Runners Race in Fight Against Childhood Obesity

Joe Kearney, a Newtown Board of Finance member, was among 100 runners who donned their sneakers for a charity 10K race, which took place under a strong sun and through a hilly course Saturday in Danbury.

”It was a good race, but I was hoping for more cloud cover," Kearney said. "You got to take water with you today.”

The race, which wound through neighborhoods stretching from Main Street to Deer Hill, was in support of the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut to further the fight against childhood obesity.

"It's an awesome day,"  said one of the organizers, Brookfield resident Maureen Farrell, who also is a project manager for Activate America and director for the Regional Y. "We really lucked out with the weather. We had 78 volunteers coming in from WestConn, Y members, and members from other community organizations.”

The race was won by Joe LeMay, 44, an accomplished runner well known throughout New England, who finished sixth in the 1996 Olympic Trials, second to Todd Williams.

The event drew runners of all different skill levels and aspirations, such as Danbury resident Heather Roles, 39, who also participates in triathlons.

“In some sports, you are on your own, but here in Danbury, everybody is so supportive," she said. "It's so nice that Danbury has these races, and now I am trying for the New York City race. I come to the Y everyday, and everybody is so supportive.”

While the heat was an issue for some, runners had many ways of dealing with it.

“It was great, there were plenty of water stops and volunteers," Tara Rudinsky, 42, of Brookfield, said. "There were lots of people to pour water over your head. It's always a Mother Nature thing when you run, but if you can respect the conditions, you can do it.”  

In addition to runners were walkers and parents with strollers. For children old enough to run, there also was a mile long course that started at the Boughton Street YMCA and looped around Elmwood Park.

Prizes of new bikes were awarded to four runners, a boy and a girl in each of two age categories, including Erin Schechter, 6; Christina Carboni, 9, with a time of 7:05.9; and Ian Belles, 8, with a time of 7:20.

"This is the biggest bike I ever had," Ian said after receiving his prize.

Like many of the other children, the 8-year-old runs with his mother regularly, though Saturday's race proved to be a challenge.

"Towards the end, I was coming in second, and I worked hard to come in first," he said.