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Mostly Cloudy Racing like a Diva
Annual race draws thousands of women to Eisenhower Park
It was a fun but chilly start to the 2015 Divas Half Marathon and 5K Series season, of which the first of 10 races devoted to women’s health was held in East Meadow’s Eisenhower Park on Oct. 4.
The Divas Run originated in 2010 through Miami-based running organization Continental Event and Sports Management Group. Thousands of women participate each year, with 32 percent being from Nassau County and the majority aged 30 to 55 years old.
The series is a group of female-inspired events throughout the United States and Puerto Rico that includes a two-day Health and Fitness Boutique along with the 5K road race and half marathon. Each of the races also consists of other activities geared toward women including a boa and tiara station, a champagne toast or wine tasting at the finish line and entertainment on the course.
Robert Pozo, the president of Continental, founded the run with his wife, Gaby. Pozo began his race production career in 1997 with Swim Bike Run, Inc. Continental started as a small business and quickly began featuring triathlons, duathlons and 5K runs in the South Florida area, including the ING Miami Marathon and Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon.
“After we started the Miami marathon, we’d sold our company (U.S. Road Sports and Entertainment Group), and realized we wanted to get back into the running business,” he said. “We found that people were most likely to travel to run short distances like a 5K, or half marathons. We’d also noticed that more women than men were interested in our races. We gave the race a funky title, and it took off from there. With the pink and glitter and tutus, we’re taking the ‘pink is for girls’ theme to the extreme. The Long Island race is the first race of our series each year, and it ties in well with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”
The Divas Run devotes to charities, mainly its Young Foundation of Florida, Inc., in honor of Jacob Young who died unexpectedly in 2012. At the local level, it supports 1 in 9: Hewlett House, a resource center for breast cancer patients and survivors.
Runners like Michelle Ahdoot, 39, of Great Neck, raised money separately—about $15,000—for a charity she chose.
“I’m running my first half marathon for the Friends of the Israeli Defense Force,” she said. “We have an event for the Long Island chapter of the FIDF on October 22 in Fresh Meadows (Queens), where the money I raised for running this, I will be donating then.”
Ryan Salvesen, 7, of East Meadow, sat alongside the running trail with his handmade, tongue-in-cheek sign that read, “Worst Parade Ever,” cheering on the walkers and runners. “I’m waiting for my mom and my sister,” he said. “I’m having fun out here.”
Many of the women who ran wanted to because they wanted to spend time with friends and family, said Charlene Jean, 31, of Elmont.
“My cousin invited us out for this,” she said. “I’m so excited and a little nervous. This is my first 5K.”
Danielle Braverman, 31, of Massapequa Park came out to run with her co-worker, Angelene Smulian, 36, of Deer Park.
“We thought this was a nice thing to do,” Braverman said. “It’s always nice to get together outside of the office and do things like this, just having fun.”
Winners were: for the Half Marathon,
Melissa Moschetto, 34, of Long Beach, with a time of 1:23:43, and for the 5K, Minna Maia, 38, of Westbury, with a time of 20:30.
The next Long Island race will be held again at Eisenhower Park on Oct. 2, 2016. For more information, visit runlikeadiva.com.
