RSS 2.0 FeedJuly 8, 2011, Bellmore Life
Bellmore Striders reach new Fourth of July race record
The annual Fourth of July race boasts biggest participation yet.
More photos from race, click here.
Even under humid conditions, The Bellmore Striders Race Club boasted its best-ever participation of 721 runners at this year's annual running of the popular race.
Alex Cuozzo, president of the race club, told this newspaper that "Families signed up in whole numbers to run in the Kids race, and run the four-mile race." It was a new record for the event, he said.
He also attributed it to two Fourth of July races in Massapequa and Long Beach not being held on July 4, leaving the Bellmore race as the place to run on the Fourth of July.
Coming in first place in the male category was Chris Heibell of Hillsboro, New Jersey, with a time of 20:01. He said the track was flat and fairly fast, but plenty hot.
The first Bellmore male over the finish line was Matt Hassett, with a time of 21:50. The first Merokian over the finish line was Zach Lifman, at 24:03.
The first woman over the finish line was Olivia Ortiz of Brainington, Florida. She ran a time of 24:21. The first Bellmore woman over the finish line was Marie Spottiswood, with a time of 24:25.
James Dachille, a 10th-grader from Kennedy High School and member of the Kennedy Track Team, told Bellmore Life the race was his first-ever professional race. He came in with a time of 29:01. "It was a tough race because it was humid," he said. But he added that he was glad to run it, as it would help him with endurance during his track meets. He lives in Merrick.
Don Farmer of Bellmore ran the race to "get the kinks" out, he said. He races about four races a year, he told this newspaper, and likes to run during lunch when he has the time.
