Well over 1,100 runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes crossed the 5-Kilometer finish line at Bethpage High School, and more than 100 youngsters successfully completed the 1/4 mile fun run that preceded the main event, as the Long Island running community celebrated the holidays with the 15th annual Vitamin World Ho Ho Ho Holiday Run on Saturday morning, Dec. 21.

Elves, reindeer and Santas abounded on the course, and the prize for the best costume went to Dominic Ortiz and his Quantum Feet Runners, a dozen of whom ran in tandem as toy soldiers.

Top local finisher was Glenn Morse of Massapequa, who scored in 57th place overall and second in the 50-54 age group in 20:14. Top local female finisher was Melissa Berkowitz of Farmingdale, who was fourth woman in the 30-34 age group in 23:42. Other local residents successfully completing the Run included Thomas Foley of Massapequa (20:21), Dennis Bujacich of Massapequa Park, second-place finisher in the Clydesdale 200 pound plus weight division (20:56); August Savello of Farmingdale, third-place finisher in the Clydesdale 185-199 pound Weight Division (21:32); Rashawn Smith of Massapequa Park (21:34); Mark Leff of Massapequa (21:54); Geza Feld of Farmingdale, top finisher in the 65-69 age group (22:56); John Stauber of North Massapequa, third-place finisher in the Clydesdale 200 pound plus weight division (22:27); William Slane of Farmingdale (22:58); Daniel Cacace of Massapequa (23:10; Denise Slane of Farmingdale (23:45); Jerry Ahern of Farmingdale (23:50); Tim Radomski of Massapequa Park (24:16); Tom Lazicky of Massapequa Park (24:33); Warren Drezen of Massapequa (24:36); Anita Von Himmel of Massapequa (24:38); Jeannette DeLuca of Massapequa (25:37); Fred Benlein of Farmingdale (25:57); Raymond Bomardiere of Massapequa Park (26:14); Michael Fedoriw of Farmingdale (26:20); Brian Krebs of Massapequa (26:24); Thomas Ford of North Massapequa (26:42); Tommy Bongiorno of Farmingdale (27:07); Michael Farrelly of Massapequa Park (27:09); Peter Albrecht of Farmingdale (28:08); Don Glynn of Farmingdale (28:16); Garry Thynne of Farmingdale (28:16); Ryan McDonough of Massapequa (28:19); Wayne Keebler of Massapequa (28:24); Andrew Girsitz of Massapequa (28:53); Joseph Cutugno of Massapequa Park (28:54); Anthony Licata of Massapequa (29:05); Daniel Hall of Massapequa (29:05); Eric Grossman of Massapequa Park (29:05), Kurt Ludwig of Massapequa (29:18), Brian De Vito of Farmingdale (29:29); David Kohler of Massapequa (29:31); Sal Scimeca of Farmingdale (29:36); Nicholas Licata of Massapequa (29:46); Guy Licata of Massapequa (29:57); Norman Hershkowitz of North Massapequa (30:19); Michele Kiernan of Massapequa (30:33); John Grossman of Massapequa Park (30:34); Joseph Canova of Massapequa (31:07); Steve Kinney of Farmingdale (31:09); Nicholas Canova of Massapequa (31:18); Mary Ellen Gruszka of Farmingdale (31:20); Robert Tyrrell of Massapequa (31:28); Joseph Ford of Massapequa (32:05); Paula Glynn of Farmingdale (32:28); Helaine Schnall of Massapequa (32:53); John Niesen of Massapequa Park, who took third-place honors in the 75-79 age group (33:23); Edward Ryan of Massapequa (33:52); Barbara Fischer of Massapequa (33:55); Theresa Wissert of Massapequa (33:55); Marco Licata of Massapequa (34:17); Brian D'Addario of Massapequa (34:19); Christopher Maghakian of Massapequa (34:29); Mitch Maghakian of Massapequa (34:30; Kathy Benlein of Farmingdale (34:40); Connor Kriegel of Massapequa Park (35:13); Michael Lillis of Massapequa (35:21); Tyler Kerby of Massapequa Park (35:29); Jesse Cardinale of Massapequa (36:02); Kathleen Conway of Farmingdale (36:02); Kelly McPartland of Massapequa (36:07); Ryan Riddle of Massapequa (36:07); Jaclyn Mazza of Massapequa (36:07); Jamie McPartland of Massapequa (36:33); Zachary Vyskoal of Massapequa (36:34); Victoria DiCanio of Massapequa Park (36:39); Sandra McCarthy of Massapequa (36:50); Efrem Brown of Farmingdale (36:50); Henry Nunez of Farmingdale (37:33); Janine Dreizen of Farmingdale (37:42); Carol McBride of Farmingdale (37:42); Christopher Ford of North Massapequa (38:08); Laura Thompson of Massapequa Park (38:59); Stanley Allen, Jr. of Massapequa (39:23); Emily Allen of Massapequa (39:24); Andrew Kohler of Massapequa (40:55); Breanna Romaine of Massapequa Park (42:52); Kathleen Coffey of Massapequa Park (43:42); James McCarthy of Massapequa (43:43); Kerri McCarthy of Massapequa (43:43); Joseph DiLiello of Farmingdale (44:14); Clark Kent of Farmingdale (44:15), Nora Reade of Massapequa Park (44:20); Angie Mavaro of Massapequa (44:20); Lois Lane of Farmingdale (44:21); Katherine Mazza of Massapeq

Race directors Joe Sturgess and Bob Sherman of the host Greater Long Island Running Club, can take great pride in a job well done, as can technical director David Katz of Finish Line Road Race Technicians. Thanks go to Vitamin World, who once again served as the primary sponsor of the Run, and to Grubb & Ellis Realtors, who once again came through as the presenting sponsor. Thanks also go to the Town of Oyster Bay and Town Supervisor John Venditto for their continuing support.

The proceeds of this year's Run were once again split between the Bretton Bowl Fund for the needy families of Bethpage in the holiday season and the Maurer Foundation for Breast Health Education. Dr. Virginia Maurer, who founded the Maurer Foundation, served as the official starter of this year's Run.

"There is no better way to celebrate the holiday season than with a healthy morning of family fitness and fun such as the Ho Ho Ho Run," observed Run co-director Joe Sturgess. "We are thrilled with this year's turnout, we are thrilled that so many of our friends from the Massapequas and Farmingdale were on hand to share the morning with us, and we are thrilled with the terrific welcome that all the runners and walkers receive from the friendly folks of Bethpage. We hope to see everyone back again on Dec. 20, 2003 for the 16th annual running of this wonderful event."