More than 300 women showed up at the Woodward Parkway Elementary School in Farmingdale on July 11 to participate in the 16th annual Vytra Women's 5 Kilometer Run, and veteran local runners Yetta Sokol and Joan Ackerman Penagos did very well in a field that included some of the top female runners in the world.

Although she couldn't keep up with Teresa Wanjiku of Kenya, who was the overall winner, or Irish Republic national champion Breeda Dennehy Willis, who finished second, 72-year-old Sokol of Jericho was the oldest finisher in the run and took first place honors in the 70 plus age group, covering the 3.1 mile course in 40 minutes, 44 seconds.

Veteran Syosset runner Joan Ackerman took home the fifth place award in the 55-59 age group, finishing with a strong 31:26.

Both runners are proud members of the Greater Long Island Running Club.

The Vytra Run is the only race on Long Island reserved for women only, where women can compete without the intimidation or distraction factor of having to share the road with male runners. The primary sponsor of the run was Vytra Health Plans, with other support being provided by OSI Pharmaceuticals, the Glen Head Flower Shop, The Runner's Edge, and the Town of Oyster Bay and its Department of Recreation and Parks. The run was conducted under the auspices of the Greater Long Island Running Club, with GLIRC's Suzanne Vasata serving as the race director.