Massapequa Youngsters Score in Record-Breaking Cross Country Run

The Fifth Annual Edition of Rob's Run, a 5 kilometer cross country race held on the trails adjacent to Stillwell Woods Park in Syosset, proved to be the biggest ever, with a record 423 runners crossing the finish line.

Highlighting the morning from a local standpoint was the first-place finish of the Massapequa High School Girls team in the Girls High School Division. Congratulations to Becky Scheer of Massapequa Park who finished in 23 minutes, 40 seconds; Debra Lyons of Massapequa Park (23:43); Effie Belegrinos of Massapequa (24:04) and Mary Ann Totino of Massapequa (24:14) for their hard-fought victory.

The focus of the race was not just high schoolers, as runners of all ages and levels of ability joined in the fun, ranging from 7- and 8-year-olds up to 71-year-old Herb Grayson, who completed the course in 41:58; 31-year-old Jackie Novak of Massapequa finished as the top local runner in 21:38; and 50-year-old Sherry Bellovin of North Massapequa was part of the second-place Masters (age 40, plus) Women's team finishing in 29:11.

Rob's Run was, once again, administered by the Plainview-Old Bethpage Road Runners Club in conjunction with the Town of Oyster Bay. It was conducted under the direction of Ed Melnik and Steve Kelmes of the Road Runners Club with technical assistance provided by David Katz of Finish Line Road Race Technicians.

Rob's Run is staged each year in memory of Rob Lauterborn, a fine young man and outstanding runner whose untimely death at the age of 26 left a real void in the Long Island running community. The entire net proceeds of Rob's Run will, once again, be turned over to ASPIRE, the special program that provides prosthetic devices and intensive physical therapy and rehabilitation through athletics to young amputees, victims of bone cancer and traumatic amputations.

"We are thrilled with the record turnout for the 1997 edition of Rob's Run. It really is great that so many folks took advantage of a chance to run through the beautiful trails and wooded areas in Stillwell Woods," observed Co-Race Director Ed Melnik. "It is especially fitting that we hold this kind of event in Rob Lauterborn's memory. Rob loved to run and would most definitely have wanted to be remembered in connection with an event aimed both at fostering cross country running and at helping young people.