One hundred sixteen teams of eight runners each successfully completed the 14th annual Nationwide Insurance Ocean to Sound 50 Mile Relay, held on Sunday, Sept. 26 -- and teams from all over Long Island and beyond were out in force for what is one of the biggest events on the Long Island recreational sports calendar.

Teams from the Plainview-based Greater Long Island Running Club took top honors in the Women's Masters Division, second place in the Women's Open Division, fourth place in the Men's Masters Division and sixth place in the Men's Open Division. Teams from the Farmingdale-based "Runner's Edge" captured second place in the Men's Open Division, first place in the Women's Open Division, and first place in the Men's Masters and Mixed Masters Divisions. Other local residents competed on a variety of teams -- with awards presented in men's and women's open and masters divisions, corporate, law enforcement, and physically challenged divisions.

The relay started at Jones Beach State Park at 8 a.m., with the runners heading up the Wantagh Parkway, east through Seaford and Massapequa, north through Farmingdale, Old Bethpage, Huntington and Lloyd Harbor, before turning west and then south through Cold Spring Harbor, Syosset, Plainview, and Old Bethpage, and finishing in the picnic area at Bethpage State Park.

The relay was hosted by the Greater Long Island Running Club, with GLIRC's Alan End of Plainview serving as relay director for the 14th consecutive year, ably assisted by his wife Sharon. Nationwide Insurance, through the Wiszowaty Agency in Lynbrook, served as the title sponsor once again. Speedo Authentic Fitness was also a generous sponsor of the event. Technical support was provided by David Katz of Finish Line Road Race Technicians, utilizing the new ChampionChip technology for scoring the relay.

Virtually every competitive runner and running team on Long Island was part of the relay, but the real key for most people was having fun, team spirit and camaraderie, and enjoying a beautiful early autumn run through some of the most picturesque areas on Long Island. "This is a real 'once a year day' for runners on Long Island," observed Relay Director Alan End. "Running is usually an individual sport and sometimes even a lonely one, but the focus on at least this one day is on being a part of a team and on working together. That's what this event is all about!"

The entire net proceeds of the relay are dedicated to ASPIRE, the special program that provides prosthetic devices, intensive physical therapy and rehabilitation through exercise to young amputees, victims of bone cancer and traumatic amputations. A team of amputees, led by ASPIRE Executive Director Paddy Rossbach, successfully completed the relay once again this year, crossing the finish line in 7:27:03.

The Nationwide Insurance Ocean to Sound Relay is a proud participant in the KeySpan Energy Long Island Grand Prix of long distance races, conducted under the jurisdiction of Long Island Track & Field.