Race Is a Labor of Love for Teenager

Running track and cross-country is not for Dylan Palacio. Instead, the 15-year-old All-American wrestler and All-County soccer player at Long Beach High School runs regularly on the boardwalk and is an athletic version of a postal carrier: he'll run even in extreme heat, cold or rain.

Last September, Palacio was the overall winner in the Robert McAvoy Labor Day Five-Mile Run, after placing third on his first try the year before. On Monday morning he defended his crown, once again breaking the finish line tape first, with a 27:42 time.

"It must be from running every day for soccer and wrestling," Palacio said about his success in the race. "This year I knew I was the defending champ, so I had to raise the bar."

Under a cloudless sky, with a starting-time temperature in the 70s, low-humidity and a light wind, Palacio passed more than 200 runners, and when resting on a boardwalk bench after the race he seemed unphased that he was up against much older and experienced runners.

"I don't think it's about age or anything, I think it's about who wants it more," he said. "Especially, you know, these guys take off on the first, second, third or fourth mile. To me, none of those matter. It's the last mile that wins you the race."

Among the experienced racers was Peter Hawkins, 46, a wheelchair-bound Malverne resident who uses a racing tricycle. Hawkins has competed in 5K-type races on and off for 25 years, including the Long Beach Labor Day Race, now in its twenty-first years, which starts near Riverside Boulevard on the boardwalk, stretches as far west as New York Avenue, and ends back at Riverside.  

Hawkins crossed the finish line at 23:35, and while he said he rarely tracks his time, he knew that he came in under 24 minutes. "I'm pretty happy with that," he said, attributing his time in part to the mild winds. 

The women's overall winner, Jessica Petermann of Amityville, was also happy with her 32:07 time.  A mostly 10K racer, she came in second in the Long Beach Labor Day race two years ago, and while her finish time that day eludes her, she knew on Monday she crossed the line a lot faster.

"I was glad to hold off the close finish in the end," Petermann, 31, said about beating Melissa Monschetto, 29, of Long Beach by five seconds.

Michelle Durso usually runs in races during the cooler spring and fall, but even Monday's otherwise perfect weather was still too warm for her. Despite the weather, what the East Meadow woman enjoys most about racing is the company she keeps. "I just like the energy of being around other runners," she said.

Others, like Scott Samuels of Merrick, take part in the run to keep in shape. Up until April, Samuels had never raced before. Monday's race was his sixth, and over the past 18 months he has lost 45 pounds, after leading a sedentary life.

"I'm 47 years old and I decided to get myself into shape, which I'd never done in my life," he said, citing his 7-year-old daughter as an inspiration for his goal.

During the awards ceremony, Joe Brand, director of the Long Beach Recreation Department, made sure to mention the race's namesake, a long-time Long Beach resident and plumber. "Bob McAvoy and his wife, Ann, were always enormous supporters of the Recreation Department," he told the crowd.  

Click here for overall times. 

Click here for individual awards.

• Overall Winner: Dylan Palacio, 15, of Long Beach - 27:42
• Overall Women's' Winner: Jessica Peterman, 31, of Amityville - 32:07
• Long Beach Women's Winner: Melissa Monschetto, 29 - 32:12
• Physically Challenged Overall Winner: Peter Hawkins, 46, of Malverne - 23:35