Annual Bethpage Trail Relay Still Setting Records

Friday, 09 March 2012 00:00

With 120 teams crossing the finish line on Feb. 18, the 14th annual Runner’s Edge Bethpage 3 runner x 2-mile trail relay hosted by the Greater Long Island Running Club (GLIRC) was the biggest ever, as picture perfect weather and trails that were in “November condition” rather than “February condition” made it the best trail running experience possible.

What a contrast to the past couple of years!  Neither snow nor ice was to be found anywhere in Bethpage State Park, and there was no need to use either the bike path or the parking lot as in the past couple of years.  This was a true trail event!  Everyone seemed to appreciate the course, and everyone seemed to enjoy the post race refreshments – cream of mushroom soup, chicken noodle soup, chili, All Round Foods’ incredible muffins, cupcakes, and other pastries, cookies, and hot chocolate.

Thanks go to our sponsors – Bob Cook and the Farmingdale-based Runner’s Edge running and multi-sport specialty store, Rob Suarez and all the other great folks at Bethpage Federal Credit Union, and Glen Wolther and All Round Foods for their continued generosity. Thanks as well to our generous raffle prize donors: Croxley Ales, the Library Café, Blimpies.

The winning teams in each of the nine divisions of the Relay were:

Men’s Open: Runner’s Edge team members Matt Walsh, Conor Shelley, and Franklin Diaz
Women’s Open: Bellmore Striders Noni DeGirmenci, Tara Wilson, and Jill Skelly outkicked the Hofstra Women’s team by two seconds!
Mixed Open: Bellmore Striders Boyd Carrington, Chris Mammone, and Meaghan Crimmins
Men’s Masters: GLIRC team members Todd Rowley, George Schroeder, and John Theissen
Women’s Masters: Northport Running Club “Trying Our Best” members Sue Murray and Dianne Finneran
Mixed Masters: Cheetahs team members Jim Murray, Eliana Themsitocleous, and Matt Conroy
Men’s Senior Masters: New Hyde Park Silent Assassins Jon Wallach, Gary Klein, and Tom O’Leary
Women’s Senior Masters: GLIRC Fast Feet team members Linda Ottaviano, Debbie Blair, and Sue Fitzpatrick
Mixed Senior Masters: GLIRC team of Mike Robles, Kellie Stamm, and Bill Gironda