Over three hundred road racers finished the 16th annual Rumson-Fair Haven Run of five miles on the overcast, non-windy, cool, mid-50’s (defying the ominous forecast) morning of May 4, on the 400-meter track in the stadium of the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFHRHS) located on Ridge Road, Rumson.

Rumson - Fair Haven Runners at the Start. Photos Bob Both, JSRC

Jeffrey Peterson, 24, of Stinson Beach, CA, was the first to finish the race from the rectangular course that starts on Ridge Road in front of the school, proceeds west to Fair Haven Road, onto River Road and returns to the school stadium. As he crossed the finish line the timing clock read 25:53 which means he raced the course in an impressive 25 minutes and 53 seconds. Peterson made the trip from California because of his brother’s birthday but this event also shared in the purpose.

Jeffrey Peterson crosses the finish

West Long Branch’s Robert Cavanaugh, 30, was the second finisher at 26:04 and since deja vu literally means “already seen” then that’s the situation that Petersen and Cavanaugh created because this is a repeat of them being last year’s winner and runner-up of this event and both beat last year’s time by just a few seconds: Petersen 4 and Cavanaugh 6. In conversation at the finish-line area, both informed that they were together with two other racers until about 3 miles then it was just the two of them until mile 4 and “then he (Petersen) put it in the next gear, and I couldn’t go with him,” said Cavanaugh. Both agreed that “it was great running weather” when asked.

 Rounding out the top three was Tim Morgan, 24, of South Plainfield at 26:10.   

Jennifer Martin crosses the finish line

Jennifer Martin, 35, of Clifton, was the women’s winner at 30:09 (8th place overall) followed by Red Bank’s Catherine Satzke, 38, at 30:30 (9th overall) and third-place woman was Jen Huesman, 38, of Fair Haven at 32:21 (17th overall). “I’m satisfied, yes – I won! But I was hoping to get in under 30 minutes,” said Martin when asked if she were satisfied with her performance today. “The weather was perfect, the rain held off, it was cool and there was no wind,” Martin further offered.

Navesink’s Harold Nolan, 61, won his age-group trophy at a highly respectable time of 32:01, good for 16th place overall and thought the course was “easy because it turns to the right, right – right again, and back home.” He thought the weather was “perfect – it’s overcast, not hot and no wind.”   

Whereas Nolan was first in the sexagenarian age group, Dave Kaplan, 63, of Ocean Grove earned the third place trophy at 38:50.  “I try to do a race a week, maybe 35 in a year,” said Kaplan who can be seen at many Shore area races and emphasized that he’ll do just one race a week. “I’ve been racing for 22 years (signing up and racing an organized event, such as today’s) and running for 47 years,” he offered and when asked to comment on the difference between the two, he said, “Racing is fun; running is not fun!” 

If nostalgia is loosely defined as enjoying pleasant memories of the past, Laurie Parton Gordon, now living in Newton, had a good time today as she finished her racing time of 34:03 on the high-school track where in 1986 as a senior in RFHRHS she served as captain of the track team. “This is my first race as a forty-year old and am glad to be doing it back home,” said Gordon and she earned second place trophy in that age group. Along with this writer, Laurie Gordon is listed in the masthead of the Runners Gazette as a contributing writer. The Runners Gazette, established in 1976, is billed as America’s First Running Newspaper and is centered in Lewisburg, PA. 

Five water spots were available for the racers and they were serviced by representatives of Rumson Country Day School,  Tranquilty Day Spa,  Heritage Realty,  Rumson Pharmacy and Boynton & Boynton Insurance, Bay Agency.    

Money awards to the aforementioned winners and trophies to age-group leaders were presented by Tim McLoone, emcee and Leslie Curran, race director, on the grounds of the stadium as the physically-spent racers were enjoying refreshments.

Prior to the 9:30 a.m. beginning of the race, McLoone reminded all that this event is dedicated to Andrew J. Bruder who died of cancer at age 36. Bruder was a graduate of RFHRHS and the first winner of the Rumson Run that began in 1992. He then introduced RFHRHS junior Alexandria Howley who then gave a super rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner as the awaiting racers respectfully remained quiet, eyes on the flag atop the flagpole on the front lawn of the school. Both mayors of Rumson and Fair Haven, John E. Ekdahl and Michael Halfacre, respectively, were present acting as official race starters and later holding the finish-line tape.  

The event included a 3K Fun Run/Walk and Kids’ Races.

Ray Durborow of Best Racing System did the computer results and finish-line activities were organized by Anna Milano of Happy Rock Enterprises of Gladstone. Bananas, bagels, oranges were available courtesy of Foodtown of Red Bank and Brooklyn Bagels of Rumson along with scrumptious cookies provided by the committee of senior citizens headed by Vivian McCormick. Two musical groups of the high school provided music: Little Friends and Blue Mood. Members of the school’s Key Club assisted at the finish line.

"With total participation of the three races nearing a thousand, I'm very pleased with the outcome and want to thank all the volunteers who worked so diligently to make it happen. I want to acknowledge the complete cooperation of the police force and fire department as well as EMS of both towns and appreciate too, the maintenance staff at the high school. I also want to thank the race committee and the many members of  the JSRC for their know-how assistance, especially Phil and Penny Hinck. Not to be forgotten are our many sponsors whose generosity is well acknowledged. Thanks, too, for the patience of area motorists who had to be detoured for the safety of our racers,” said Leslie Curran, race director, in a summary statement.

Other Herald area leading finishers:

Rumson: Maximilian Sparshatt 28:10 (5th place overall, age-group award),  Patrick Hill 32:25 (award),  Brian Forster 34:08,  Rodney Pritchard 34:36,  Robert McGinty 35:01,  Eileen Stern 35:04,  Titus Sparshatt 35:06 (award),  Eric Glass 35:28,  Paul Weber 35:57,  John Connors 35:59,  Gina Sullivan 36:01,  John Reagan 36:02,  Michael Shiels 36:07,  Henry Rosset 36:07,  Penny Herrmann 34:46,  Maria Moschitta 36:49,  Maria Takacs 37:45,  Charles Ryan 38:15,  Chuck Lowe 38:23,  Michael Marrus 38:25,  Scott Wheeler 38:26,  Susan Drastal 38:37,  Marnie Doherty 38:40 (99th overall).                         

Fair Haven:  Michael Caracappa 30:50 (12th overall, award),  Tom Rodilosso 33:02 (award),  Wade L. Davis 34:49,  Matthew Moralle 34:54,  Joe Huesman 35:10,  Raymond Bierly 35:25,  Stephen Biga 35:39,  Erik Kuras 36:48,  Mark Bloom 37:16,  Stephanie Cady 37:29,  Ryan Corbett 37:59 (award),  Leslie Curran 38:04 (race director),  Genevieve Debree 38:24,  James Cady 38:28,  Susan Cunneff 38:29,  Thomas Koenig 38:38,  Scott Boyle 38:43 (100th overall).                           

Others:  Dalia Viggiano 33:58, Red Bank (26th overall, award);   Nicole Karatzia 34:14, Sea Bright;   Raymond Viggiano 34:45, Red Bank;   Tom Reardon 35:03, Little Silver;   Gabriel Davila 35:04, Red Bank;   Brian Greene 36:19, Red Bank;   Jason Glenn 36:23, Red Bank;   Kevin Dooley 37:01, Atl. Highlands;   William Thompson 37:02, Little Silver;   Mary Bredin Argilagos 37:33, Red Bank;   Sasha Matson 37:50, Atl. Highlands (award);   Derek Johnson 37:51, Red Bank;   Shawn Brokos 37:52, Middletown;   Al Smuda 38:09, Highlands;   Benson Chiles 38:13, Atl. Highlands;   Robert Morris 38:17, Little Silver;   John Stahl 38:18, Middletown (89th overall).    

Road-racing events continue on Saturday, May 10, with the 14th annual Monmouth Beach PTA 3-Mile run at 9 a.m. at Griffin Street Memorial Park, info call 732-859-3371. Also on May 10 at 9 a.m. is The Wooley House 5K Walk/Run at Joe Palaia Park in Ocean Township, info call 732-531-2135. Pace Yourself for Parkinsons 3-Mile Run is on May 11 in Lincroft at Brookdale College campus at 9 a.m., info call 1-866-350-2583.  On May 17 at 8:30 a.m. is the Spring Into Summer 5K Run/Walk staged in Middletown at the Mater Dei High School, info call 732-671-4219 or www.springintosummer5k.com. It’s the sixth annual Michael W. Thorne Scholarship 4 Mile Run on Sunday, May 18, in West Long Branch at 9 a.m., info call 732-222-0725 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Volunteers are needed for the Spring Lake Five on May 24; just show up on Ocean Avenue at 7 a.m.