Nearly 8,000 runners from 252 companies were on hand at Jones Beach State Park on July 27 to participate in the 14th annual Chase Corporate Challenge 3.5 Mile Run on Long Island, hosted by the Greater Long Island Running Club.

But there was one runner in particular whose arrival drew special attention - 1992 Olympic marathon champion Frank Shorter. Syosset resident Joan Ackerman, representing the running club, was on hand to welcome Shorter to the event.

The Chase Corporate Challenge is Long Island's largest participatory sporting event, and is part of a series that takes place in 18 cities throughout the United States, plus London and Frankfurt. In 1998, 177,000 runners from 6,000 companies were part of the series.