“Before the war…” as many Ramadi citizens open their conversations; they put on a 5K race. This 3.1 mile running event was run in May, at the end of every school year. The students would start at the Glass Factory (across the canal from HP, next to Camp Ramadi) and they would run across the bridge, then down the main road (Rt. Michigan now) to the Government Center, where the Mayor and Governor would hand out medals. 

Obviously this has not happened for years; in fact the last race was 2002.

But life is different in Ramadi today. From 3/10 Marines handing off to 1/6, who then passed the baton to 3/7, the citizens of Ramadi finally understood that the Marines were never here to subdue them, but were instead here to help them.

This year, to celebrate the new peace in Ramadi, the citizens of the city under Mayor Latif Obaid, scheduled the 5K on their own. They were insistent that they run it on 11 September in remembrance of the US citizens killed on that day, but for various reasons that was not possible. Instead they ran it on 6 Sept, and they re-named the race “The Capt Ali Memorial 5K.”

Capt Ali was an Iraqi Policeman from the inner circle of the first few Iraqi Police (IP’s) who stood up INSIDE the city, in Central Ramadi, in response to Sheik Sattar’s call. While on patrol in November 2006, during the early days of the standup, Capt Ali observed a car that was acting suspiciously.  He determined that the car contained a car bomb, and he moved to intercept it. The driver took off down Rt. Michigan, and headed for the newly established Al Warar police station. Capt Ali chased after the vehicle in his police car, and ran his car into the suicide vehicle speeding down Rt. Michigan. The explosion killed him and the bomber, but saved the Al Warar station.

During his funeral procession the terrorists came back and attacked the citizens with a massive small arms attack. They were trying to kill the members of the Alwani tribe who were standing up as Iraqi Police in order to defend their families and their neighborhoods.

But the insurgents (Al-Quada Iraq) miscalculated. By attacking occurring during a sacred funeral procession, as well as using the large numbers of insurgents for the attack in order to intimidate the townspeople, the insurgents instead reinforced the determination of the  members of the tribe to rid themselves of these murderers. From December onward the people of Ramadi joined the IP’s by the thousands, and the attack at Capt Ali's funeral is still cited routinely today as one of the tipping points that turned public opinion against the insurgents.

But back to the race; held in a brilliant sun, and on a typical 100’ + early September day in Anbar Province. ”It was a great race, said Maj Rory Quinn, 3/7’s Executive Officer. “The official entry figure was 120, but a lot of people just showed up and ran. I'm very confident that 200 Iraqis ran in the race, and there were over 400 people at the finish line celebration.”

The winner was Ahmed Rashid, a Jumayah Station Iraqi Police Officer, with the impressive time of 16:17 for the 3.1 mile route. Appropriately, Jumayah is a substation or Al Warar, where Capt Ali gave his life for his fellow police.

Runners arrived in all states of dress, equipment, and training, and ran in a variety of foot-ware ranging from cheap Chinese knock-off sneakers to flip-flops. In a city where the average wage is $ 8 - 10 / day, running shoes like New Balance, Adidas, and Nikes are something that the next generations of runners might see. But run they did, on the flat course, and a good time ( if not good times ) was had by all.

Is the situation in Ramadi indicative of what is happening throughout Iraq? Not in the slightest. But when 200 + locals turn up for a 5K race, what it means is that when the Iraqi’s and Americans work together in a city or village, all sorts of good things can happen.

Runners -- take your marks…and Semper Fi.