so, this morning, i got up too early to run in the native american health center's running is my high. it's the 7th annual this year and an assiniboine rep from nike came down from oregon to take orders for the n7.

i didn't decide until this week that i was gonna run, and didn't decide until this morning to wimp out of the 10k for the 5k. i stayed as long as i could with a small group of native women, then, i watched as many grey horses steadily gained speed and took off, usurping my desire to place. she came in first. i came in fifth or sixth or something with 26:00 or thereabouts. i was really too cracked out to remember my time as i started sprinting the last 200m or so, passing some ndn chick who came up my rear and reminded me that's what i was supposed to do with the last 500m. a 60-something year old woman took home 2nd in the 10k with a ridiculous time of 48:00 or so, also winning a trophy for being golden age.

the all nations drum was there and it was completely wonderful to hear them all the way across the lake singing for us and singing us through the chute with the volunteers cheering us past the finish line. one of the sponsors fed us guatemalan tamales with rice n beans and a salad with jicama. so good.

anyway, it's nice that derby has me in such good shape that i can decide one morning to bust out in a 5k race without having trained specifically for it. the derby mistress, she giveth in mysterious ways.