The 18th annual Carter, DeLuca, Farrell & Schmidt Ho Ho Ho Holiday Run, held on the roads of Bethpage on Dec. 17, was a tremendous success, and was a big score for Hicksville's "First Lady of Running" Liz Flahavan. Flahavan's time was 20 minutes, 43 seconds - a 6:41 per mile pace that brought her to the finish line at Bethpage High School in 3rd place in the highly competitive women's 40-44 age group.

There were nearly a thousand finishers in the 5K run and nearly 100 youngsters in the 1/4 Mile Fun Run that preceded the main event. The net result is that several local charities, including the "Bretton Bowl" fund for needy Bethpage families, the Maurer Foundation for Breast Health Education, and the Tender Loving Care Foundation for premature infants, will each receive substantial contributions. In addition, the generous toy donations by the participants will allow many disadvantaged children to have a more festive holiday through the event's partnership with mercyFirst.

Special thanks to the event's title sponsor, Carter, DeLuca, Farrell & Schmidt, LLP, and to presenting sponsor Retail, Wholesale & Chain Store Food Employees Union, Local 338, for their generous contributions. Without sponsors it would be impossible to produce a race with this many participants and to maintain the high-quality standards required to make the race a success. Also worthy of acknowledgement are Whole Foods of Manhasset, Kozy Shack Pudding, Organic Juice USA and Shop Rite for the generous donations of fruit, puddings, juices and soda that helped made the post-race refreshments so good, and JetBlue, Nikon, The Runner's Edge, Quantum Feet, Ben's Deli, Goldman Brothers and South Shore Outdoor for donating the door prizes that were so well received by the runners and walkers.

Special thanks go to Race Directors Joe Sturgess and Bob Sherman, and to all the Greater Long Island Running Club volunteers who continuously and willingly donate their time. It is these volunteers who provide the needed efforts to ensure that everyone enjoys participating in a GLIRC event.

Thanks also to the Bethpage School District for allowing the use of the facilities at Bethpage High School for registration and the awards ceremony, the Eighth Precinct of the Nassau County Police, the Bethpage Auxiliary Police and the Bethpage Fire Department Emergency Medical Team for making the course safe for everyone. Also, John Snitko of JMS Racing Services is deserving of high praise for his thoroughly professional timing job.

Last but very much not least, thanks go to the Town of Oyster Bay and its supervisor, John Venditto. The town continues to show its enthusiastic support for running and fitness programs in both words and deeds. Thanks as well to Councilwomen Elizabeth Faughnan and Rose Marie Walker and to New York State Senator Kemp Hannon for being on hand on race day to support the event.