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HEAT CAN’T SLOW THE PACE AT THE
5th ANNUAL "BRENDAN'S HOME RUNTM" 5K ROAD
RACE/WALK
Held Sunday, 18 June 2006 in Belmont, MA
 Belmont, MA – It may have been “Summer in the City” on Father’s Day in Belmont, but the fastest runners
in the Fifth Annual Brendan’s Home RunTM” were undeterred by the heat.
 Brendan's Home Run traverses an officially measured and certified course in accordance with the
requirements of the USA Track & Field Road Running Technical Council
(Certification Code: MA03028RN©). For any serious runner this is a big plus, as any records that are set will be eligible for higher qualification.
Dan Vassallo of Wilmington smashed the course record of 16:19 by posting a time of 15:59, set by Dan
himself in 2005.  Former BHS track team standout Elizabeth Brown of Belmont finished number one in the
women's division at 19:19, only 3 seconds off the women’s course record
set by Karen Monks in 2005. Their performances put the exclamation point on another successful running of what has become an entrenched community event.
The event has something for everyone, regardless of age or skill (or lack thereof). The 3.1-mile walk
stepped out at 9:30 a.m. and the 5K road race starting gun was fired at 10 a.m. As the runners
took to the streets, 400-meter and 800-meter races for children ages 6-8 and 9-12
were held on the Belmont High School track.
There were six age categories in which 5K road race entrants registered: 19 and under; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; and 60 and over. Thus, age
was not
 an acceptable excuse for
non-participation. Awards were presented in each category and, in keeping with the event's family theme, the road race
acknowledges the fastest parent-child tandems with trophies.
Brendan’s Home Run, which celebrates parent-child relationships and is purposefully scheduled each year
on Father’s Day, also encourages parent-child participants to run in tandem for a best combined time.
The winners in 2006 were Joel and Luke Bradford of Natick with a combined time of 41:36. They were
followed by Steve and Nate Perry, also of Natick, and Belmont’s own father-daughter team of Will and Rae
Brownsberger.
 In what has become a highlight of Brendan’s Home Run, kids’ races on the track are open to 6-8 year olds
who run once around the track, as well as 9-12 years olds who must complete the circuit twice. Top
finishers in the 6-8 class were: Girls- Grace Eysenbach, Kate McCarthy, and Kayla Kaloostian; and Boys-
Danny Rizzo, Ian Bowe, and Michael Armstrong. Winners in the 9-12 group were: Girls – Esne
Valette, Brenna Sorkin, and Valerie Fisher; and, Boys – Eric Putte, Ben Eysenbach, and Alex Griffin. But then,
every child’s efforts are acknowledged with a ribbon, and each wears the number “1”, commemorating
Brendan Grant’s uniform number for the Belmont High School baseball team.
 The full race results are available on
CoolRunning.com, and can be reached by clicking
here. The winners in each category are as follows:
Women 19 and Under
1. Rebecca Cottam, Belmont MA
2. Rae Brownsberger, Belmont MA
3. Sabina Hartnett, Wellesley MA
Men 19 and Under
1. Nate Perry, Natick MA
2. Gabe Topping, Belmont MA
3. Chandler Hartnett, Wellesley MA
Women, 20-29
1. Elizabeth Brown, Belmont MA
2. Larissa Bilano, Somerville MA
3. Lauren Caputo, Belmont MA
Men, 20-29
1. Dan Vassallo, Wilmington MA
2. Chris Kearney, Watertown MA
3. Jon Trafton, Wayland MA
Women, 30-39
1. Karen Lehr, Belmont MA
2. Chris McVay, Belmont MA
3. Kirsten Hashemi, Watertown MA
Men, 30-39
1. Gregory Picklesimer, Newton MA
2. Michael Libenson, Belmont MA
3. Jason Kramer, Watertown MA
Women, 40-49 
1. Carolyn Mehaffey, Belmont MA
2. Dorothy Bowe, Belmont MA
3. Kerry O’Donovan, Belmont MA
Men, 40-49
1. Paul Sorkin, Belmont MA
2. Bill Brean, Waltham MA
3. Will Brownsberger, Belmont MA
Women, 50-59
1. Anna Foulds, Reading MA
2. June Roberts, Belmont MA 
3. Arlene Taylor, Belmont MA
Men, 50-59
1. Ken Leinbach, Belmont MA
2. Jack Fahey, Belmont MA
3. Robert Carey, Belmont MA
Women, 60 and over
1. Sue Rasala, Newton MA
Men, 60 and over
1. Peter Bleiberg, Belmont MA
2. Jim Foster, Boston MA
3. Rob Riordan, Cambridge MA
 A small army of volunteers was on hand early Sunday morning to set up registration and refreshment
booths, prepare the track and sound system – attending to the hundreds of details that result in the
efficient execution of top notch road race in a very short time frame. The rising numbers of entrants
coming from areas other than Belmont attest to the increasing skill with which The Brendan Grant
Foundation pulls off this event each year. 
Much has been learned since the inaugural run in 2002. Similarly, the sheer numbers of runners and
walkers have increased each year. The 2006 edition featured close to 400 runners and a similar number of
walkers. As the final statistics continue to be finalized, we’re happy to report that we replicated
last year’s participant numbers with an estimated 950 individuals participating as runners, walkers,
volunteers, or in the kids race. Among the walkers this year were 20 of Belmont’s youth baseball teams
who are learning early about the town’s baseball traditions and the high standards of performance and
teamwork set by Brendan Grant.
Of course, Brendan’s Home Run also owes much of its success to the support of its presenting sponsor,
Belmont Savings Bank, and its contributing sponsors – Belmont Wheelworks, Champions Sporting Goods, and
the Waltham YMCA. Their contributions help the event to maximize the funds it raises for the efforts of
The Brendan Grant Foundation and its scholarship program.
A sweeping range of individuals and organizations helped make this year’s race/walk the great success
that it was. In addition to the afore-mentioned sponsors, significant in-kind donations were also
provided by: All-Saints Episcopal Church, Belmont Lions Club, Cliff Bars, Shaw’s Supermarket, and
others. Numerous outstanding raffle prizes were awarded including lots of tickets to the Boston Red
Sox, and a special tip-of-the-hat goes to all who donated these prizes and helped make it a special
Father’s Day for all the raffle prize winners.
 One reason the event went smoothly was because of the dependable support provided by the staff of the
Belmont Department of Public Works, as well as important traffic control from the Belmont Police
Department and the standby assistance of the Belmont Fire Department. The individuals that directly
helped make the day a success number close to 100 people, and although they are too many to mention
here, we are deeply appreciative for their important volunteer efforts. But in particular, we would
like to express our special thanks to those involved with the core planning activities, as well as the
volunteers that came or contributed their time from the BHS Baseball, Softball and Wrestling teams, and
the staff of the National Fire Protection Association in Quincy, MA.
The accredited 5K course is primarily flat, features plenty of shade, and allows the best runners to capture excellent times. The race starts and ends at the Belmont High School Track, and the course loops out through the Winn Brook neighborhood and back upon itself. This means that halfway into the walk, the fastest runners begin passing the walkers, while the slower runners ultimately finish at about the same time as the walkers.
 Some will tell you that there is no better vantage point to watch the runners and cheer them on than to participate as a walker.
A printable
color map of the course can be obtained by clicking here (and you can
obtain additional directions from Mapquest).
Brendan's Home Run is a cornerstone of development efforts on behalf of The Brendan Grant Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to enhancing youth development, and carries out its mission through clinics, mentoring programs, field/facility enhancements, and scholarships given annually to two graduating high school seniors.
The foundation, and its various events such as the 5K race/walk, honors the memory of Brendan Grant, the 19-year-old Belmont baseball player who was fatally injured in an outfield collision during a Senior Babe Ruth game in June 2001. Brendan was a three-season athlete in the BHS Class of 2000, where he was the captain of the wrestling and baseball teams. In 2001, he was the starting third baseman during his freshman year for American International College.
Perhaps the most visible foundation project is the rebuilding of the Belmont High School varsity baseball field where Brendan played his last game. Also of note are the annual scholarships that provide financial assistance to qualified seniors from Belmont High School who will be attending an institution of higher learning after graduation. The scholarship is awarded to a senior member of the varsity baseball and softball teams that demonstrates the same positive spirit and leadership skills - both on the field and in the community - for which Brendan was known.
Those who cannot participate in Brendan's Home Run but wish to contribute to The Brendan Grant Foundation may send donations to P.O. Box 184, Belmont, MA 02478.
The efforts expended by everyone – volunteers, participants, town departments, high school athletes –
each year have helped make this race an annual tradition that gets better and better over time. Some
see Brendan’s Home Run becoming a perennial event that will endure for years to come, bringing families,
and the town as a whole, together to celebrate parents and children, teamwork, and community.
Whether you were a runner, walker, volunteer, contributor, or a supporter in spirit but unable to
attend, I'm sure that you'll agree that it was great day and a lot of fun for a very worthy cause.
We're already excited for Father’s Day 2007, and we hope to see you then!
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