500 Compete in Cambridge Road Race

Almost 500 runners competed in yesterday's first annual American Diabetes Association "Run for Research." The ten-kilometer race raised more than $1500 for diabetes research.

Vin Fleming and Scott Graham, both representing the Greater Boston Track Club, tied for first-place honors in the open division with times of 28:04. Race officials later crowned Fleming the winner after a coin toss.

"There was plenty of crowd support on the route. The organizers wanted to do a good job and they did just that," Graham said yesterday following the finish.

The race started at Brattle Station and followed the perimeter of Cambridge before finishing in front of the Harvard Motor Inn.

Thayer Plant, a ninth-grader at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, captured the women's crown with a time of 35:37. Plant, who trains with Harvard assistant track coach John Babington's Liberty Athletic Club, credited her win to the good competition she faces in practice.

Co-organizers Bob Bowers and Ed Witham were pleased with the turnout of the race, which competed with 20 other races staged this weekend.

Our goal was 500 entrants. It was a good thing that we opened the race for post-entries." Bowers said yesterday, adding that next year they would like to get 1000 entries.

"I would like to get some more top name runners next year as well as iron out some of the problems we encountered this year." Witham said yesterday. Several participants said that the course had been measured incorrectly and that the electronic timing device ceased to print results after the 25th competitor crossed the finish line.

In other categories. Arlington resident Kyle Bowers, 14 years old. copped honors in the junior division, while Bob Reagan recorded a 31:44 to pick up the master's division trophy.

More than ten Harvard Square business donated prizes for the race, including 17 trophies, 15 pairs of running shoes, a case of Heineken beer, a gold pen set, and a weekend for two at the Colonnade Hotel in Boston