Congratulations to veteran Massapequa endurance athletes Daniel DeMaio and Sherry Bellovin for their outstanding performances in the March 2 Caumsett Park 50 Kilometer Run.

This year's Run once again served as the USA Track & Field National 50 Kilometer Road Championship for 2008.

DeMaio crossed the finish line after 12 loops of the 2.63 mile course in 4 hours, 35 minutes, 37 seconds, good for 30th place overall, and a determined Bellovin finished in 7 hours, 49 minutes, 26 seconds, taking 96th place overall. There were 142 runners at the starting line, but only 96 - including DeMaio and Bellovin - were around for the finish.

In spite of the brisk temperatures - the mercury never rose much above 40 degrees - lots of quality performances were posted, including 18 finishers who finished in under four hours. Thirteen states were represented in this year's Run, with runners from their 20s to three competitors over 70 years of age.

Kudos to Race Director Carl Grossbard of the host Greater Long Island Running Club for a job very well done. Carl had some very big shoes to fill. Run founder Vinny Croce, the heart and soul of this event since its inception, retired after last year's event, and Carl very ably followed in Vinny's footsteps to stage another terrific event in the tradition of the Caumsett 50 km Run.