By any measure, Saturday’s Mustang 10K/5K charity race in downtown Franklin was a huge success.

The event benefited two outstanding organizations — the Franklin Mustangs youth football program, which under the leadership of Coach Rob Carter, has played an important role in the lives of countless young men for more than 30 years.

The other beneficiary was Hope for the Warriors, an organization that improves the quality of life for injured post 9-11 veterans.

Lead organizer Jane Riddick-Fries and her team of volunteers worked diligently for weeks to put on a top-notch event. Their success likely exceeded their own expectation.

In our opinion, there was also a third, albeit unintended beneficiary of the event — the City of Franklin. More than 500 volunteers and participants descended on the downtown on what could only be described as a perfect morning.

The Franklin Farmers’ Market was a perfect location for opening ceremonies. Barrett’s Landing provided the perfect backdrop for the awards presentation.

Main and High streets were a perfect course for the race.

The crowd was diverse. Runners came from Virginia Beach and North Carolina and as far away as West Virginia for the inaugural event. And they all got to see Franklin at its best.

We are grateful to all who contributed to the success of the event, and we look forward to seeing other, similar events on a regular basis.