1998 Race Highlights 45 Races - 22 Wins Running - 3 Wins Triathlon - 2
Wins Biathlon USAT Ranking 15th (20-29) age group - ALL AMERICAN
Bronx
Biathlon
April 26, 1998
2.8 mile run - 20 mile bike - 2.8 mile run
Donna at finish line
1st Female Overall
35th of 192
1:31:24
Long Beach Mayor's Trophy Run
10 Mile Run
1st Female Overall
Hawaii Ironman Qualifier
5th Female Overall
June 7, 1998
Two weeks prior to the race I had a bicycle accident. At about mile
30 (the turnaround) of the long bike ride it began to pour. The roads were flooded
and we were soaked. At mile 45 I drove into a long deep crack in the road throwing
me to the ground. The crack was not visible due to the flooding. Mostly forearm
and thigh injuries... had to take a cab home after the ambulance released her.
Had to add that note, for anyone who has done Blackwater Half Ironman
knows its always a very windy course (flat but windy). Due to the forearm injuries
it was difficult to stay aero, which is critical to the course. The swim was
more like 1.9 miles but the run was enjoyable.
Looking forward to
Blackwater Eagleman June 6, 1999!
Seacrest
Tobay Triathlon
Oyster Bay, New York
8/16/98
1st Female Overall
14th of 664 Competitors
Local Athletes Score in Triathlon
FROM FARMINGDALE OBSERVER (AUGUST 28, 98)
Triathletes from all over the New York metropolitan area and
beyond flocked to Oyster Bay last Sunday, Aug. 16 to compete in the area's largest
and most prestigious triathlon - the 11th annual Seacrest-TOBAY Triathlon - and
those from Farmingdale and Massapequa did exceptionally well against some very tough
competition.
Second place honors overall went to Robert Spina Jr.
of North Massapequa, who completed the 1 kilometer swim in Oyster Bay Harbor, the
15 kilometer bike ride through Oyster Bay, Oyster Bay Cove and Laurel Hollow and
teh 5 kilometer run up to the Planting Fields Arboretum and back to the finish line
at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in 1 hour, 1 minute and 37 seconds. The first
place woman finisher overall was veteran Ironman triathlete Donna McMahon
of Farmingdale, who completed the course in 1:06:07, more than two full minutes
ahead of the nearest female challenger.
Other local award winners included Ted Tierney of Massapequa,
who finished in ninth place overall and second in the 25-29 age group in 1:05:00;
Brian McMahon of Farmingdale, fourth in the 40-44 age group in 1:10:39; Tim
Grevstad of North Massapequa, fourth in the 15-19 age group in 1:13:45; and Kerry
Massett of Massapequa Park, first woman in 45-49 age group in 1:16:54.
Included in the list of finishers was 26 year-old Maricar Marquez
of Port Washington, a blind and deaf athlete who finished the course in 1:51:46.
There was also a team representing the Oyster Bay Town Board consisting of 12-year-old
Annette Muscarella (daughter of Town Councilman Joe Muscarella) who did the swim
leg of the Tri; 33-year old Councilwoman Christine Preston, who did the bike leg;
and 44-year-old Councilman Leonard Symons, who finished up with the run.
The Seacrest-TOBAY Triathlon was a cooperative venture between
the Town of Oyster Bay and the Plainview-Old Bethpage Road Runners Club, with Steve
Winkler of the Road Runners Club serving, once again, as the race director and Diane
Blanchard of the Town Recreation Department coordinating things for the town.
The event raises funds for three important local charities
- the New York State Games for the Physically Challenged, the ASPIRE Program for
the rehabilitation of young amputees, and the Friends of the Bay in Oyster Bay.
"We were thrilled at the success of this year's Tri, and at
the great feedback we have received from so many of the competitors," noted Triathlon
Director Steve Winkler. "This race was, once again, for everyone - the runners who
dread having to swim, but feel great upon exiting the water, the athletes who don't
even know how to shift gears on their bikes, but make it up Moore's Hill anyway,
and the young and old alike. We had 12-year-olds and 71-year-olds cross the finish
line. It was a true "people's race."
St. Christopher Ottilie Sea Cliff 5K Run
September 4, 1998
Donna presented award - pictured with
(L) NASSAU COUNTY LEGISLATOR JOHN CANNING AND
(R) ST. CHRISTOPHER OTTILIE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOB MCMAHON
Donna Does it Again -- Scores
Big Win in Sea Cliff 5K
FROM: OCTOBER 98 - FOOTNOTES (POBRRC)
Nothing seems to bother Donna McMahon, so it should come as
no surprise that the hills of Sea Cliff didn't slow her down on September 4. Donna
ran a very impressive Personal Best of 18:04 to win the Women's Division of the
St. Christopher Ottillie Sea Cliff 5 Kilometer Run by a very big margin.
The Vytra Human Race 5 Kilometer Run
September 13, 1998
Donna Howard of Vytra Health Plans
congratulates top runner Donna McMahon.
Human Race 5K Yields an Upset
FROM FARMINGDALE OBSERVER
Long Island Marathon 1998 winner Carlos Castro of the Plainview-Old
Bethpage Road Runners Club is generally conceded to be the strongest runner in training
on Long Island right now, and he was the strong favorite to win the inaugural Vytra
Human Race 5 Kilometer Run on Sept. 13. However, when the dust had settled, it was
Mark Cruz, a 27-year-old visitor from Chicago, Illinois who came away with the win,
crossing the finish line at Heckscher State Park in 15:47, a 17 second victor over
Castro. Forty-one-year-old New York City Policeman John Williams was the third runner
to cross the finish line n 16:52.
There were no surprises in the Women's Division, with Farmingdale speedster Donna
McMahon setting a personal best of 17:44 to lead the way over Doreen Isenberg
of Fort Salonga (18:43) and Barbara Rabinovici of Plainview (19:33). All three of
the top women's finishers compete for the Plainview-Old Bethpage Road Runners Club's
Fast Feet Women's Racing team.
Thirty-four-year-old Peter Hawkins of Malverne continued to dominate the Wheelchair
Division, scoring 1st with a blistering 13:15, followed by Long Island Junior Wheelchair
Champion Jesse Walsh of Huntington (15:41), and 12-year-old Ken Lanz, Jr. of Shirley
in 19:13.
The Vytra Human Race 5 Kilometer Run was sponsored by Vytra Health Plans, under
the guidance of Vytra's Community Relations Manager Donna Howard. The Run was administered
by the Plainview-Old Bethpage Road Runners Club, with Club President Mike Polansky
serving as the race director and Club Vice President Mindy Davidson serving as the
assistant race director. David Katz of Finish Line Road Race Technicians was the
technical director of the event.
Proceeds of the run were dedicated to United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau County.
"This was a perfect way to bring the summer to a close and to get started on the
autumn season," commented road Runners Club Vice President Mindy Davidson. "We very
much appreciate our good friends from Vytra Health Plans for making this event a
reality, and we hope that they will continue their great record of support for local
sports for years to come. Congratulations to Mark, Donna, Peter and all the other
"winners" who were on hand for the birth of this newest Long Island running tradition."
Top Male Runners Overall
1. Mark Cruz, 27 Chicago, IL 15:47
2. Carlos Castro, Jr. 29 Levittown, NY 16:04
3. John Williams, 41 Freeport, NY 16:52
4. Neal Levy, 24 Jericho, NY 17:13
5. Paul Englehart, 32 Baldwin, NY 17:16
6. Stephen Walter, 36 Miller Place, NY 17:18
7. Reed Mauser, 15 Setauket, NY 17:24
8. John Di Camillo, 42 Garden City, NY 17:43
9. Steve Rand, 34 Cold Spring Harbor, NY 17:46
10. John McGorry, 40 East Islip, NY 17:48
Top Female Runners Overall
1. Donna McMahon, 28 Farmingdale, NY 17:44
2. Doreen Isenberg, 35 Fort Salonga, NY 18:43
3. Barbara Rabinovici, 22 Plainview, NY 19:33
4. Michele Hoheiser, 26 So. Huntington, NY 19:44
5. Elizabeth DiFranco, 28 Northport, NY 20:17
6. Lori Melnik, 42 Plainview, NY 20:42
7. Ellen Weinstein, 41 East Islip, NY 21:01
8. Mary Frances Whalen, 30 Levittown, NY 21:30
9. Linda Ottaviano, 43 Cold Spring Harbor, NY 21:39
10. Coleen Kenny, 25 Hicksville, NY 21:42
Top Wheelchair Finishers
1. Peter Hawkins, 34 Malverne, NY 13:15
2. Jesse Walsh, 13 Huntington, NY 15:41
3, Ken Lanz, 12 Shirley, NY 19:13
Oyster Bay Supervisor's Oyster Festival
5K Run
Donna presented award - pictured with local Politicians
(l-r) ASSEMBLYMAN DAVID SIDIKMAN, O.B. TOWN SUPERVISOR JOHN VENDITTO
AND COUNCILMAN LEN SYMONS
'Iron Donna' Does it Again-
Scores First in Oyster Festival 5K
BY MIKE POLANSKY
OYSTER BAY, NY - It's become almost a sure thing at Long Island road races. No matter
what the distance, no matter what the weather conditions, no matter who the competition
is, Donna McMahon of Farmingdale will be the first woman to cross the finish
line.
So it was at the 11th annual Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor's Oyster Festival 5K
Run on October 17. When the dust had settled, Donna McMahon was the overall women's
winner once again. She crossed the finish line in 18 minutes, 17 seconds, comfortably
ahead of second-place finisher Kathy Martin of Northport (18:54), who won the women's
division in the 1997 edition of the Run.
Donna beat all but eight of the male finishers as well, including her husband Brian,
who turned in a strong 19:46 to take 4th place honors in the men's 40-to-44 age
group.
One man that Donna didn't beat was the overall winner, Rudy Daempfle of New Hyde
Park, who crossed the finish line in 17 minutes, 12 seconds over a 3.1 mile course
that includes a nice trek up "Planting Fields Hill" on Glen Cover Road. Forty-three-year-old
John Del Maestro of Woodbury wasn't too far behind Rudy, taking second place overall
in 17:24.
A total of 540 runners crossed the finish line at Fireman's Field, making the Oyster
Festival 5K one of the largest 5K runs on the Long Island Fall season once again
this year.
Men overall: 1. Pierre Heyneman, Joliette, Quebec, 9:20:43; 2. Per Nilsson,
Denmark, 9:28:22; 3. David Glover, Reston, VA., 9:45:59; 4. Baxter Gillespie, Marietta,
GA., 9:51:39; 5. Gerhard Forstner, Charlotte, N.C., 9:54:08; 6. Allen Etheridge,
Oak Ridge, TN., 9:54:08; 7. Sean Hendryx, Clermont, FL., 9:54:20; 8. Mark Prinzel,
Goose Creek, TX., 9:54:33; 9. Christopher Ramsey, Cambridge, MA., 9:56:09; 10. Scott
Willett, New York, N.Y., 9:56:14.
