Hundreds turn out for Reebok/CABI Road Race
By Mike Berger
The rain was just starting to end when the fun run began on the Reebok track.
Despite showery weather at the start of the Reebok/Canton Association of Business and Industry Road Race Saturday morning, sunny skies moved in and more than 700 runners participated in one of three races held at the Reebok International campus off Royall Street. The event raised almost $58,000 for several Canton public and non-profit groups.
Now in its eighth year, the Reebok road race has given $450,000 to date to various Canton organizations, such as the Police and Fire departments, the Canton Public Schools, the Mass. Hospital School, and the Canton Food Pantry.
The race has drawn corporate sponsorships from 25 businesses, including several Canton restaurants.
Both Howard Goldman of Humboldt Storage and Moving, one of the race’s original planners, and CABI Chairman Gene Manning said that Reebok is a terrific chief sponsor and thanked the company for its generosity in lending its facility to host the race. Goldman and Steve Cesso of Computershare were co-chairs for this year’s event.
“I love the race venue,” said Goldman, who himself ran the 5k race. “It’s a showcase for Canton. There is something here for everyone. It’s promoting wellness and fitness. We like the companies promoting team running. It’s just a great event.”
Goldman predicted that the race will continue to grow in numbers and sponsorships and could one day return nearly $100,000 annually to Canton groups.
Manning added that the race expenses are kept low and 80 percent of revenue goes back to the community. He thanked Steve Burton of WBZ-TV Channel 4 Sports for emceeing the event and the Canton Police and Fire departments for their coverage. Manning said the race will be an annual event for CABI and will be held in the same timeframe every year.
While the race attracted runners from all over greater Boston, several of the top finishers hailed from Canton, including Eric Greenspan, who finished second in the 5k race in 16:20. CHS cross country runner Kevin McNeil ran third overall in the 10k with a time of 39:02, and 2007 CHS graduate Jess Ackerman, a former standout swimmer for the Bulldogs, was the first woman finisher and fourth overall in the 10k with a time of 39:58. There were also several Canton residents in the top 25 in the 5k, including Steve McPherson (eighth), Oleg Kamenetsky (13th), Wyatt Golledge (14th), Jim Cree (17th), and Jack Dion (21st).
A number of CHS boys’ cross country runners performed well in the 5k race, including Joe Sabatino, Mike Rota, Matt Derbin, Craig and Ian Mills, Peter Hartfiel, and Brian Rota. Representing the girls’ team were Michaela Kelly, Courtney Loughnane, Kelsey Sayers, and Eleni Papadopoulos, and their new coach, Christa Marr, also ran the 5k and finished 19th overall in 21 minutes.
The one-mile fun run was won by 9-year-old Jack Keleher, a student at the Kennedy Elementary School. Canton Superintendent Jeff Granatino was a volunteer in the fun run and brought his young daughters to participate.
The overall winner of the 5k was Steve Creamer of Easton, who finished in 16:07, and the first woman 5k finisher was Erin Lopez of Norwood, who finished fifth overall with a time of 18:07. Creamer said he is training for a marathon and this was his first entry in the Reebok race. Lopez said she recently entered road race competitions. The 10k was won by Marc LeBlanc of Ashland, who finished in 34:58. He recently competed in road races in Arizona and in Falmouth. As for the team competitions, the Mass. Hospital School won the corporate challenge while Moore Power and Fitness won the fitness club challenge.
Click here for a complete list of race results courtesy of racewire.com.
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Posted by Mike Berger
on Sep 20 2012. Filed under Sports.
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