New Year’s Day Runners Faced Freezing Rain, Challenging Course

BROOKFIELD — More than 160 runners decided to ignore the miserable weather conditions on Tuesday and forged through a four-mile run in Brookfield. The 21st Annual Brookfield Lions/James O’Brien Run for Sight was held New Year’s Day morning, with runners making their way through a wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet, which made for careful — but still respectively fast — running.

This year’s winner was Beacon, N.Y., resident Joe McElhoney, who finished the run in 21 minutes, 24 seconds. The first female runner to cross the finish line was Claudia Camargo of Danbury, at 22:40 (fourth overall).

Newtown and Sandy Hook residents had the following results: 29. Bruce Goulart, Newtown, 28:55; 32. Steven Malary, Newtown, 29:14; 45. Keith Cheh, Newtown, 31:04; 51. Bill Begg, Newtown, 31:58; 52. Erin Begg, Newtown, 32:03; 100. Rachel Newton, Sandy Hook, 36:14; 123. Billy Begg, Newtown, 40:57; 124. Jake Tanzer, Sandy Hook, 41:13; 145. Dorothy Perrotti, Newtown, 44:42; 159. Samantha Williams, Sandy Hook, 51:28; and 160. Christine Miller, Sandy Hook, 51:30.

The four-mile race starts at Brookfield High School, proceeds north on Long Meadow Hill Road, turns left onto Hillandale Road, turns right onto Farview Road, turns right onto Ironworks Hill Road, and then turns right, back onto Long Meadow Hill Road for a flat and fast finish back at Brookfield High School. It is a hilly, challenging course on a good day. Tuesday’s race started at 11 am, when some of the strongest rains of the day were falling.