1st ever Watts Hospital-Hilllandale Neighborhood Association/National Pawn 5K!

Today my dear friend Abby and I ran in the 1st ever National Pawn 5K to benefit the Watts Hospital-Hillandale Neighborhood Association. WHH is adjacent to our neighborhood, so it was a quick trip to the starting line. And I don't have any fancy altitude data or graphics for you, nor do I have any harrowing tales of steep, rocky terrain. It was just a pleasant run through cute residential streets with lots of bungalows and distinctive Durham charm.

But I do have bragging rights, because Lloyd has never run in a race sponsored by the local pawn shop (National Pawn will buy your gold and wants you to know that gold is high right now. It is also a short trip from our house and across the street from Hog Heaven Bar-B-Q, a preferred stop of ours for excellent chopped pork sandwiches. But don't try going on a Sunday--they're closed for family and worship).

Also, of course, Lloyd has never run a race pregnant. I'm about 24 weeks along now. So that goes some distance in explaining why I was burning up the asphalt at the blistering pace of about 13-and-a-half minute miles. I'm a big fan of my maternity running skort. I think it's fantastic that such a thing exists.

Here we are lining up at the start. That short person next to June is Henry, Abby and Lance's son, who turns 2 in mid-November. June and Henry are very fond of one another.

Here we go....I expected an air horn at least, but it was just a man with a loud voice who counted down from 3 and shouted GO!

The dads and kids entertained themselves playing around a fountain near the starting line. It was, after all, less than 40 minutes from starting line to finish.


Home made sign.Isn't it grand?

Here come the mommies! We were pretty much at the back of the pack, but that didn't dampen our spirits one bit. In fact, except for the very start and the police officers and volunteers cheering us on and pointing the way, we were by ourselves the whole way. There were only maybe 100 runners total.

Reuniting!

I stopped for a photo op....

...and scooped Junie up to cross the finish line with me. The announcer even announced the bun and me as we finished. I don't really know my time, though, because either the clock malfunctioned or they turned it off after 33 minutes (surely they wouldn't do that?).

Henry was so happy see his momma.

That's it! We're off for barbecue lunch in a little while, because ever since mentioning Hog Heaven I can't really focus on anything else. Mmmmm, lunch. Oh how I love lunch.