By Antonio Schoenhardt
Suffolk County is known for many and various reasons, whether it be the North Fork’s vineyards, Montauk’s beaches or Port Jefferson’s quaint, restaurant-lined downtown. But did you know Suffolk County hosts an annual marathon?
Every year in October, runners are invited to sign up for a 5K, 10K, half-marathon or full marathon. All money collected from race sign-ups and donations received in the months leading to race day is donated to veterans. Since its creation, the marathon has raised more than a million dollars for veterans services.
Thomas Primrose, of Hauppauge, and Michelle Jones, of Manhattan, won their respective marathons, crossing the finish line to applause at Gardiner County Park in Bay Shore Oct. 19.
“I think you have to have fun with it if you want to stay healthy,” Primrose said. “It’s also something that you get out of it what you put into it.”
Primrose also noted how his family helped him persevere. “My wife was right at the corner … [and] I was able to blow her a kiss,” he said. “Coming under that arch in first and winning is unbelievable. You just can’t replicate it.”
Jones said, “I really wanted to do a marathon this year. I had my daughter last April, and I’ve just been getting back into running post-partum. The message is to never give up on your dreams. A lot of times when you become a mom you’re so focused on your child, and that’s great, but you can also still pursue your dreams. You can show your child that anything is possible with grit and determination … That’s what I really like about running. It allows you to dig deep.”
Winning the marathon, however, isn’t everyone’s goal. Instead, there are runners who hunt personal achievement. One of those runners was Alihan Cakiralioglu, a Hofstra alum from Lindenhurst.
“This is my second time running at the Suffolk County race. The first time I did a half-marathon,” Cakiralioglu said. “I wanted to take the extra step this time and run the full marathon.”
Frank Papaianni, of Edison, N.J., a senior marketing major at Hofstra University, took part in his first long-distance race at the Suffolk Marathon. Like Alihan, he decided to start with the half-marathon. After the race, he explained that it’s not necessarily about the distance.
“You don’t have to run 13 miles. You don’t have to run 26 miles. Just get out and get your legs moving. It’s great for you,” Papaianni said. “The europhoric feeling you get for 30 minutes after the fact is something you can’t really explain. It just gives you a real sense of achievement and makes you feel great about your accomplishment.”
To certain people, like Papaianni, running for the veterans is more than enough cause to feel motivated. “We’re doing it for the veterans. I love the veterans. I love the USA,” he said.
