Runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes of all ages and levels of ability are invited to join in on Sunday, April 1 at the H.B. Mattlin Middle School in Plainview for the 35th annual running of the Nationwide 10 kilometer Run for ASPIRE.
The run will once again be utilizing the traditional challenging but fair course through the roads of Plainview and Old Bethpage, starting and finishing at the H.B. Mattlin Middle School on Washington Avenue in Plainview. New Race Director Karen Schackner is putting together an event that promises to be the biggest and best ASPIRE Run ever!
The host Greater Long Island Running Club is pleased to have the continuing support of Anthony Wiszowaty of Nationwide, with his agency and many of the other Nationwide agents on Long Island stepping up to honor the memory of GLIRC’s and Nationwide’s own Stanley Kramberg, with the entire net proceeds of the event once again being turned over to the ASPIRE Program for the rehabilitation of young amputees, and ASPIRE’s Stanley Kramberg Memorial Scholarship Fund.
A hearty welcome to new ASPIRE sponsor Physical Solutions, the outstanding team of physical therapists and sports medicine practitioners headed by Ed Farrell and Chris Lopez. Thanks also for continued support of this signature Greater Long Island Running Club event to Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto and the great staff at the town’s Department of Parks, and to presenting sponsor The Runner’s Edge. Mizuno will be back once again as our official shoe company sponsor, and Glen Wolther and All Round Foods will once again be supplying the crowd with incredible post-run pastries.
The ASPIRE 10K Run will continue to provide awards in age groups through 85 plus. Top male and female overall and masters’ finishers will take home a pair of Mizuno running shoes. Every entrant will receive one of the high quality long sleeve Run for ASPIRE shirts. Other great perks of the ASPIRE 10K include free massage, a fun run for the kids before the main event, and a nice post-race door prize drawing to cap the morning.
While the ASPIRE 10K is very much geared toward the average recreational runner, GLIRC will once again also offer a $500 prize if the first male runner to cross the finish line breaks the course record of 30:27 set by Pat Peterson in 1988, and a $500 prize if the first female runner to cross the finish line breaks the women’s course record of 34:55 set by Angela Hearn in 1989.
Top finishers from Farmingdale in the 2011 edition of the Run included Colleen Gardner, who was the first Athena finisher, and Joan Ackerman, who scored 2nd in the women’s 70-74 age group. The Running Club expects both of these fine athletes to return in 2012, and is looking for another big turnout from the local area.
The net proceeds of the Run are dedicated to the ASPIRE Program (Adolescent Sarcoma Patient’s Intense Rehabilitation through Exercise, dba ASPIRE, Inc.)
For information about the Run, contact Linda at the Greater Long Island Running Club office at (516) 349-7646 or visit the GLIRC website at www.glirc.org
