Race Emphasizes Fun and Fitness

Students from 15 local schools, their families and faculty members made a run for their money Saturday morning at the Kids Run 2 Parent Teacher Association fundraiser.  
 
The two mile run at Rockland Lake State Park was held to promote fitness in our communities and raise money for Rockland County public school PTAs. The associations will use these funds to organize future events for the kids. 
 
An impressive 1,458 people participated in the run, double the amount that attended last year. 
 
Nancy Deacon-Owens of Valley Cottage, a mother of two and teacher assistant at Valley Cottage Elementary, ran the full length of the race with her kids, Sophia and Maya. 
 
"We all ran together and collectively represent Liberty and Valley Cottage Elementary, and Nyack Middle School," added Deacon-Owens. "We did this because its a good way to stay healthy as a family and a community. It was fantastic." 
 
The credit for Kids Run 2 goes to the three women who first envisioned and directed the run: Laura DiMarino, Alisa Carbone and Lara Hutchins. 
 
DiMarino commented that the three friends first thought of arranging a day full of running and community fitness while taking their usual jogs. 
 
She noted that, "17 Parent Teacher Associations came together to help us make this happen. All three of us are runners and wanted to let the community feel what a real road run is like, except on a beginner level. Of course it also benefits the schools, and everyone's health and wellness." 
 
With 1,458 participants paying either $15 per adults, $10 for children, or $10 for a family of four, this run will certainly make an impact on all the PTAs. 
 
But behind the scenes of this amateur all-friendly run was an intense faculty competition. The first full faculty to cross the two mile marker was to have bragging rights. The winners proved to be Nyack Middle School, with their Physical Education teacher, Christian Collazo, in the lead. 
 
"As a Physical Education teacher it is important to show the kids that if [the faculty] can do this, they certainly can. This little competition just gives them some sort of motivation," Collazo explained.

The participating families finished with smiles on their faces and lots of pride for taking part in the community event.

Gregory Starikovsky and his son, Nicholas, ran the race, but Gregory had finished first with an impressive time of 13 minutes, 40 seconds. He was very happy to have entered in the Kids Run 2 event with Nicholas.

 " I really enjoyed the race and getting my family used to running, and of course having this sense of community," Gregory said. 

 The first person to cross the finish line was TJ Ciccone, who at the USA Duatholon Nationals, qualified for the 2010 Duathalon World Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland. He finished the two mile run at Rockland Lake with a time of 11 minutes, 31 seconds.

"I went to West Nyack Elementary 25 years ago, back around 1985. So today I wanted to show support for Rockland County schools," Ciccone said.

But with or without competition, everyone enjoyed this important event for both Rockland County public schools and the entire community.

 
Isabella D'Amico, an elementary school student, finished the race with a smile on her face.

She exclaimed that "nobody forgets the Kids Run because its a really fun time."