February 26 was one of the coldest mornings of the winter, but it didn't deter 108 teams of three runners each from showing up at Bethpage State Park for the annual North Fork Bank Trail Relay.

Among the top performers at the Relay was Oyster Bay speedster John Lovejoy, who played a key role in the winning performance of the Runners Edge Masters Team, who took first place honors in the Men's Masters Division, and East Norwich star Trisha Slavincha, who helped her Long Island Road Runners team to the top finish in the Open Women's Division.

The relay was conducted under the auspices of the Greater Long Island Running Club, with GLIRC's Charlie Hamilton and Carl Grossbard serving as the Co-Directors of the Relay. Thanks to the generosity of North Fork Bank and secondary sponsor The Runner's Edge, GLIRC was able to use this year's relay to raise some significant funds for The Center for Developmental Disabilities, the Woodbury-based facility that helps developmentally disabled youngsters and adults achieve their dreams.