Amanda Mitchell of Franklin Lakes was first in for the women from the course, that begins on Ocean and Sussex avenues and proceeds north to and around Lake Como, the Belmar border, meanders through Spring Lake streets, passes the imposing edifice of St Catharine's, continues to the Sea Girt border and back onto Ocean Avenue to the finish line at Salem Avenue, at a racing time of 27:50. "This is it," said Mitchell when asked her best time ever for this distance. Her previous personal record was 29:12. Mitchell agreed with Bennett in course description: "I love the course - it's flat and fast" and she added, "it's fun and there are a lot of people out there that cheer you on, and that's encouraging." According to today's woman's champion the weather was perfect because "it's the right temperature and it finally cleared up, all the humidity went out."

"It's perfect," to ditto the other two comments on the weather, offered Belmar's Adele Mcdonough, past president of the Jersey Shore Running Club (JSRC), and explained: "not a cloud in the sky and light winds to keep you cool." She was satisfied with her time of 33:44 and liked the course: "a lot of people cheering for you," she informed.

Another "perfect" weather comment and this time from Jane Erbe of Spring Lake Heights who is the women's champion of the 2002 Firecracker Five Mile Run presented annually on the Fourth of July in Wall Township. "It is scenic and we get a chance to run through the beautiful streets of Spring Lake," Erbe said in her favorable comments on today's five-mile, enjoyable trek.

Alicia Kelly, Spring Lake Heights, and Dave Demonico, South River, both Shore area road-racing stalwarts had to settle for less than being the winners as has been their usual performance result. Kelly, 42, still holds the record for this event set in 1995 at 26:57 - today she finished at 29:51 and that earned her 7th place in the Women's Division. Demonico, 36, who can boast of having won all the 5K races of the Shore Athletic Club's 2004 Winter Series staged at Joe Palaia Park in Ocean Township and whose most recent victory was the Rumson Run, also a five-mile distance presented in early May, found himself today in 15th place in the Men's Division, but still at a very respectable time of 26:59 and a 5:24 mile pace.

Rounding out the top ten men/women finishers who received Waterford crystal as their prize right at the finish line, organized by Donna Mehler, veteran member of the JSRC: Rich Byrne 25:14, Sciota, PA; Timothy Mulligan 25:21, Whiting; Eric Fleming 25:28, West Chester, PA; Matt Piccarello 25:40, Tinton Falls; Bob Zann 25:53, Belmar; Bill Hoffman 26:03, Eatontown; Scott Defilippis 26:03, Tinton Falls; Dickson Mercer 26:42, Fair Haven; Tim Riley 26:47, North Brunswick. Women: Kristie Reccek 28:56, Wyomissing, PA; Noel Whitall 28:58, Toms River; K.C. Meehan 29:18, Brick; Jennifer Flint 29:26, Berwyn, PA; Megan Phillips 29:45, Brielle; Alicia Kelly (see above); Molly Kempton 30:07, Island Heights; Jill Evarts 30:14, Middletown (women's champion of recent Michael Thorne 4 Miler in West Long Branch); Bernadette Taylor 31:17, Spring Lake.

Mike Tully with the aid of members of the Freehold Area Running Club organized the different service groups who manned the five water spots at the mile markers. Appropriately on this weekend, the National Anthem was sung by Dawn Ciccone, Highlands, accompanied by some of the elite runners who were placed in front of the enormous gathering.

This annual event includes the Spring Lake Five Kids' Races presented the night before starting at 6 p.m also on Ocean Avenue. It consists of a series of races of 25 yards for the 2-years old and up to a half-mile for the 14-years old. Over 2, 500 children participated and with many having parents and grandparents and siblings and friends to cheer them on and take lots and lots of pictures, it was crowded, with much activity, but well organized. According to Jennifer Kilcooley of Little Silver, whose son Patrick participated in the 3-year old race, "I thought it was just adorable," she enthusiastically commented in a sort of appropriate, maternal summation of the Kids' Races.

"The Spring Lake Five Mile Run is organized by the Spring Lake Race Committee under the guidance of the Friends of the Spring Lake 5 Inc., a not-for-profit organization. After payment of race expenses, all proceeds are donated to charitable organizations or allocated for town projects. Last year the race raised over $65,000 for Spring Lake Recreation and the schools of Spring Lake. We expect to do the same and maybe more this year. Many thanks to the town's police and fire departments for their cooperation and for the 700 volunteers from the local service organizations and the area running clubs for their know-how efforts. And a very special thanks to my wife, Penny, who is the very heart of racing at the Jersey Shore," E-mailed Phil Hinck, race director.

Other leading southern area finishers:
Scott Mcghee 29:14, Neptune; Joseph Hemler 29:53, Ocean; James Copperthwaite 29:58, Allenhurst; Michael Badger 31:10, Ocean Grove; Richard Brugger Jr. 31:13, Neptune; Mike Faletti 32:27, Tinton Falls; James Mcanee 32:59, Neptune City; Andrew Vasta 33:27, Asbury Park; John Smertneck 33:35, Neptune; Stephen Apostolacus 33:46, West Allenhurst; John Paradise 34:30, Interlaken; Ross Coomber 34:41, Ocean Grove; Philip Tell 34:46, Bradley Beach; Kathleen Kropke 35:09, Avon; Lauren Ayers 36:35, Ocean; Betty Shonts 36:51, Bradley Beach; Tara Mcbarron 37:24, Neptune; Torrie Copperthwaite 38:13, Allenhurst; Suzanne Grabowski 38:45, Neptune; Charlotte Barry 38;54, Tinton Falls; Jeanne Keatings 39:05, Neptune; Erin Oconnell 39:15, Ocean Grove; Susan Foley 39:52, Avon.

Other leading northern area finishers:
Geoffrey Evarts 28:12, (champion of the recent Michael Thorne 4 Miler in West Long Branch) and Alexander Fowlie 28:27, both Middletown; Henry Mercer 29:34, Fair Haven; David Zurheide 30:58, Middletown; Guy Gallo 31:59, Little Silver; John Gaudio 32:31, Middletown; Peter Micioni 32:50, Fair Haven; John Oconnor 33:51, Middletown; David Wrede 33:51, Red Bank; Mark Molyneaux 34:02, Fair Haven; Edward Ryan 34:12, Rumson; Tom Reardon 34:31, Little Silver; Jennifer Gunn 34:38, Red Bank; Donald Devine 34:42, Rumson; Marc Hershey 34:43, Red Bank; Stephanie Wood 35:38, Middletown; Katherine Dunn 35:55, Port Monmouth; Christine Livingston 37:26, Little Silver; Dawn Ciccone 37:42, Highlands; Harper Coles 37:51, Fair Haven; Gaye Nicholson 37:53, Rumson; Dawn Wilcox 38:02, Little Silver; Pam Muldowney 38:24, Red Bank; Suzy Spernal 38:56, Fair Haven; Carol Irwin 39:08, Rumson; Andrea Plaza 39:32, Little Silver; Eileen Radovich 40:02, Rumson.

Road racers have the Avon Day 5K on Saturday, June 5, at 8:30 a.m., info call 732-502-4519. Also at 8:30 a.m. the next day, June 6, is the Hartshorne Woods Spring Trail Run in Middletown, info call 732-578-1771. On Saturday, June 12, is the Pre-Father's Day 5K at 9 a.m. in Wanamassa, info call 732-542-6090. The George Sheehan Classic is on Saturday, June 19, at 8:30 a.m., info call 732-988-7725.