On race day, Dr. Ernest Iwasaki sets out a photo of his wife, Ruth, at Kapi'olani Park. Ruth Iwasaki loved the Straub/Kapiolani Women's 10k Run. She looked forward to it every year.

"After she passed, I thought, you know, that was really a feat what she did, running that race 22 years in a row," Iwasaki said.

The last time she ran, in 1999, she ran with cancer. She didn't know she had it yet, but she was already feeling the symptoms. She ran the race in March of that year, was diagnosed with stomach cancer the next month and died that summer at age 67.

"It was so swift," Iwasaki said.

With the advice of his daughter, the Kane'ohe dentist, now 76, began a memorial award in his wife's name. He didn't want anything big or public. He was just looking for what he called "a nice gesture" in memory of his wife for the race she loved so much.

So for the past nine years, he's gone to Tiffany's at Ala Moana Center and purchased a crystal vase for the Ruth Iwasaki Memorial Award, which goes to the runner in the 60-69 age group who comes closest to Ruth's finishing time in her last race.

"They wrap it nicely in that blue Tiffany's box and I present it to them in the package. I don't ask them to unwrap it in front of everyone, so only the winner knows what they got," Iwasaki said.

He likes to give the award in person, though sometimes the winner doesn't know she has won because the target time isn't made public. A couple of times, the winner left right after the race without her award. Iwasaki has gone as far as tracking down the winner to her working place to present her with the Tiffany's package himself.

The Tiffany's vase was his daughter's idea. A number of years ago, winners in the race got little gifts from Tiffany's. "My daughter said, 'why don't you continue that?'"

All the finishers get a single red rose, so they thought a vase would be appropriate.

On race day, the Iwasakis' daughters and granddaughters will run in Ruth Iwasaki's honor while Ernest sets out Ruth's photo in his usual spot under the trees where he puts down goza and shares food and conversation with his friends. When the Ruth Iwasaki Memorial Award winner is announced, he'll try to find her.

The Straub/Kapiolani Women's 10K Run is open to women of all ages, and has had girls as young as 6 and as old as 91 participate. The 6.2 mile race is set for Sunday at 7 a.m. at Kapi'olani Park. Proceeds from the run benefit the pediatric program at Kapi'olani. To register, go to www.straubhealth.org, or www.kapiolani.org, or call 524-6755.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.