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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS HERALD |
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FREEHOLD, NJ — A field of 516 road racers, in need of calorie reducing caused by ingesting sumptuous Thanksgiving goodies the day before, competed in the 20th annual Born to Run Five Miler organized by the Freehold Area Running Club (FARC) on the beautiful, cloudless, breezy, azure-sky morning of Black Friday, November 26 and according to Rule 684 of “Rules of Thumb” would burn 500 calories. Dave Demonico, South River, champion of many Shore-area racing events of the last decade, was the first calorie loser to cross the finish line at Court Street and therefore become today’s winner at a racing time of 26:35 (26 minutes and 35 seconds). “Great - I just love it – it’s challenging: a lot of rolling hills – a lot of people like flat courses but I do not like flat courses. There were a lot of sharp turns and you had to watch out for the wet leaves.” were Demonico’s comments when asked his thoughts on the course. Demonico’s best five mile effort was right here at the Born to Run in 1995 at 25:05.
photos Robert Both Freehold’s own Lindsey Gallo was the first woman to finish from the course which also starts at Court Street and meanders out to, through and back from Topanemus Park, taking in a view of the lake, at 29:31 and was good for 3rd place overall. “I like it a lot – I live right around here and I run in this area all the time,” today’s women’s champion said in commenting on the course. “It was perfect – cool but it didn’t bother me while I was running,” she said of the weather. Jason Page of Raleigh, NC, was second overall finisher at 26:59 and that earned him first-place award for his 30-34 age group. “Oh no – he (Demonico) started to gap in the first 100 meters – I stayed as close as I could but knew I couldn’t catch him,” was the initial comment of today’s runner-up when asked if he tried to catch the leader. In commenting on the course and weather he offered: “I liked it a lot – nice scenery going through the woods, nice soft trails and the weather was good - nice and cool, North Carolina is pretty hot – the wind was pretty bad but not enough to affect my race time.” Page further informed that his best time for this distance was a 25:00 flat in 1997 at a cross-country race at his University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
Barnegat’s Chris Peters was third male finisher, fourth overall, giving him a first in his 45-49 age group. The women’s runner-up went to Red Bank’s Ali Belicose at 30:46 and that earned her a first-place award in her 20-24 age group and third woman finisher was Diane Petruzzelli of Lincroft at 32:02 and she was first in her women’s 35-39 age group. Petruzzelli has the distinction of being runner-up to women’s champion Dorian Meyer in the recent Jersey Shore Half Marathon (JSHM – 13.1 miles) presented at Sandy Hook by the Shore Athletic Club (SAC). Jack Lach of Marlboro, racewalk champion of JSHM, was first racewalk finisher at 45:42 and offered these comments while milling with other racers on the grounds of the Hall of Records that served as the refreshment area: “I think it surprises a lot of people to find out the course is hilly – but for every uphill you also have a downhill. The weather is great and the race was well organized.” The women’s racewalk winner was Colleen Glass of Horsham, PA, at a time of 54:21. “I love this course – I race it every year ( the 25-year old started when she was fifteen ) – I liked the crowd at the water spots, very friendly offering encouraging remarks – the course marshals were effective giving clear directions,” the Lehigh University alumna offered in sharing her thoughts. Clydesdale winners, those that are above average weight usually over 200 pounds for males and over 150 pounds for females went to Robert McGill of South Plainfield at 38:18 and Manalapan’s Jessica Gallagher at 48:28. Fifty-seven years-old, both, Bill Koch of Neptune and Walter MacGowan of Spring Lake, presidents of the Jersey Shore Running Club (JSRC) and SAC respectively, finished at very respectful times of 38:15 and 38:54. “Absolutely ideal – a very pretty course, especially running around the lake – and today’s weather was just perfect,” offered Koch. “Beautiful course – you’re running through the fall foliage – it’s the best time of the year – FARC does a great job every year for this race and it’s the best shirt of the year.” said MacGowan. (Born to Run sweatshirt is known by racers as special and is pointed out on its application) Susan Ardito, Ocean, finished at 38:54 and was second in her age group of 40-44. “I love this race – I love going through the woods, that part in the back near the lake,” she said. Ardito, an active member of the JSRC, serves the road-racing community by being the official scorer of the popular SAC Monday Night Races at Takanassee Lake in Long Branch during the summer months. Long Branch’s Marilyn Ryder, mother and mother-in-law of Penny and Phil Hinck, active members of JSRC all, with Phil being past president and director of the Shore area’s 5-mile races, two of which are nationally recognized, finished at 45:58 and earned her a second-place award in the 60-69 age group. Ryder, insisting upon being in the sun for the interview, offered that, “There are a lot of rolling hills, but there are just two where you have to push a bit to get up them. The weather was just perfect – good running weather – and I was dressed just right for it.” (Ryder was dressed in leotards). Speaking of hills, Allentown’s Mark Griggs, finishing at 35:00 flat, who is also active in JSRC and director of the Hashathon 6 Mile Trail Race presented annually in mid-November at Cheesequake State Park, said that, “I think this is one of the toughest courses around because of those hills at the end.” Born to Run does not have an award for last-place finisher but if it did then Paul Reilly, 61, of Flanders, who was the 516th finisher at 1:18:14, which was over three minutes slower than finisher 515, would have received it. “It was wonderful, except I got lost – there was a fork in the road and I took it,” Reilly humorously offered when asked his thoughts on the course. He continued of the weather and general comments: “Very beautiful – it was a wonderful race – cool and refreshing – and I was all alone – I could even go to the bathroom in the woods cause no one was around.” John Reilly of Wayne, PA, Paul’s son, had pre-registered for the event but had an injury and couldn’t race so his dad decided to make use of the paid application. Handing out awards of trophies and medals to the winners and age-group leaders were Hank Bailey, Manalapan, race director, adjusting to a stroke suffered awhile back, assisted by past presidents of the FARC, Bob and Linda Hyer, along with Isabelle Keeley, club trustee, Victor Vientos and other club members at the Freehold Fire House on Main Street which served as the staging area. Twenty members of the CPL Reynolds Detachment of the Marine Corps League assisted with traffic control. Captain J.M. Diaiso of the Freehold Police Department drove the lead vehicle for the race. Computer results were compiled by L & M Sports. The Monmouth County Child Abuse Task Force is the beneficiary which has received over $100,000 over the years from this event. Other calorie-reducing finishers: Freehold leaders: Ian Price 30:11 (award winner), Jason Weiner 30:37, Cody OFlaherty 31:33, Chris Davis 32:35, Stefano Baccinelli 33:33, Paul Greitz 34:00, Eric Dynarski 34:12, Jim Price 34:17, Lianne Price 34:18 (award), Bruce McCulloch 34:57, Brian Poucher 34:59, Michael OFlaherty 35:11, Linda Ryan 35:33 (award), Greg Berkewitz 35:43, Matthew MacLean 35:47, Allyson Moskal 35:54 (award), Gabby Barrett 36:05, Joseph Mastriana 36:38, John Wilder 36:45, Ryan McCulloch 37:44, Bob Wyatt 37:59, Kristina Luchento 38:10, Kevin Graham 38:11, Crissy Judge 38:31, John James Murphy 38:38, Matt Sodano 38:48, Bob Smelson 39:01, Walt Smith 39:13, Jim Dunn 39:14, Rick Besette 39:48, Jim Lau 39:49, Dominic Ceppaloni 39:57, Erin Burford 40:05, Kenneth G. Finn 40:07, Michael Chudkowski 40:09, Andrew Berkewitz 40:45, Carl Danziger 40:53, Chris Swenarton 41:22, Bob Waitt 41:24, Ron Lopian 41:38, Ray Egler 41:50, Jimmy Wilder 42:15, Laura Eklager 42:21, Julie Hall 42:31, Nick Mastriana 42:37, Tom Westerman 42:48, Doug Weber 42:55. Others: Steve Powell 31:28 (award) and Scott Linnell 33:16, Colts Neck; Jen Curran 34:04 (award), Hazlet; Steve Foley 34:10, Oceanport (director of Run Thru Deal); Jennifer Gunn 34:16 (award) and Dave Wrede 34:38, Red Bank; T J O’Brien 35:28, Hazlet; Kerry Gillespie 35:30, Middletown; Frankie (always late to the starting line) Darden 36:02, Oceanport; Kevin Curran 36:35, Hazlet; Allison Linnell 37:46, Colts Neck; Cathy Capozi 36:26 and Michael Militello 39:36, Middletown; Dan Wasser 39:37, Little Silver; Eric Campbell 39:42, Red Bank; Thomas (highly qualified first-aid man) Morrison 40:08, Highlands; Russell Kaufmann 40:17, Colts Neck; Frank Pelcher 41:06, Keyport; Allison Wrede 41:20 (award), Red Bank; Chuck Fallon 41:27, Middletown; Mary Moriarty 41:36 (award), Highlands; Bryant Anderson 42:56, Leonardo; Michael Fitzsimmons 43:16, Hazlet; Leigh Mazzella 43:21, Oceanport; Barbara Curran 43:22, Hazlet; Peter Mazella 43:27 and Kim Mazella 43:28, Oceanport; Shannon Gillespie 44:28, Middletown; Thomas Trank 45:07, Hazlet; Tom Russell 45:17, Colts Neck; Bob Katz 46:12, Keyport; David Dlugoz 46:18, Red Bank; Bill Klinger 47:48, Colts Neck; Leigh Campbell 48:22, West Keansburg; David Menist 49:56, Little Silver; Frank Daly 51:50, Holmdel; Shanna Kirgan 54:44, West Keansburg; Marcia B. Thompson 1:05:04, Oceanport. Road racers have the Ocean Running Club’s 12th annual Reindeer Romp 5K on Sunday December 5, in Point Pleasant at 11a.m., info call 732-370-2948. Also on December 5 is the Autumn’s End Trail Run in Middletown at 10 a.m., info call 732-578-1771 or email at evart2@comcast.net. It’s the Freehold Area Running Club’s annual Toys for Tots 5K Run on December 12 at 10 a.m. at Tighe Memorial Park on Georgia Road in Freehold, info call 732-431-2627. Down the road on December 26 is the 41st annual Polar Bear Races organized by SAC in Asbury Park at Convention Hall at 10 a.m. for the 10-mile racewalk, along with the 5-mile healthwalk, and 1 p.m. for the 5-mile run, info call 732-222-9080 or email: Elliottden@aol.com
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