By Colleen Kane
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Winning his third straight 5K wasn't enough. So Rob Grote figured he'd go run 9.3 miles more.

John Sence steps over discarded paper cups on his return trip along Columbia Parkway to the finish. (Michael E. Keating photo) Race photo gallery

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The 18-year-old from Batesville, Ind., celebrated his 15:52 victory over second-place Shaun Pawsat in the Heart 5K by participating in the 15K race as well.

He topped off his best Heart 5K by 23 seconds. His 15K finishing time was about 1:01:50, although he wasn't allowed to cross the finish line for that race.

"You never get used to (winning). It's awesome," Grote said. "I had planned on running the 15K all along. I felt pretty good."

Grote runs track and cross country for Batesville High School and placed second in the Indiana state cross country meet this year. The Princeton University-bound senior used the extra race to meet his average of 70 miles a week. He did the double race with his teammate Jim Turchyn, a junior at Batesville, who finished the 5K in third in 16:40.

Pawsat, a 34-year-old former high school coach at Scott and Ludlow High Schools, finished in 16:04 after running a 10K on Saturday as part of the Louisville Triple Crown of Running. He will run in the Papa John's 10 Miler in two weeks to complete the trio of races.

"I knew my legs were going to be tired," Pawsat said. "It's tough to run two races back to back and go all out, especially when you're competing against guys like Rob who are half my age. But that's what pushes me and makes me run harder."

Karen Crowe, 29, won the women's 5K in 19:41, followed by Ellen Knopf in second place in 19:51.

BUNNING SPEAKS OUT: Mary Bunning, wife of U.S. Senator Jim Bunning, participated in the heart walk and delivered the pre-walk speech, urging people - particularly women - to pay attention to their bodies and schedule checkups.

Bunning spoke from experience. February was her one-year anniversary of open heart surgery.

"I really didn't consider myself a person that would have heart disease," Bunning said.

Bunning said her cholesterol and blood pressure were normal, but her sisters had both had heart problems before. So a friend convinced her to get checked out by a cardiologist, who found out that she needed a new valve and that she had an aneurysm in her aorta. Now, she said heart disease awareness has risen on her priority list.

"Since I had heart surgery, it made it more important to me," said Bunning, who also celebrated her birthday Sunday. "I feel very fortunate to be here. After something like that, you just take each day and praise God that you're here today and enjoy it."

Bunning participated in the 5K and 10K with several other red cap walkers, survivors of heart disease and strokes.

ONE RUNNER, THREE FINISHERS: Steve Heffernan ran the 15K while pushing sons Devin and Nolan in a stroller.

That was 106 extra pounds to race with, though he said the stroller "just about drives itself." Heffernan, 37, who finished in 1:04:20, tries to run with his family at least once every other week.

"I know they'll be getting too big after this year," Heffernan said. "We need to encourage our kids to be physically fit. They need good role models...Anytime I can run with these guys, it's fun."