It was one of those picture perfect mid-fall days, with temperatures around 55 degrees and bright sunshine highlighting the efforts of 500 runners and walkers to conquer their choice of the 5-kilometer or 10-kilometer distance—everyone working together for better men’s health and to fight prostate cancer at Syosset-Woodbury Community Park on Nov. 15.
Michael Berger, 27, of Bellmore, has become a frequent visitor to the winners circle at Long Island races this year and scored a convincing 34:15 overall win in the 10K, and 28-year-old Savannah Puca of Huntington took top honors among the women. In the 5K, Angel Confessor came out from Brooklyn to take first place overall and Lauren Jasinski of Cold Spring Harbor took first place homors overall among the women.
Local award winners in the 10-kilometer run included Wai Ha Cheung of Jericho (second Athena 140-159), Janna Ostroff of Plainview (second woman overall and first 35-39), Jessica Petrina of Old Bethpage (third woman overall and first 30-34), Nicole Henn (third woman 45-49) and Connie Sehlmeyer (first woman 70-74) of Syosset and Ann Dorman of Woodbury (first woman 50-54).
Local award winners in the 5-kilometer run were Shari Klarfeld (first woman 30-34), Karen Friedman (first woman 35-39), Melanie Fiume (first woman 20-24), Sanford Levitt (first Clydesdale 185-189), David Drebsky (third 35-39), Matthew Gregory (first 40-44), Kathy Neuman (second woman 50-54), Len Kaufman (third 65-69) and Odd Sangesland (third 85-89), all of Plainview. Other winners included Susan Anderson (first woman 25-29) and Harris Tell (third 40-44) Mark Rosenberg (second 70-74), John Mulvey (third 70-74) and Bert Jablon (first 85-89), all of Syosset, along with Dan Kulchinsky of Woodbury (second 65-69) and Donna Rosen of Jericho (first woman 55-59).
Syosset-Woodbury Community Park is a great venue from which to stage a road race, with a somewhat hilly course through nearby neighborhoods.
Thanks as well to Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker, who continues to brighten the starting line at local running events with her presence, to Oyster Bay Town Councilman Joe Pinto, Oyster Bay Town Receiver of Taxes Jim Stefanich and to New York State Assemblyman Michael Montesano, all of whom were on hand to show their support for running and for the fight against prostate cancer.
Special thanks go to Curtis Sliwa of the Guardian Angels, himself a survivor of prostate cancer, for his support and his inspirational words at the start of the event.
