ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS HERALD
New Jersey's 1st Official Electronic Newspaper
Atlantic Highlands - Fair Haven - Highlands -  Keansburg - Little Silver
 Middletown -  Monmouth Beach - Red Bank  - Rumson - Sea Bright 

published Atlantic Highlands Herald 5 May 2005

By Jim Robbins

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS , NJ — Fourteen-year-old Briana Jackucewicz of Farmingdale was the women’s champion for the third year in a row of the 13th annual The Rumson Run (The A.J. Bruder Memorial 5 Mile) on an overcast Sunday morning, May 1, when she crossed the finish line located on the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School stadium track at a personal-best racing time for this distance of 29:18 (29 minutes and 18 seconds) which was good for 6th place overall of the 400 finishers.

Briana has been on a hiatus from the Shore area road-racing scene for about a year, literally due to growing pains, the formal term of which is Osgood Slatters, informed her father and coach, Roger. Briana’s racing time last year was 29:38 and that was 19 seconds faster than her 2003 time and in both races she finished in 5th place overall.

Coming in first place overall from the course that started at Black Point Road, adjacent to the high school on Ridge Avenue, and proceeded in rectangular fashion onto the streets of the two towns and back to RFHRHS stadium, was Neptune’s Rob Defilippis at 25:24. “I’m pleased – I’m very pleased.” said today’s champion who is the head coach of the Red Bank Catholic High School track team, when asked to comment on his racing time. He further added that this might be his best ever for a 5 mile distance but knows it’s very close if it isn’t his best. “It’s good – I’ve run this a few times - it’s a nice area – an open road – it’s got some hills - I often get out here with the kids (his track-team students) so I’m used to it, and it’s fun,” he offered when asked his thoughts on the course.

Rumson run winner Rob DeFilipis (r) talks with Jim Robbins

Fair Haven’s Dickson Mercer finished in second place at 26:08. “I was with him (Defilippis) early on, but he was definitely too strong for me today - I kept him in my sight but knew I couldn’t catch him – we pretty much ran our own races today,” said Mercer in describing his runner-up position. Rounding out the top three overall was Alex Fowlie of Middletown at 28:08.

Christy DeFilippis, the champion’s wife, was the second women’s finisher at 30:48, 13th overall, and third woman was Diane Petruzzelli of Lincroft at 31:23, 15th overall. Petruzzelli recently won the women’s division of the 15K Indian Trails run staged in the Leonardo section of Middletown, and earlier than that she became the women’s champion of the 2005 Murray Todd Half Marathon staged at the Brookdale College campus in Lincroft.

Walter MacGowan, Spring Lake, president of the Shore Athletic Club, finished at 37:39 and won 2nd place trophy in his 55-59 age group. MacGowan was quick to compliment the towns’ road departments for clearing the streets of a lot of water caused by the rain the night before. “It stopped drizzling right before the start of the race, and the weather was perfect for a 5-mile run,” he offered in commenting on today’s conditions.

Ocean Township’s Tim Keane finished at 41:07. “I love this race – it’s challenging, there are a couple of hills – a good crowd, a supportive crowd – and a perfect day, it stopped raining just before the race, we had an overcast sky and cool temperatures,” he said when asked to share his general thoughts on this event. Keane had been the director of the former Thursday Night Summer Races in Asbury Park and with the new boardwalk, at that same racing area between the Casino and Convention Hall, Keane is thinking about the series’ revival - but as he says, “Just thinking about it.”

Marilyn Ryder, Long Branch, women’s winner of the 60-64 age group and her good friend Diane Cheer of Manasquan finished together: Ryder at 46:36 was in 291st place and Cheer was 292nd at 46:38. Both are members and very active in all the events of the Jersey Shore Running Club. “It was SCENIC!” they both exclaimed in unison when asked their immediate thoughts on the race.

Vietnam veteran Joseph Renzella, Neptune City, won the 60-64 year age group at 35:27.

“I always liked this course, there’s a little bit of hills and I always liked that challenge and there’re not too many turns – I also liked the scenery as you go through the different streets,” said the highly decorated veteran with 4 Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart, when asked his thoughts on the course. Two of those Bronze Stars are identified as “V” which means resulting from an act of combat heroism or “VALOR”, thus distinguishing it from meritorious achievement awards.

Prior to the 9:30 a.m. start, Tim McLoone, master of ceremonies for this annual event, informed that the Rumson Run 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.

McLoone then introduced Alexandria Howley, 8th grade student at Forrestdale School, who gave a fine rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner (holding a high note a smidgen longer than normal as an expression of confidence). McLoone offered words of caution to the racers regarding possible water on the course caused by the overnight rain. Mayor John Ekdahl was introduced who thanked all for participating and wished all to have a good race and as the official starter, he sounded the bullhorn and the racers were off following the lead vehicle driven by Marty Pattwell of Shrewsbury Motors.

Awards and trophies were presented to the aforementioned winners and age-group leaders by McLoone, assisted by the mayor, along with other members of the race committee on the infield of the stadium which served as the staging area as the physically-spent racers were enjoying refreshments of bagels, fruit and super-delicious cookies, due to the generosity of Brooklyn Bagel of Rumson, Foodtown of Red Bank and Val’s Tavern in Rumson for pizza donation.

The event included a 3K Fun Run/Walk, with 300 participating and Shore area runners/racewalkers will be glad to know that Fair Haven’s Kent Sabin, recuperating from a health problem, was part of that group finishing at 34 :11.

The program offered a mission statement from the Board of Trustees: "The Rumson Run is a charitable athletic event for all ages that seeks to enliven community spirit and enrich educational and scholarship programs.”

Bill Boyajian of Best Racing Systems did the finish-line activities and was assisted by Suzanne Piersall, a sophomore at RFHRHS along with other members of the school’s track team. Boyajian’s system is a New Jersey based company that provides complete computerized scoring and finish line management for small to large road races. Complete results can be found at: http://www.bestrace.com/results/040502ru5.HTML

"It was awesome," said Elaine Eadon, race director, in her immediate comments summarizing the day's events. "Even with the early rain, we had nearly as many runners as we did last year and it was a good day to run - overcast and cool. I want to thank all the volunteers, especially Phil and Penny Hinck and other members of the Jersey Shore Running Club. I want to acknowledge the cooperation of the first aid and the police and a special thanks for the generosity of all the sponsors that made this happen,”she added. To the final question, "Are you looking forward to directing it next year?" Eadon unhesitatingly answered, "Absolutely!"

Other leading finishers of the 5-mile challenge:

Rumson: Scott Fischer 32:16 (19th place overall - award winner), Maximilian Sparshatt 33:12 (award), Raymond Viggiano 34:17 (award), Rodney Pritchard 34:30, Jim Dengler 35:03, Paul Weber 35:12, Gaye Nicholson 35:29 (award), Charles Rooney 35:50, Henry Rosset 35:52, Joseph Strempek 35:56, John Berry 35:57, Bob Kelleher 36:41, Elise Pritchard 36:45 (award), Chris Parton 36:59, Mazin Kalian 37:02, Scott Thompson 37:08, Wilson Beebe Jr. 37:27, Christina Durney 37:30, Anne Dengler 38:06, Michael Marrus 38:12, Tom Bartel 38:21, Gary Juncosa 38:22, Maria Manley 38:35, Eric Burdge 38:37 (award), Carl Amendola 38:42, Carol Irwin 38:43 (award), Steven Fuschetti 38:44 (award), John Strang 38:52, Jennifer Sapnar 39:15, Arlene Jensen 39:18 (award), Kevin Hill 39:26, Kevin Welsh 39:42, John Brodsky 39:47, Stephen Szakats 39:57, Thomas Omara 39:58, Jefferson Dickson 40:01, Carolyn Hill 40:08, Titus Sparshatt 40:23, Kathleen Fuschetti 40:23, Taylor Twining 40:32, Seth Wheeler 40:35, John Lushefski 40:50, Jack Howley 40:50, Peter Litwin 40:51, Maria Checton 41:09 (award), Patricia Szakats 41:11, Eric Larsen 41:14, Bill Loughran 41:42 (198th place).

Fair Haven: Geoff Harrison 28:43 (4th place – award), Andy Sharkey 30:35 (award), Brent Chandler 33:30, Mike Wingertzahn 35:00, Katrin Stuhmeier 35:03 (award), Leslie Blades 35:10 (award), Eric Cohen 35:32 (award), Jim Armstrong 36:21, Tom Fahey 37:31, Mark Molyneaux 37:44, Pam Allen 38:07 (award), Mary Friedman 38:10, Greg Tuorto 38:32, Susan Mazzeo 38:39, Charles Hayes 38:51, Eilenn Nociolo 39:09, Sandra Russo 39:16, Timothy Lake 39:26, Anne Vernon 39:28 (award), Harper Coles 39:33, Kevin Clark 39:34 (award), Jerome Bell 39:37, Dan Browne 40:01, Susan Cunneff 40:46, Dian Kohere 40:47, Arthur Tildesley 41:13, Andrea Edler 41:24, Martin Luff 41:45 (199th place).

Red Bank: David Richards 32:08 (18th place), Albert Bodine 32:26 (award), Matthew McCarthy 33:47, Jennifer Gunn 33:57 (award), Robert Yawger 35:28, Patrick Gongora 38:45, Lou Rettino 38:50, Joanne Wilkes 39:45, Karen Carson 40:18, Brian Halcrow 41:18 (191st place).

Others: Brian Hill 23:25 (20th place – award), Middletown; Joe Cauvin 32:44, Atl. Highlands; Eugene Caffrey 32:56, Turgy Wright 33:35 (award) and Al Bennett 34:10, all Little Silver; Thomas Delehanty 35:59, Middletown; Bill Burke 36:46 (award), Atl. Highlands; Joseph Coccaro 37:09 and John Stahl 37:18, Middletown; Jon Lemole 37:50 and Sasha Matson 38:10 (award), Atl. Highlands; Ned Kilkelly 39:00, Little Silver; Tom Stahl 39:05, Sea Bright; Anthony Shippee 39:07, Little Silver; Samuel Terrell 39:24, Highlands; Robert Patterson 39:29, Middletown; Timothy Skinner 40:15, Monmouth Beach; Kelli Ann Lennon 40:18 and Steven Rhokin 40:52, Highlands; Carol Defaziowright 41:01 (award), Little Silver; Martin Dugan 41:08, Middletown; Denise Valentino 41:38 and Brian Rogers 41:39 (197th place), Little Silver.

Road racers have the Mother’s Day 5K in Point Pleasant Beach at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, info call 732-295-1193. Also on May 7 is the River to Bay 5K in Island Heights at 10 a.m., info call 732-914-3936. It’s the Parkinsons 5K on May 8 at the Brookdale campus in Lincroft at 9:00 a.m., info call 866-350-2583. On May 14 is the annual Monmouth Beach 3-mile run at 9 a.m., info call 732-571-2162 or phinck@comcast.net. The Bahr’s Landing 5 mile race is on May 15 at 9 a.m. in Highlands, info call 732-872-1245 or jay@bahrs.com. Coming soon is the Michael Thorne Scholarship 4 Mile Run on May 22 at 9 a.m. in West Long Branch at Franklin Lake, info call 732-222-0725 or sure2tan@aol.com.