Inaugural Beacon Of Hope Race A Success In Montauk

Claudio Telles knew better than most the significance of what he was running toward at the finish line of the inaugural Beacon of Hope 5K in Montauk on Saturday.

On a picture-perfect morning at the Montauk Point Lighthouse, Telles, 44, a resident of New York City who is currently living in Montauk while he works to restore the historic monument, won the race in 16 minutes and 31.3 seconds, a pace of 5:19 per mile.

The 3.1-mile course took a total of 254 runners and walkers through the hills of Camp Hero and to the finish line at the base of the lighthouse, which has served as a beacon to the sea since construction was completed in 1796.

“It was a little difficult, there were a lot of hills,” said Telles, who is no stranger to running long distance, having completed the Boston Marathon last year in 2 hours and 38 minutes and the New York Marathon in 2019 in 2:40. “The wind was hard, too.”

Telles is part of the crew working to restore the structural integrity of the lighthouse, and was asked by Joe Gaviola, the lighthouse keeper who lives on-site, if he would run in the race. “Joe told me they were having a 5K and he said, ‘I want you to win,’” Telles relayed.

Justin Kulchinsky finished second on Saturday in 17:01.2 and Seth Bender was third in 17:55.8.

Rebecca Deitch, a former collegiate distance runner at the University of Michigan who lives in New York but is spending time in Montauk this summer, finished fourth and was the top overall female finisher with a time of 19:27.8.

Anna Rothman-Haji was second among females in 20:59.1 and Annika Wyss finished third in 22:16.5.

“It was a fun course that was very beautiful,” said Deitch, who registered for the race five minutes before the start. “I saw a turtle crossing my path.”

Complete results from the race are available online at prtiming.com.

The idea for the race, which ultimately attracted 332 registrants across 20 different states, was hatched prior to the COVID-19 pandemic by members of The Coalition for Women’s Cancers at Southampton Hospital and Lucia’s Angels, nonprofits dedicated to supporting women living on the East End battling breast, ovarian, cervical and uterine cancer, and before long they announced they would hold the new 5K run/walk at the South Fork’s most iconic landmark.

Organizers decided to honor Dr. James Brady, a Southampton-based plastic surgeon who has been a supporter of both nonprofits, a continuous sponsor of Gurney’s Montauk Girls Night Out and Heaven Can Wait at the LI2Day Walk. He also participates in the Reconstructed Bra Auction, which will be held this year on June 30 at the Southampton Social Club.

Brady, 55, who ran Saturday’s race alongside family and friends and finished at the top of his age group in 28:35.9, said afterward that he was proud to be part of the inaugural event.

“I love this community, they’ve really embraced me,” Brady said. “I look forward to the day when we’re not doing breast reconstruction, but until that day, we are completely committed to helping everyone on the eastern end of Long Island who has breast cancer.”

Brady pointed out that The Coalition for Women’s Cancers at Southampton Hospital and Lucia’s Angels combined help with “every single thing a woman needs once they’ve been diagnosed with cancer.”

“When you get a diagnosis of cancer, the blessing can be to turn it around and help other people,” he added. “The treatment of cancer has been completely revolutionized since I graduated medical school in 1992. I can only imagine what the next 10 or 20 years will bring. There’s a lot of reasons to be hopeful, not only because of events like this, but because medicine is making real progress.”

Dawn Moore, 47, a native of East Hampton and current resident of Hampton Bays, was the first cancer survivor to finish on Saturday, while her nephew, Liam Wilson, 12, a rising eighth-grader at East Hampton Middle School, finished 10th overall in 22:05.3.

The race, which organizers hope to make a staple of the summer race series, featured a mix of East End residents and visitors.