Terry Drew Joining Marathon for Veterans

When thousands of runners in Suffolk County, NY., cross the starting line on Sept. 13, among them will be Terry Drew of Oak Hill.

The inaugural Suffolk Marathon & Half Marathon in Support of Veterans, a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, is scheduled September 13.

The races will raise funds to expand and enhance veterans’ services in Suffolk County. It also is a last-chance qualifier for the Boston marathon.

“I started running 20 years ago with my twin girls in a double jogging stroller. I have done 4 marathons and enjoy road races as well as triathlons and mud races,” she said. “I grew up in Levittown and lived in Suffolk County for 6 years, and always enjoyed Heckscher Park and Suffolk County area and look forward to this scenic race.”

The marathon has a distinctly planned route that was designed to showcase and drive tourism toward downtowns along the Great South Bay. The race will begin and end at Heckscher State Park in East Islip with a Taste of Long Island wine and food festival to end race festivities and highlight local craft breweries, award-winning wines, and local food and produce. Free tastings will be given to all race participants. Suffolk County has partnered with New York State to host this inaugural event. The festival will also feature live musical entertainment.

The Taste of Long Island Festival is being made possible with the support and partnership with New York State, the Suffolk County Restaurant and Tavern Association, the Long Island Wine Council, and the Long Island Farm Bureau.

“The Suffolk County marathon is a mechanism to highlight the incredible communities, natural resources and businesses we have here in Suffolk County,” said County Executive Steve Bellone, who is also running the Suffolk marathon. “Suffolk County is a world renowned destination. From the Hamptons to our wine country to our amazing downtowns and world class beaches, we are a destination for tourism, businesses, recreation, and living. Our marathon will give us an opportunity to showcase all of that.”

For some race participants, the Suffolk marathon is their first full marathon, while other registrants have been competing in marathons, tough mudder races and triathlons for years. Runners from around Long Island and beyond are participating, including wheelchair and hand cycle competitors, veterans and supporters of veterans, as well as many others eager to enjoy Suffolk’s natural beauty and participate in the inaugural race.

North Shore-LIJ Health System has been named as a presenting sponsor. The Suffolk marathon is part of the veterans series of races that began May 23 with the Annual Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer “I DID THE GRID” Run/Walk Pulaski Elementary School, East Northport. Other races in the series include:

June 27, 2015: Lt. Michael P. Murphy 4-Mile Run Around the Lake, Lake Ronkonkoma

July 4, 2015: Firecracker 5k, Dowling College, Oakdale

September 12, 2015: Cow Harbor Warriors’ Captain Joseph J. Boccia Jr. USMC 4- Mile Warrior Run, Crab Meadow Beach Park, Northport

November 7, 2015: Long Island Run for the Warriors, Lindenhurst

Veterans and residents who run or volunteer in all of the six races of the 2015 Suffolk County Veterans Running Series will receive a special, commemorative challenge coin. Those who run or volunteer in a majority of the races in the running series will receive a commemorative participation medal.

The marathon is managed managed by the Greater Long Island Running Club at glirc.org

To learn more about the Suffolk marathon or to register, visit http://www.suffolkmarathon.com