Racing and Babies

I learned a very valuable lesson in the race this past weekend. I need to work on pacing - BAD. I used to be so good at it and people would come up to me thank me for pacing them. But as I have started only working on my running and gotten faster, I realize that I cant pace anymore. The run went down like this. Weather was pretty nice - about 55 degrees (which is freezing for Houston in April). I had still been feeling sick from the stomach bug thing I caught, but not awful. Before the start I got in a little warmup that upset my stomach, so I figured I would save it all for the race.
And the start - I felt pretty good at the beginning and just stayed the pace with the people around me (people who were supposedly running 7:30 pace). I was doing great until I got to mile 2 and saw the time. 12:58. Holy crap I went out way too fast and am going to die. AThat was all I could think. nd who the hell were these people who said they were running 7:30? They cant pace either. The time should have read about 15 minutes. Just before the clock I was feeling good, but after I was toast. I couldnt move my legs and felt like I couldnt breath. I looked at my garmin the pace was slowing. I kept slowing to a walk (i know, totally lame - i hate walking). I was going this way (slow jog, walk to get my heartrate down, slow jog) until I got to mile 3. At that point I knew i could suffer for another mile. I finished in 34 and my goal was 30, and I know I can do that with proper pacing. The miles went like this according to Garmin - 6:30, 6:28, 14ish, 7:14. Again, I need to learn to pace. And I need to learn not to listen to my head when it says I cant do something. I have never been very good at that, and I am going to work on this. The post race party was one of the best I have been to. Nachos, migas, pizza, jamba juice, smoothie king, (i could go on forever - remember Houston was the fattest city in the US) and BEER. I was going to take a picture of my friend and me after the race, but I had two beers in my hands and didnt want to risk spilling one.
My brother had a race this weekend in NYC and did so well - he is getting faster each week. He did a 7:36/mile - he knows how to pace.
And finally over the weekend I went to visit one of my best friends who just had a baby. Her name is Stirling and she is perfect. I want one. I really wanted one until she told me about her labor. Here she is with her first picture with Obama. My friend's husband is not an Obama fan and he was not too happy when I showed up to the hospital wearing this shirt.