Legion Final Table

It has been quite a while since I final tabled at the Legion tournament.  Last night looked pretty grim for me running totally card dead early.  No pairs (except 2's), no big aces, face cards, etc.  With the blinds creeping up to 100/200 it became time to gamble.  Without exception I have never been "all in" as many times in a tournament before.  I began shoving with any ace, any pair and because I had been squeaky tight got the folds needed to continue.  Finally called, I doubled up and was not comfortable, but at least not the short stack anymore.  With about 6000 in chips I ran into a problem hand limping from the small blind with 10/4 suited with 2 limpers at the 400/800 blind level.  I checked dark, and a big stack bet 1000 on a flop of 10/10/J.  Another player with a short stack came over the top all in and I called having him covered by about 2500.  Oops,  A/10.  Short stacked again I went into shoving mode and built back up.  My last hand was a small blind with A/5, limped in and big blind shoved with 7/7.  I called and failed to improve, but made the right call with only 2 big blinds left in my stack.  I never thought I was ahead, but hoped to catch an ace if he had a pair.  One of those marginal situations you find yourself in with a short stack.  I could have pre-emptively shoved, but he would have called with the same outcome.  My "plan" was really to limp/shove on a "stop and go", figuring most hands miss the flop and ace high looked good.