meeting starting in June! The lululemon folks will provide refreshments, and the fast folks will provide run tips.. I can't wait. Check out the new lululemon blog here. 

A quick Henry story: The other night, while walking through the parking lot at Ala Moana, I told Henry to get closer to me because there was a car coming behind us. It turned up a row and disappeared, and he glanced back, then said to me: Mom, that's not a car, that's a businessman. I turned around, and sure enough, there was the quintessential tokyo businessman walking behind us, complete with glasses, tie, and pants belted higher than any American. The way he said it, the Duh, Mom tone, cracked me up. A few moments later, I hear singing behind me: Henry got run over by a businessman...