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Norwalk's Julie Heaphy will head to the Norwalk YMCA for her 6 a.m. Monday spinning class with some new hardware to show to her fitness friends.
Heaphy, 29, won the women's division of the Mother's Day 10-kilometer race Sunday at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk. Bridgeport's Wantuil Souza won the men's event in the race sponsored by the Lightfoot Running Club. There were 354 finishers in the 34th annual race. The event also featured a 5K walk.
Net proceeds from the 2011 Mother's Day 10K Race will be donated to the American Heart Association; proceeds from the 5K walk will be donated to local charities. Both events were held in honor of the late Capt. Edward T. Donellan of the Norwalk Police Department.
Heaphy won the women's race in 38:57 and finished fourth overall. She cites the spinning classes as important part of her training program. "I try not to miss any of them,'' she said. "They're a good cross trainer and an excellent workout. I do that three days a week and run for four. It has worked so far."
She also won the overall series title in the Boston Buildup Running Series and is training for a fall marathon. Greenwich's Meredith Kalish finished second in the women's race in 41:26, followed by Darien's Liz Herbert in 41:34. Mary Dolan Zengo of Wilton was fourth in 41:50.
"It's always nice to win, but especially since it's in Norwalk,'' Heaphy said. "My goal coming in was to get below 39, and I just squeaked in there."
Souza, a native of Brazil, paced the men's field in 37:01. Robert Barker of Wallingford took second followed by Peter Lesser of Wallingford. Christopher Huntley of Fairfield finished fifth overall in 39:46.
The Mother's Day 10K and Health Walk is the first running event of the season to be hosted by the Norwalk Lightfoot Running Club. Beginning in June, the club also hosts a series of summer road races, ranging from 3 to 11 miles, as part of its annual Lightfoot Summer Series. It concludes the 2011 running season in September, with its Annual Sam Elpern Half Marathon (13.1 miles). Information and registration for all series races and the half marathon are available at www.lightfootrunners.com. Complete results are available online.
How did you do in Sunday's race? Start the discussion below!
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