Brendan’s Home Run a Grand Slam

Nearly 300 people, mostly Belmont residents, braved the heat and humidity Sunday morning to run Brendan's 9th annual Home Run 5K.

One of them was Belmont's Casey Grant, father of the late Brendan Grant, for whom the race is named.

Grant, who fires the gun at Belmont High School and then takes off wearing No. 23, his son's retired baseball number at American International College, organizes the race with Brian Rogers and the help of more than 100 other volunteers. He said it has become a great community event in its nine years.

"It's more of a 'friend-raiser' than it is a fundraiser," he said after completing the course in less than 33 minutes. "I love meeting everybody, seeing all the smiles."

The race raises money for the Brendan Grant Foundation, a charitable organization that funds scholarships and helps support various local sports teams.

The late Grant, a standout baseball player and wrestler at Belmont High, died on June 27, 2001, during a Senior Babe Ruth game in Belmont. Then a 19-year-old rising sophomore at AIC, Grant, playing left field, collided with the center fielder on a routine fly ball and died from resulting injuries.

On Sunday, 24-year-old Nathan Krah, of Boston, crossed the line first in 15:50.8. Krah, a former Bowdoin College harrier, runs for adidas New England RC and recently finished 36^th at the 2010 Boston Marathon. Krah, who placed second last year, said it always feels good to run for a cause.

"It always makes it a little easier out there when you know you're supporting something special," he said.

Belmont's top finisher, 34-year-old Ryan McCalmon, was second in 15:59.2. Six-time champion and course-record holder Dan Vassallo, 25, was third.

The top three were followed by 50-year-old Robert Cipriano, 17:42.9, and Kevin Mateo Connors, who, at 15, was 35 years younger than his running mate. Both runners are from Belmont.

On the women's side, Belmont's Karin Lehr, 41, took top honors with a 20:54.4.

"The race has become part of our family's Father's Day celebration," she said.

Many fathers were in attendance, including some pushing their sons or daughters in strollers, like Belmont's Sam Alexander and Chris Hadley and Medford's Marc Lefebure, who pushed two sons, one of whom slept throughout the 3.1-mile trek.

Amie Deutch, of Natick, placed second for women, Belmont's 16-year-old Abbey Murphy third.

The race featured runners from 7 to 79. On the boys' side, Kevin Kagho, a 9-year-old who moved to Belmont from Cameroon last year, narrowly defeated Sam Murray, 7, to be the top finisher under 10. For the single-digit girls, Belmont's Isabella Martin led the way.

The day also included kids' fun runs. After they finished, many kids chose to escort their worn-out parents around the high school track to the finish line.

All kids wore No. 1, Grant's retired Belmont High baseball number.