Runners and walkers from the Massapequas and Farmingdale were out in force on Nov. 23 for the third annual edition of the South Shore Sprint, a four-mile road race on the streets of Bay Shore and they came home with lots of trophies for their efforts.

Top local finishers included Donna McMahon of Farmingdale, who was the second woman overall with a time of 24 minutes, 13 seconds, a pace of 6:04 per mile; Colleen Kenny of Massapequa, third-place finisher in the women's 25-29 age group with a time of 25:46 and Walter McCarthy of Massapequa, who scored first in the 65-69 age group in 31:00.

However, the most impressive local finisher of all was the incomparable Bill Merz of Massapequa, 77 years young, who took first place honors in the 70-75 age group crossing the finish line in 39:24 a pace of 9:51 per mile!

The South Shore Sprint was a product of the Greater Long Island Running Club, with GLIRC's Lynn Kotler serving as the race director, and David Katz of Finish Line Road Race Technicians serving as the technical director. The sprint was sponsored by the very generous sporting goods company South Shore Outdoor, Astoria Federal Savings Bank, the law firm of Pollack and Kotler, and Polar Heart Rate Monitors. Proceeds will go to Southside Hospital and its pediatrics department.

"As usual, our friends from Farmingdale and the Massapequas were out in big numbers for the South Shore Sprint," observed Race Director Lynn Kotler, "and also as usual they did very well indeed. Our congratulations to Donna, Colleen, Walter, Bill and all our other local friends!.