When race director Suzie Hosman's countdown to the fifth annual Kidney Kare 5K this past Saturday reached zero, the air horn that would theoretically would start runners onto the streets of Carrboro managed only an unceremonious "... Pffffft."

The quick-thinking Hosman immediately reached into her bag of tricks and laughingly yelled into the public address microphone: "Bang!"

If there was a glitch related to the UNC Kidney Center's annual 5K Run / Walk to promote awareness for kidney disease and transplants, that was the only one.

The first day of spring offered up near ideal weather, the crowd gathered at Carrboro's McDougle Middle School race site was enthusiastic, and the race was replete with stories of survival, generosity, altruism, and inspiration.

Particularly inspired was the women's overall winner Mary Gill (18:40) who bested McLeansville's Jennifer Vandiver (21:06) and Kimberly Amick (21:35).

"It was nice today," Gill said. "The race was well directed, without traffic problems or anything. The course was pretty flat, though the second half was a little uphill, and you're feeling it, but it wasn't bad at all."

"... I've actually taken off the last three months," she said. "This was my first workout."

Jim Clabuesch took the overall men's crown in 17:49, followed closely by Greensboro's Dwight Jacobs (17:59).

Clabuesch knew Jacobs was hot on his heels.

"I heard him the whole time and saw his shadow, so I knew he wasn't too far behind me," Clabuesch said. "He would sort of drift back a little on the uphills and catch back up on the downs."

Then again, Clabuesch was saving his energy.

"I've got the Franklin 5K in exactly 33 minutes," he said, just minutes after winning the Kidney Kare. "I haven't done that since I was in my 20s."

Claubesch finished seventhSaturday at the Franklin 5K in a respectable 18:30.

Meanwhile at McDougle, Jacobs, who runs for the Carolina Track and Field Club and is sponsored by Off'n Running, said he was trying to go out further with his training.

"I've been trying to do more long stuff," he said. "I'd taken about a year off, and this is my first race since last march. I'll be going back to the track to try to get my speed back."

Capturing the first incarnation of Kids Kare half-mile race on Saturday for children 11-and-under was Kelly Shareshian who outpaced her friend David Hadar at the finish to win.

"I saw my friend David in front of me and I just sprinted, Shareshian said.

"Yeah," Hadar said, "I was getting tired."

Saturday's race in Carrboro will help support programs at the UNC Kidney Center: Kidney Education Outreach Program, the Patient Emergent Fund and Kidney Transplant Awareness. The Kidney Kare event is the Center's biggest fundraising effort, encouraging everyone to question their physicians: "Hey doc, how are my kidneys?"

Despite some competition Saturday from the rankling 5K, turnout for Kidney Kare 5K was the best yet, Hosman said, hoping the Kids Kare event will continue to grow.

"Fewer kids signed up for the Kids Kare race than I actually thought would," she said, "but it'll grow as the years go by, and the overall turnout is bigger this year for the 5K. I believe registration was nearing 500 runners, walkers, and Kids Kare participants this year."

Among those were the women's age group winners, including Jessica Nolting (23:50) who fought her way up the final uphill to capture the girls' 10-14 title.

"Yeah, it was tough," the Smith Middle School eighth grader said, "But when you see the finish line, you just speed up automatically."

Taking the women's 15-19 blue ribbon was Jocelyn Edwards, 19, (24:52), Madeline McEwen of Durham (21:54) stood atop the 20-24 podium, and earning gold in the 25-29 bracket was Kimberly Amick (21:35).

Mary Gill was the women's overall winner and first across the line among 30-34-year olds, while Tracy Eldred (23:56) outpaced the 35-39 field. Among the 40-44-year olds, it was Jennifer Vandiver (21:06), while Carol Arnosti (24:34) claimed the 45-59 title. Rietta Couper (22:36) was the 50-54 winner, while Linda Varblow (31:01) earned gold among the 55-59 women.

In the women's 60-64 division, it was Judith Swasey (25:24) earning gold, while Jiajin Yang (54:56) took the 65-69 crown.

Age group winners among the male competitors included 10-14 bracket winner Peter Williams (20:22) and 15-19 titlist Zach Ward (23:57).

Brock Park (19:53) was first across the line among 20-24-year olds, and it was Stokeville's Stuart Williams (20:22) earning gold among 25-29's. Nicholas Tinkham (19:50) took the 30-34 crown, and Jason Figge of Pittsboro (21:47) stood atop the 35-59 podium.

In the men's 40-44 division, it was Blaine Schmidt (19:56) taking the blue ribbon, while Clabuesch (17:49) captured the 45-59 title along with the overall win.

Among 50-54-year olds, it was Tom Hoerger (20:39) earning gold, while Ron Coulter (26:51) took the blue ribbon in the 55-29 bracket. Steve Harward (29:09) bested all other 60-64 runners, Julian Preston (30:07) was first across the line among 65-69-year olds, and Bill Powers (32:02) captured the 70+ division just in front of Dennis Nicholson (40:00).

Nicholson's son Michael ran alongside his father Dennis after urging his father to get in shape for the race as part of a February seventy-first birthday challenge.

"Well, my son called me in January and said that he had a great idea for my February birthday present," the elder Nicholson said. "I have us registered for this Kidney Foundation 5K in March. He said, "You have two months to train."

"It was the gift of health," Nicholson's son Michael said, chuckling.

But that was only one of the many stories playing itself out on the roads of Carrboro on Saturday.

After suffering kidney damage due to E Coli infection after petting animals at the N.C. State Fair several years ago, Aedin Gray, 7, was the inspiration behind Aedin's Law requiring hand-washing facilities around petting zoos.

"Aedin's brother was running with her dad," Hosman said, "and she was going to walk with her mom in the half-mile."

Matthew Burdick was also on hand for the race, finishing twelfth overall. An avid runner, Burdick donated a kidney several years ago, and subsequently has run several marathons without incident.

"I've suffered no ill effects whatsoever from donating a kidney," he said.

"He had a baby since last year," Hosman pointed out, "and he was running with a baby jogger today."

Also, a perennial Kidney Kare race supporter, two-time kidney transplant recipient Tommy Arthur of A & Z Motorsports was on hand with his race cars and his newest racing partner, daughter Keri, 23. Keri Arthur will be drag racing for the first time May 2 at the Piedmont Dragway.

"I'm especially excited," Keri Arthur added, "because my dad has had his second transplant, and to do this to raise awareness is amazing to me."

Kidney donor Susan Myers got to participate in the race alongside the recipient of her kidney, Mary-Lynn Somers.

"I think this is outstanding," Myers said, "and I think more people need to do it."

"It's awesome," Somers said. "Now I'm just hoping to share this with others so that more people will become aware of the need for donors."

The UNC Kidney Center counted on sponsorships and support of Fleet Feet Sports in Carrboro, The Open Eye Café, Genentech, TCBY, Panera Bread, AMAG Pharmaceuticals, and Road ID.

Hosman was also grateful for the ample volunteerism at the event.

"We had about 15 or 20 people from my bicycling club the TriCyclists," she said, "we had the Chapel Hill / Carrboro YMCA Teen Leaders Club and also UNC's Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority."

Hosman said anyone looking for more information about the UNC Kidney Center's outreach programs or information on kidney disease or donations should visit the Center's web site at www.unckidneycenter.org.

Hosman said she was more than pleased with this year's event on the whole:

"I loved it," she said. "It was a great day."

And while the starting horn may not have sounded, bright and certain, the Kidney Care event continues to be a clarion call to action and awareness in North Carolina where kidney disease is concerned.