RUNNING : Machuka, De Reuck Win Titles

CARLSBAD — Josephat Machuka wasn’t satisfied with his easy victory in the ninth annual Carlsbad 5000 Sunday. He wanted a world record.

Machuka, an 18-year-old from Kenya, fell 9.3 seconds shy of the record with his winning time of 13 minutes 20 seconds over the 3.1-mile road course. He finished three seconds ahead of Jabbour Brahim of Morocco.

Afterward, Machuka said: “I’m unhappy. I knew I was going to win, but I came here to break the world record.”

The record of 13:11.7 was set in this race two years ago by another Kenyan, William Mutwol, who finished fourth Sunday in 13:31.

Colleen De Reuck of South Africa won the women’s race in 15:20. Annette Peters of Eugene, Ore., was second in 15:30.

Each winner received $5,000 of the $40,000 purse.

Machuka ran the first mile in 4:02. He slowed to 4:25 for the second mile, but was never threatened.

“I looked behind, hoping somebody would push me, but I couldn’t see anybody,” he said.

Two veteran runners felt that Machuka might have cost himself a world record by setting such a fast early pace.

Said Steve Scott, 37, of Leucadia, who won the first three Carlsbad races but finished 31st Sunday in 14:26: “I don’t agree with his racing philosophy. To break a world record, you have to run even splits. Three 4:12 miles would have given him a very good chance.”

Said Frank O’Mara, 32, an Arkansas alumnus from Ireland, who ran 10th in 13:43: “His pace was suicidal, completely nonsensical. He hurt his chance for a record and took everybody else out of the race.”

Only one American, Matt Giusto of Portola Valley, Calif., who placed sixth, made the top 10 in the world-class field.

“I never ran in a field this fast,” Michael Bartoszak of Poland said. “I finished second last year, and today I was 11th in almost the same time.”