Local residents recently enjoyed participating in the Third Annual "Run for Their Lives" 8K Long Island Track & Field Championship Race in late October. The run was held on a beautiful autumn morning at Bethpage State Park.

Local winners included Lorin Levy of Massapequa Park, who was the third woman overall to cross the finish lined and scored as the second woman in the 20-24 age group in 33:25; Nancy Hanrahan of Farmingdale, who was the second woman finisher in the 40-44 age group in 41:31; Glenn Morse of Massapequa, top finisher in the 50-54 age group in 35:01; William Slane of Farmingdale, third finisher in the Clydesdale 185-199 Weight Division in 38:07 and John Stauber of Massapequa, who took top honors in the Clydesdale 200 pound plus weight division in 38:09.

Other local residents who successfully completed the run included Neal Levy (30:21) and Rashawn Smith (33:51) of Massapequa Park, Bob McKenna (35:14), Michael Di Bartolo (41:07), Fred Benlein (45:01), Don Glynn (45:36), Sean Ruane (53:13) and Ellen Shapuro (1:03:06) of Farmingdale and Gary White (40:04), Vera Thompson (43:48), Anita Von Himmel (43:57) and Richard Rosenfeld (49:17) of Massapequa.

The run was staged by the Greater Long Island Running Club and served as LI Track & Field's Cross Country Championship event for 2002. The entire net proceeds of the run were turned over to North Shore Animal League America to benefit their foster care program, to provide for abandoned, abused and homeless puppies, kittens, cats and dogs.