February 13, 2025 | starnewsgroup.com online article | Link to the paper online https://starnewsgroup.com/secure/CoastStar_02.13.25.pdf

LAKE COMO — Couples and singles ran and mingled on Saturday, Feb. 8, as Lake Como hosted a Cupid’s Chase 5K for the third year in a row.

According to the race’s webpage, the 17th annual Cupid’s Chase 5K benefited Community Options Inc., a national nonprofit that provides “residential and employment support to people with disabilities,” specifically intellectual and developmental disabilities.

As of Wednesday, the 2025 Cupid’s Chase raised $12,570 in Lake Como alone, according to the race’s donation page, and featured over 11,000 runners nationwide.

According to Community Options, Inc. Managing Director and race organizer Dina Casalaspro, the Cupid’s Chase race invites local hobby-joggers and serious runners alike to participate in the unique race for a good cause.

“It helps bring awareness to the townships of the individuals we support, individuals who have developed mental disabilities. It helps our mission so people are aware that the services are here through Community Options for residential, employment and day services and it helps draw attention to the need for the additional support for these individuals,” Casalaspro said.

Casalaspro said that she looks forward to the Cupid’s Chase 5K because of the new faces and friends she meets and discusses what their day-to-day lives look like, while “trying not to freeze.”

Despite the frigid temperatures on Saturday, over 120 runners toed the line and participated in the unique 5K run.

Lake Como was filled with “available” and “unavailable” runners, strollers and walkers participating in the race, which traversed the streets of Lake Como, Belmar and Spring Lake. While local roadways were blocked off for participants, at the same time across the country at dozens of participating locations runners also took to the streets to partake in the nationwide race. In New Jersey, Cupid’s Chase races also were held in Seaside Heights, Bridgewater, Morristown and Glen Rock.

For Mayor Kevin Higgins, hosting the event is an opportunity to put Lake Como on the map as a part of a nationwide race initiative.

Higgins told The Coast Star, “This is an interesting race because Cupid’s Chase is run all over the country, they have thousands and thousands of people running for the same cause. That’s a big deal as far as Lake Como is concerned because there are only a few races or events that have that country-wide feel.”

The race began and ended at Bar Anticipation, which was open before and after the race, providing a spot for participants to fuel up and gain some liquid courage before the scenic sprint. The race then traveled East on 16th Avenue before turning South onto B Street and back East up 19th Avenue to Schneider Avenue. Racers then did a loop around Lake Como and headed down the final straightaway on Main Street before crossing the finish line at Bar Anticipation.

The top three male and female winners were awarded trophies, while age group winners were given special medals. Every participant was given a souvenir medal.

The overall male winner — and overall race winner — was Pierce Gomez, 23, of Morganville, with a fast time of 17 minutes and 23 seconds, averaging 5 minutes and 35 seconds per mile. The overall female winner was Audrey Bruden, 20, of South River, who finished handily with a time of 20 minutes and 39 seconds.

“It was one of the better races I’ve run in a while. The course was scenic and, most importantly, flat, and the wind held out. Plus, it always feels great to be running with like-minded souls who don’t mind the cold weather,” Bruden said after the race.

Placing second and third place for the women, respectively, were Rebecca Alvarez of Brooklyn with a time of 21 minutes and 8 seconds; and Amber Hart of Belmar, with a time of 22 minutes and 39 seconds.

For the men, second and third place were Hunter Sabins, with a time of 17 minutes and 48 seconds, and Brayan Estrella with 18 minutes and 57 seconds.

Community Options, the main benefactor of Cupid’s Chase 5K, is a nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities through residential services, day programs, social enterprises that employ individuals with disabilities, high school transition programs and specialized programs, according to the organization’s mission statement.

For more information about Community Options, visit comop.org.