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Since our community hosts the headquarters for the Greater Long Island Running Club, it is entirely fitting that Nassau County's first major road race of every year is held on the roads of Plainview-Old Bethpage. This year marked the 23rd annual running of the prestigious Nationwide Insurance 10 Kilometer Run for ASPIRE, and it attracted runners, wheelchair athletes, and race walkers from all over the New York metropolitan area to celebrate the start of another great season of Long Island running.
Former St. John's University superstar Brian Quinn of Garden City, who was only two years old when the first in this series of road races was held in 1978, took top honors among the runners this year, crossing the finish line at the H. B. Mattlin Middle School in a strong 32:49, notwithstanding the blustery wind that was in his face for much of the course. Forty-two year old Don Di Donato of Hicksville, who has been the first runner overall in this Run twice, was second this year - the fifth time that Don has placed second overall in the ASPIRE Run. Twenty-seven year old Yvonne Brito of Brooklyn, was the first woman across the finish line, beating out perennial Long Island champion Donna McMahon of Farmingdale by more than a minute and a half. Long Island Masters champion Kathy Martin of Northport was the third woman finisher, only two seconds behind Donna. The top wheelchair competitor was Peter Hawkins of Malverne. The Run was conducted under the auspices of the Greater Long Island Running Club, with Craig Courounis (a 1983 graduate of Plainview John F. Kennedy High School) and Bob Wndorf serving as the co-directors of the Run. The primary sponsor of the ASPIRE Run was once again Nationwide Insurance, and Tony Wiszowaty of Nationwide was on hand to cheer the athletes on. Other key sponsors included Trader Joes, with Sal Cipolla, the assistant manager of Trader Joes' Plainview store on hand with his staff, The Runner's Edge of Farmingdale, Balance Bar, and Vytra Health Plans. Donna Howard, the community relations director of Vytra Health Plans supervised the team that staffed the water station at the 1.5 mile mark on Haypath Road. As always, the entire net proceeds of the Run were turned over to the ASPIRE program for the rehabilitation of young amputees, victims of bone cancer, birth defects and traumatic amputations. David Balsley, the chief executive officer of ASPIRE, was an enthusiastic participant in the Run. This year's Nationwide Insurance Plan for ASPIRE served as the 10 Kilometer championship race for Long Island Track & Field, and was part of the 2000 Long Island Grand Prix of Road Races co-sponsored by KeySpan Energy and Long Island Track & Field. Don Di Donato of Hicksville was the first finisher from the local area, and earned a special award as the top Masters (age 40 plus) finisher. Don was followed by Robis DeGirmenci of Syosset, who was the 11th runner overall across the finish line. Other local athletes winning ASPIRE 10K awards included Joshua Smith of Woodbury, who took second place in the 25-29 age group, Donna McMahon of Farmingdale, second overall and first woman in the 30-34 age group; Joelle Kane of Hicksville, first woman in the 25-29 age group; Lori Harfenes Melnik of Plainview, second woman in the 40-44 age group; Joan Ackerman of Syosset, who scored third among the women in the 55-59 age group; Geza Feld of Farmingdale, who earned top honors in the 65-69 age group; George Dennis of Muttontown, third in the 75 and over age group; and Tim O'Brien of Bethpage, second in the Clydesdale Weight Division. There were 764 finishers overall.
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