50 Scenic Miles Through 15 Towns From Jones Beach to Oyster Bay
Bethpage Federal Credit Union, an avid supporter of health and wellness initiatives on Long Island, has announced its sponsorship of the Greater Long Island Running Club’s annual Ocean to Sound Relay, now in its 26th year. The Bethpage Ocean to Sound Relay, which takes place on September 25, will take runners across both Nassau and Suffolk Counties with 150 teams of eight runners each traversing a 50-mile scenic course stretching from the South Shore to the North Shore of Long Island.
Over 1,000 runners are expected to participate in the relay, which will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services, money raised from the relay will go directly to support the organization’s Long Island Chapter. Long Island runner Alan End, who founded the relay back in 1985, will be the relay director.
“We want to thank Bethpage once again for coming on board as our title sponsor. Now in its 26th year, the Bethpage Ocean to Sound Relay is a special event here on Long Island as runners come together to form teams exemplifying great camaraderie and team spirit, like no other, “said Mike Polansky, president, Greater Long Island Running Club.
The Bethpage Ocean to Sound Relay starts at Jones Beach State Park and finishes on the grounds of the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay. 150 eight-person teams will navigate their way through 15 different Long Island townships starting in Wantagh, traveling through Seaford, Massapequa Park, Massapequa, Farmingdale, Old Bethpage, Plainview, Woodbury, West Hills, crossing into Huntington and hitting the Long Island Sound in Lloyd Harbor, returning to Nassau County via Cold Spring Harbor and Syosset, reaching Oyster Bay Cove, and finally hitting Oyster Bay.
“We couldn’t be more excited to partner once again with the Greater Long Island Running Club. The Ocean to Sound Relay is a truly unique, only on Long Island event that draws runners from the entire tri-state area,” said Linda Armyn, senior vice president, Bethpage Federal Credit Union. “Last year Bethpage had three teams participate in the relay, including our president, Kirk Kordeleski. Bethpage is a proud supporter of many health and wellness initiatives on Long Island and we look forward to working closely again with the Running Club over the next few months.”
There are 13 different categories for runners including men’s, women’s, mixed open, men’s masters, women’s masters, mixed masters, men’s seniors masters, women’s seniors masters, corporate, law enforcement/firefighter, physically challenged, one person team and Bethpage. A gala post race party affectionately called the “Best Post-Race Party in the Northeast” will take place immediately following the relay at the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park on the shoreline of beautiful Oyster Bay Harbor near the finish line, where awards will be presented in each of the individual categories to each member of the top three teams in each category.
“The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on Long Island offers support and guidance to patients and the health professionals who care for them. Our great thanks go out to the Greater Long Island Running Club and to Bethpage for their continued support,” said Nicole Kowaleski, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s deputy executive director.
The entry fee for the Bethpage Ocean to Sound Relay is $360 per team ($45 per runner) through September 18, 2011, which covers entry into the race, a special commemorative T-shirt for each runner, and entry into the post-race party. After September 18, 2011, the entry fee is $400 per team. For more information, or to register, go to www.glirc.org.
