Hundreds participate in the Seventh Annual Running of the Monk at St. Kevin’s Church in Springfield, Pa. Proceeds from the race benefited the Healthplex® Sports Club’s Asthma Day Camp, a program for children to promote fitness, education and fun.

Springfield, Pa. - Almost doubling last year’s attendance, nearly 700 people of all ages registered for the Seventh Annual Running of the Monk, which took place on June 8 at St. Kevin School in Springfield.

The Running of the Monk benefits the Healthplex’s Asthma Day Camp, a one-week day camp designed for asthmatic children ages 7-13 that combines education, safe and challenging fitness training, and fun. Proceeds from the 5K will help fund scholarships for children to attend the summer camp, which this year runs from June 25 to 29.

Darryl Brown, 21, of Exton, won first place, setting a course record of 16:01 and running a pace of 5:10 per mile on one of Pennsylvania’s most challenging 5K courses (only .10 of a mile is on level ground). For breaking the course record, Brown received a cash prize of $100.

Chrissy Matticola, 23, of Clifton Heights, won first place for the women for the second year in a row, maintaining a pace of 5:57 per mile with a time of 18:29. Matticola was only four seconds shy of the female course record of 18:25, which she established during last year’s race.

In addition to the top male and female finisher overall, awards were given to the top three male and female finishers in each of the 13 age groups.

The race’s mascot, the Monk, finished last out of the participants, but he was quick to run to post-race celebrations at St. Kevin’s for a “barbeque blast” featuring food and micro-brewed beers from Victory and Yards brewing companies, children’s activities and live music by Redhead Betty Takeout.

Despite 90 degree temperatures, there were 583 finishers for the 5K run, a course certified by USA Track & Field, and dozens of children participated in the Little Monk kids’ fun run. A 5K family walk also took place immediately after the 5K run took off.

For a complete list of overall results, visit www.runtheday.com.

The event was presented by the Healthplex® Sports Club, the Delco Road Runners Club, St. Kevin Parish and Run the Day Race Management. Sponsors include A&A Signs; Barry Kay Jewelers; Bernie Haughey; State Farm Agent, B101; BTS Core; Crozer-Keystone Human Motion Institute; Griffiths Printing; Healing Kneads; Jim Little Construction; MTM Recognition Advantage; Nestle Waters; O’Leary Funeral Home; The Running Place; Staffing Plus, Inc.; Swarthmore Pizza; Threesixty Digital Design; Verizon; Victory Brewing Co.; and Yards Brewing Co.