Val’s 2008 racing season, this being her fifth race, have all been marked by cool, overcast conditions with little or no breeze and that suits her just fine since she “runs hot” anyway. This was another of her sub-7:00 minute/mile races which also keeps her time for this 5K (3.1 mile) distance at under 22:00. She bettered her time here last year by over 30 seconds. Here are some additional pictures of Val in the Corona del Mar 5K event. Keyword:CDM. Go here and you can find race video.

Two races in the next two weeks have Val racing in Anaheim, where she has a good chance to get a best time and on the sand in Manhattan Beach the following week.

Like the previous races, I am her “caddy”. By the way, besides being a golfing term, the American Heritage Dictionary in the #2. definition defines caddy as “A boy who does odd jobs.” Yep, that pretty well describes what I do!

These two ladies were no match for Val, but they competed in the 71-99 year old category. One of them came in at an impressive time of about 34 minutes.

Following the race, Val and I drove to the Fleet Feet store in Laguna Niguel where they had appearances by two members of the Newton Racing Team, Michellie Jones, Olympic silver medalist in the 2000 Games in Sydney and Ironman champion and Josh Cox, a US men’s marathoner who qualified for the men’s Olympic Marathon team in 2000 and was the youngest American to do so. Each gave a short but fascinating look into their careers and answered questions from those in attendance about training and the Newton shoes.

We had the opportunity to try out the revolutionary Newton running shoe, which is quite a bit different than any shoe in production today.

Val and 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist, Michellie Jones

Two Members of the Newton Racing Team and a Newton rep.

Related posts:

1. Val Races for the CureWaking up to coastal fog in Newport Beach, Val and I headed over to nearby Fashion Island for the annual Race For the Cure event for breast cancer awareness....
2. Valerie’s First 5K RaceBarely fully recovered from the Saddleback half marathon last weekend, Val saddled up to do another race, this time a 5K, (3.1 miles)....
3. Hot to Trot Turkey Trot 10K We got up early this morning, not to put a turkey in the oven but to get Val down to beautiful Dana Point for the annual Dana Point Turkey Trot 5 & 10K runs. On Valerie’s menu was the 10K event, which started at 7:00 AM which would get...
4. Val Runs 10 Miles at the Huntington Beach Distance DerbyThe hot weather broke again as it did last weekend and we had a beautiful sunny and cooler day for racing. The Huntington Beach Distance Derby is in it’s 54th year making the longest consecutive running race in Orange County. (Hey that’s older than me! Did people run races that...
5. Fast Finish in Anaheim-Val Gets a New 5K PRWhen I saw the men come in hot and fast and then Mary Akor, I knew Val would be on pace for breaking a personal record and she was strong in the finish....
6. Saddleback Memorial Half Marathon Happy Memorial Day Val and I arrived at the Laguna Hills Mall at 6:30 AM to overcast skies and 56 degrees-ideal conditions to do a race of this distance especially since it was a hilly and very challenging course. The half marathon portion of the race began promptly at...
7. A PR and A PSTHE PR-Another cool and overcast Saturday morning so that means Val ran another race, her second 5K. This one was in downtown Anaheim and while it is a small, local event, it went well and Val lowered her 5K time by 27 seconds and finished it in a new PR...

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