Tunnel to Towers 5K Cincinnati - Run

This run was for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. There were no age groups here. More of a charity run. Amazing PRE and POST event things going on to spotlight the firefighters of 9/11, as well as the Wounded Warriors.
I absolutely had no idea how I was going to run this, right up to the second the horn went off. I haven't done any real speed training in months, since I've been focusing on my Ultra stuff. When we started, my instincts just took over. Thank goodness, I KNOW how to run a 5K now. I never NEVER rabbit out anymore. I just settled in to a good pace from the beginning, and let nature take its course. After the first mile, most of the rabbits were done, and I could only see 5 people in front of me, but there were a few more who were WAY up front. I was pretty much content to hold my place to the end, but I noticed the guy in front of me was slowly getting closer and closer. With about 1.3 left, I pulled up beside him, the just passed right on by! Hmmmmmm. Then the next guy in front of me was on my team, and he was about 40 yards up, but still, I kept seeing him slowly get closer and at a mile left, I caught him. I gave him a few words of encouragement, then passed him as well. This just made me want to turn crank up the pace a bit, so I did! I held on all the way to the end, and came in for a 5th place finish. Where did THAT come from??!!?? I'll take it!
The distance by my Garmin was 3.02, which is pretty close for a 5K! Yea!

Nothing.

Walked around, cheered everyone, drank lots of water, then rode 27 more miles on my bike.


gravity.


I know that about every race out there now is raising money for something, but this was something a bit more special.