Farmingdale Runners Finish on Top

The 5th annual edition of Rob's Run, a 5 kilometer cross country race held on the trails adjacent to Stillwell Woods Park in Syosset, proved to be the biggest ever, with a record 423 runners crossing the finish line.

The top finisher was 25-year-old Mohamed Toualeb of New York City in 15:37, with 24-year-old New York City resident Bouthra Moustatd showing the way to the women. Runners of all ages and levels of ability joined in the fun, ranging from 7- and 8-year-olds, lots of high school athletes, open runners and all the way up to 71-year-old Herb Grayson of Syosset, who completed the course in 41:58.

Top local runners included John Lovejoy of Farmingdale, in 17th place overall and Jean Bohan of Farmingdale, who was the sixth woman finisher overall. John and Jean combined with teammates Laura Gluf of Massapequa and Gary Paperno of Massapequa Park to take top honors in the Coed Open Division for the Farmingdale-based Runners Edge team.

It was "close but no award" for the Farmingdale High School team in the Boys High School Division. The team of Juan Nunez, Yair Nachman, Jason Moritz and Mike Zibulsky finished in fourth place, only 6 points behind the 3rd place Syosset High School team.

Rob's Run was once again administered by the Plainview-Old Bethpage Road Runners Club in conjunction with the Town of Oyster Bay. It was conducted under the direction of Ed Melnik and Steve Klemes of the Road Runners Club, with technical assistance provided by David Katz of Finish Line Road Race Technicians.

Rob's Run is staged each year in memory of Rob Lauterborn, a fine young man and outstanding runner whose untimely death at the age of 26 left a real void in the Long Island running community, race organizers said. The entire net proceeds of Rob's run will be turned over to ASPIRE, a program that provides prosthetic devices and intensive physical therapy and rehabilitation through athletics to young amputees, victims of bone cancer and traumatic amputations.

"We are thrilled with the record turnout for the 1997 edition of Rob's Run. It really is great that so many folks took advantage of a chance to run through the beautiful trails and wooded areas in Stillwell Woods," said Co-Race Director Ed Melnik. "It is especially fitting that we hold this kind of event in Rob Lauterborn's memory. Rob loved to run, and would most definitely have wanted to be remembered in connection with an event aimed both at fostering cross country running and at helping young people. Our congratulations to everyone that was a part of this important event. We hope everyone will join us for the sixth edition of Rob's Run on Nov. 29, 1998."