Nearly 500 enthusiastic runners toed the starting line on Larabee Avenue Saturday morning, Oct. 16, for the 17th annual Oyster Bay Town Supervisor's 5 Kilometer Run, in a field that included a very large contingent of runners from the local area.

Top finishers overall were from Bellmore, 29-year-old Christian Fogarazzo, who was a fairly comfortable overall winner in the Men's Division in 15:48, and 38-year-old Ellen Brach (19:24), who outkicked Marlene Mignano of Merrick (19:52) to win the women's division; but lots of local area runners were among those at the top of the field winning age group awards.

The top male and female finishers in the 40-44 age group were both residents of Oyster Bay hamlet, 41-year-old John Lovejoy, who took first place honors with a time of 18:12, and 40-year-old Tracy Kemper, who scored first among the 40-44 year old women in 21:43.

Other local runners winning awards included Patricia Starun and Elizabeth Ferris, both of Oyster Bay, who took second and fifth places respectively in the Women's Athena Weight Group, Steven Quigley of Oyster Bay, who scored third in the Men's Clydesdale Weight Division, Katelyn Collins and Maria Moreno, both of Oyster Bay, who scored third and fourth respectively in the Women's 14 and under age group, Sean Quinn and Jake Winckowski, both of East Norwich, who took second and fourth place honors in the Men's 14 and under age group, Kelly Weinman of Oyster Bay, who scored second among the women in the 15-19 age group, Ryan Vessichelli of Locust Valley, second place finisher in the 15-19 age group, Erin Egan of East Norwich and Chrissy Rogus of Oyster Bay, who scored fourth and fifth in the Women's 15-19 age group, Pavla Salacova of Oyster Bay, who finished second among the women in the 25-29 age group, Karen Hoy of Bayville, third place finisher among the women in the 30-34 age group, Anne Gelabert of Oyster Bay, who scored 3rd in the women's 35-39 age group, William Jones of Oyster Bay, fifth finisher in the 35-39 age group, and Elizabeth Penagos and Joanne Gallo, both of Oyster Bay, and Melinda Ehrlich of East Norwich who scored third, fourth and fifth respectively among the women in the 55-59 age group.

The 2005 Run was once again conducted under the auspices of the Town of Oyster Bay, with Town Supervisor John Venditto serving as the honorary chair of the event, and State Senator Carl Marcellino, Town Councilwoman Rose Walker, and Town Clerk Steve Labriola, who were also on hand to show their support. The logistics of the event were managed by the Greater Long Island Running Club in conjunction with the town's recreation department.

Thanks go to the Nassau County Police Department and its outstanding Second Precinct, to John Snitko of JMS Racing Services, to Alan Sobel and South Shore Outdoor, to the very generous folks from Whole Foods Market of Manhasset and to the dozens of enthusiastic volunteers - all of whom were essential to the success of the run.

"We are thrilled with the success of this year's run," observed Greater Long Island Running Club President Mike Polansky, "and especially thrilled that so many local runners were able to win awards. We apologize to local residents and to the good folks who stage the Oyster Festival for the congestion caused by the run, and hope that we can get approval in 2005 for the new course up from Townsend Square to Sagamore Hill and back. That among other great things, would help us to eliminate the congestion."