The incomparable 45-year-old Don Di Donato of Hicksville continued his love affair of over two decades with the Nationwide Insurance 10 Kilometer Run for ASPIRE on Saturday, April 5, winning the 26th Anniversary edition of Long Island's oldest continuously held 10-kilometer run in 34 minutes, 59 seconds.

Di Donato held off 32-year-old George Schroeder of Bellmore in the final strides to the finish line at the H.B. Mattlin Middle School in Plainview. Kathy Martin of Northport was the first woman finisher for the second year in a row in 37:38, and Peter Hawkins of Malverne was the top wheelchair finisher.

Di Donato's outstanding running career has paralleled the success of the Nationwide 10K run. This was the third time he has been the overall winner with his first win coming as a 23-year-old in the fourth annual run in 1981. He has been the second place finisher five times and has scored as the first Masters finisher (age 40 plus) in each of the six years (1998-2003) since he reached the age of 40.

This year's edition of the run was once again dedicated to the memory of Stanley Kramberg, the Nationwide Insurance agent who devoted so much of his time, energy and money to the run and to the ASPIRE Program generally over the past several years. Kramberg lost his courageous battle to cancer in the summer of 1997 and the proceeds of this year's run will be used to continue the Stanley Kramberg Memorial ASPIRE Scholarship fund to help the young amputee graduates of the ASPIRE Program further their education. Nationwide Insurance, led by Tony Wiszowaty and Kramberg's son-in-law Jeff Cooper, once again was the primary sponsor of the run.

The ASPIRE run was hosted once again by the Greater Long Island Running Club (GLIRC ), with the assistance and support of the Town of Oyster Bay Department of Recreation and Parks. GLIRC's Bob Windorf and Craig Courounis once again served as the co-directors of the run. In addition to Nationwide Insurance, other support for the run was provided by Trader Joe's, Vytra Health Plans, Mizumo Shoes, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and the Runner's Edge.

"The Run for ASPIRE continues to be one of the most important events on the Long Island running calendar," said run Co-Director Craig Courounis. "We are thrilled at the turnout and especially thrilled by the outstanding performance of Don Di Donato. He is a true champion and we are proud and pleased that he is such an integral part of our run. We look forward to having Don and the rest of the Long Island running community join us for the 27th Annual Nationwide Insurance Run for ASPIRE which will be held on April 3, 2004.