Forty-five-year-old Norton, Massachusetts veteran ultra-marathoner Christopher Cappellini, who had scored first in the Long Island Greenbelt Trail 50K Run in 2011, scored a repeat victory in this year’s 10th annual run. Cappellini finished in 4:30:15 this year, a tad slower than his 2011 finish of 4:27:37. Forty-two-year-old Jodi Kartes-Heino, a Long Island local who had finished as the third woman in 2011 with a time of 5:46:06, vaulted to first place this year in 5:31:45.
A contingent of local finishers included Kenneth Colantuoni of Plainview (25th place, 6:31:48), Vincent Colantuoni of Syosset (33rd place, 7:13:06), and Howard Cragg of Bethpage (46th place, 9:30:52). In the accompanying 25K run, local finishers included Miriam Fein of Plainview (2:57:13) and Michael Korol of Syosset (3:18:04).
The eclectic 50K course runs from the Greater Long Island Running Club (GLIRC) Clubhouse to the Sunnyside Boulevard trailhead, and then up the Greenbelt Trail to the Cold Spring Harbor terminus of the trail and back. Upon returning to the Sunnyside Boulevard trailhead, the 50 kilometer runners turned around, headed up to Cold Spring Harbor and did it all again.
“It requires a great amount of mental discipline and determination for anyone to get back to Sunnyside Boulevard, turn around, and tackle the trail again,” observed race director Nick Palazzo of GLIRC. “What makes it even tougher is the fact that the folks who are doing the accompanying 25K just keep on going from the trailhead back to the GLIRC Clubhouse and the finish line is only a half mile ahead.”
The Greenbelt 50K is the Mountain, Ultra, Trail Championship of the Long Island Association of USA Track and Field. “Although we are not exactly loaded with mountains on Long Island, the ‘hills’ near the northern end of the trail in Cold Spring Harbor are more than a little challenging,” noted Palazzo. “This is not an easy course, and Chris, Jodi and all the other finishers can take justifiable pride in their accomplishments.”
This event was made possible by a cadre of GLIRC staff, led by Palazzo, with a big assist from Rich Innamorato, Bob Sherman, Linda Ottaviano, Curt and Irene Robinson, and “rookie” coordinator of volunteers Lou Lafleur. A hearty “thank you” goes out to Gary Muhrcke and the Super Runners Shop for their continuing generosity towards trail racing and endurance runs generally; it is much appreciated.
1. Christopher Cappellini, 45
4:30:15
2. George Worth, 49
4:51:37
3. Aaron Heath, 37
4:59:12
4. Michael Schab, 28
5:02:40
5. Tim Henderson, 42
5:00:52
6. Mike Lynch, NJ, 48
5:21:39
7. John Kane, 43
5:22:20
8. Jodi Kartes-Heino, 42
5:31:45
9. Elaine Acosta, NJ, 37
5:48:19
10. Rob Riccardo, 24
5:49:04
11. Andrei Aroneau, NJ, 57
5:52:01
12. Jesse Goodenough, 27
5:54:08
13. Cheryl Yanek, 32
5:55:45
14. David Isaksson, 44
5:58:43
15. Michael Redmond, 36
6:04:27
16. Jack Ryon, 30
6:09:35
17. Charles Bifulco, 58
6:21:36
18. Michael De Iulio, 45
6:21:46
19. Joey Cohen, 29
6:23:15
20. Jared Platt, 28
6:23:15
21. Rudy Afanador, 53
6:25:34
22. Forrest Callicutt, AL, 57
6:27:15
23. Mike Mejia, 43
6:28:13
24. Colleen Eren, 30
6:31:08
25. Kenneth Colantuoni, 41
6:31:48
26. Michael Hunter, 50
6:45:07
27. Susan Schmelzer, 32
6:56:24
28. Gerald Tabios, 42
6:57:42
29. Paul Salerni, 55
6:58:51
30. Michelle Mason, 43
7:00:56
31. Emmy Stocker, CT 53
7:05:38
32. Iwan Axr, 46
7:08:50
33. Vincent Colantuoni, 45
7:13:06
34. Susan DeRoberts, NJ, 37
7:24:03
35. Jeff Cummins, NJ, 48
7:29:15
36. Wayne Gates, 53
7:29:47
37. Chris Dazo, 44
7:58:52
38. Kamooha Colon, PA, 41
8:02:18
39. Al Prowda, 65
8:03:43
40. Eva Casale, 47
8:20:00
41. Jay Masten, 53
8:20:02
42. Elaine Rita Yulo, 48
8:25:07
43. Trishul Cherns, 55
8:46:56
44. Donald Ying, 31
8:56:02
45. Mitchell Strong, 63
9:22:43
46. Howard Cragg, 64
9:30:52
47. Eliot Collins, NJ, 69
9:31:36
