Legal battles are over but plenty of work remains on the Butler-Freeport Rail Trail.

Members of Butler-Freeport Rail Trail Association can finally concentrate all of their efforts toward building and maintaining the 20.7 miles of the trail.

When the section between the Route 28 overpass and Laneville is completed this summer, the fully finished trail portion will measure more than 16 miles long.

The northern trail terminus in Butler marks the last unfinished portion and the entire trail could be completed by late summer or by early 2005, if funding becomes available.

Ron Bennett, president of the group since 1990, said no large-scale volunteer events are on the calendar, but several individuals and groups have taken on special projects.

New signs will mark the Cabot and Sarver entrances, and mile markers should be installed this summer as a Boy Scout project.

An area youth corps group will perform maintenance and construction on the trail.

Bennett suggests that individuals adopt the remaining work projects detailed on the trail's website www.butlerfreeporttrail.org

A trail milestone will be marked May 1 with the first race conducted on the Butler- Freeport Trail.

The Great "Brake" Out Race commemorates longtime Cabot resident Harry Brake while raising money for the construction of a 64-acre park in the community.

Butler resident Harry Brake, a marathon runner and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fund-raiser, conceived the race as a way to honor his father, raise awareness and money to build the park and to offer the community day of fun.

The race begins at Winfield Fire Hall at 9 a.m. May 1 with a downhill mile to Marwood. After a rolling loop into the countryside, the race finishes with a 1½-mile run on the rail trail to Cabot, a total distance of 5.1 miles.

Cabot will be the site of the awards ceremony and community festivities.

The race will be the first event in a day of community celebration. Kids can participate in a half-mile on the trail after the main race or check out the petting zoo.

Festival-goers can stroll among the more than two dozen vendors booths or sign up to win more than 50 Chinese auction prizes donated by area businesses.

"Local business support has been great," Brake said, and he credits Ron Bennett of Butler-Freeport Rail Trail Association and Ed Doyle of Up-N-Running with providing valuable help in planning the race and festival.

Brake anticipates more than 200 participants for this first race. He is already looking to expanding next year's event to include races in other trail-neighboring communities and talks of holding a trail marathon to replace Pittsburgh's defunct spring marathon.

For information about Great "Brake" Out Race, call 724-284-9107 or pick up an application at Up-N-Running, Route 8, Valencia. Register online at www.localsport.com

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Big Foot Race 20K and 5K, Kittanning. 724-545-YMCASaturday, 9 A.M.: NA Pumphouse XC 5K, Wexford. Cross country race at North Allegheny Middle School. 724-742-2599Saturday, 9 a.m.: Up-N-Running group run, Valencia. A pace and distance for everyone. 724-898-2525Saturday, 9:30 a.m.: New Kensington YMCA 5K New Kensington. 724-335-9191Saturday, 10 a.m.: Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training Info Meeting, Wexford. Learn how you can help others while running a marathon including Nike Women's Marathon, San Francisco 412-395-2879 or www.teamintraining.org/wpamSunday, 9 a.m.: Good Chemistry Earth Day 5K, Neville Island. 412-563-1638Sunday, 10 a.m.: Burgh's Pizza and Wing Pub 10K Run and 2-Mile Walk, Cecil. Run starts in Cecil Park, benefits Montour Trail. First 300 10K registered runners and first 100 walkers receive commemorative racing shorts. For information email dailyenterprise@aol.com or register online at www.active.comNext Wednesday, 5:30 p.m..: Team In Training Meeting, Downtown Pittsburgh. 412-395-2879 or teamintraining.org/wpam

Martha's Run 10K, April 10: Michael Bartos, 52:30; Jack Harding, 55:59; Beth Ryan, 1:05:13Riverside Band Aid 5K Run 2-Mile Walk, April 11: Leslie Kramer, 1st Overall W, 20:12; Bethany Walker, 2nd Overall W, 20:45; Beth Roitz, 3rd Overall W, 22:20; Ron Walker, 1st 40-44 M, 19:40; Michael Swain, 2nd 45-49 M, 21:06; Jeff McCullough, 3rd 50-54 M, 21:51; Jeremiah Findlay, 3rd 20-24 M, 24:30; Kate Roitz, 1st 14 and under W, 24:55; Dana Hogue, 1st 35-39 M, 27:06Joe Fisher, 3rd 55-59 M, 27:33; Terry Reeher, 3rd 60-64 M, 27:46; Ben Sepe, 2nd 14 and under M, 28:50; John Sepe, 2nd 40-44 M, 28:53; Mandi Kaufman, 1st 15-19 W, 30:14; Cliff Kaufman, 3rd 40-44 M, 30:15; Kim Kenetz, 1st 35-39 W, 33:26; Alisa Ries, 2nd 15-19 W, 34:12; Connie Riesmeyer, 1st 55-59 W, 39:02Gale Mussey, 22:50; Jackie Syphrit, 35:46; Kim Kaufman, 35:48; Jean Swick, 36:17Send race results and comments to: 435 Cherry Valley Road Saxonburg, PA 16056. Phone or fax: 724-352-4395. Email: bigp@highstream.com