The Plainview-Old Bethpage Road Runners Club is proud to announce the extension of "Clydesdale" competition to four additional events on its racing calendar.

Clydesdale competition is designed to encourage participation in running races by heavier runners who cannot reasonably be expected to compete on an equal footing with runners who are thinner and lighter. It provides, within the framework of a road race, additional divisions based on the weight of the participant, within which the runners will be competing for awards. There are awards for the first three male finishers who weigh between 180 and 199 pounds, the first three male finishers who weigh 200 pounds or more, the first three female finishers who weigh between 140 and 159 pounds, and the first three female finishers who weigh 160 pounds or more.

The Road Runners had previously established Clydesdale divisions in the April 10 (1999) Nationwide Insurance 10 Kilometer Run for ASPIRE and the Nov. 21 South Shore Four Mile Sprint. They have now decided to add Clydesdale Division competitions to the July 19 Vytra Healthcare Long Island Women's Run, the Sept. 13 Vytra Healthcare Run for Humanity, the Oct. 17 Oyster Bay Town Supervisor's Run, and the Dec. 19 Ho Ho Ho Holiday Run. All four of the added races are at the 5 Kilometer distance.

"Our club is all about fostering participation," observed Road Runners Club Vice President Mindy Davidson. "Clydesdale divisions should serve to encourage heavier runners to participate in road races, so it seemed only natural for us to add more races with Clydesdale divisions to our calendar, and we certainly heard from enough Clydesdale-eligible runners that it was something we needed to do. Anything that gets people out on the road working towards fitness is a plus, and we believe that adding four more races that offer Clydesdale Awards is a definite step in the right direction."

For information or entry forms to any of these events, call the Road Runners Club at 349-7646.