Congratulations to Joseph Basso of Hicksville for his outstanding performance in the April 19 Mount Penn Mudfest, a 15-kilometer run through the wooded trails of Mount Penn, near Reading, PA.

The 25-year-old former Hicksville High School track and cross country runner finished this tough race is 21st place overall out of 515 finishers, traversing the tough cross country course in 1 hour, 12 minutes, 12 seconds - fifth place in the 25-29 age group - in a race that included some of the best trail runners in the Northeast.

The Mount Penn Mudfest includes four stream crossings, two mudbanks that required most of the participants to use their hands as well as their feet, and a seventh-mile uphill climb that presented a real challenge for even the hardiest mountain goats.

Basso is a member of the Greater Long Island Running Club and runs competitively for the Runner's Edge racing team.