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 2 June 2005

by Jim Robbins

SPRING LAKE , NJ – Over 7,200 road racers began celebrating the Memorial Day weekend, on a sunny (finally) Saturday morning, May 28th, by competing in the 29th annual Spring Lake Five Mile race, the largest race in New Jersey, and the largest 5-mile race in the nation. Coming in first from this basically rectangular course, was Gene Mitchell of Franklin Lakes at 24:54 (24 minutes and 54 seconds), a smidgen under a 5-minute mile pace.

“No,not until the end,” said Mitchell when asked if he was out in front the whole 5 miles. “At 2 miles I was seventh (place) – 3 miles, fifth – 4 miles, second and at about 200 yards to go, I went out in front,” he said in describing his racing performance. “It’s the best race in the country, no doubt about it – the amount of people in the race and the amount of people on the streets” (the many residents cheering the runners as they ran the course which took in many of the Spring Lake streets), said today’s champion when asked to comment on the event.

Noel Whitall of Toms River was first in for the women from the course that begins on Ocean and Sussex Avenues proceeds north to and around Lake Como, passes the imposing edifice of Saint 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 28:44. “Even though it was hot, the atmosphere was good and I love this course, it’s flat and fair, “said Whitall, who was the third woman finisher of this race last year, when asked to share her thoughts.

“Pleased but not satisfied,” said Ron Defilippis of Tinton Falls, head track coach of Red Bank Catholic High School, in commenting on his 4th place finish. Defilippis had recently won the Rumson Run, also a five-miler, at 25:24 and in an interview at that race he informed that his goal was to get in under a five-minute mile pace. Earlier today he reminded that that was still his goal but his 25:13 was just 14 seconds too slow to “satisfy.”

Rounding out the top ten finishers who received Waterford crystal as their prize: Men: Stephen Ondieki 25:04, Hackensack; Timothy Mulligan 25:09, Whiting; Rob Defilippis 25:13, Tinton Falls; Craig Seagl 25:19, Holmdel; Ray Biersbach 25:26, New York, NY; Bill Hoffman 25:29, Eatontown; Dickson Mercer 26:50, Fair Haven; Mike Aiken 26:57, Mt. Pleasant, SC; Joseph Pelligrino 26:58, Morganville.

Women: Amanda Mitchell 28:51, Ardmore, PA; Cheri Kerah 28:57, Wall; Megan Phillips 29:49, Brielle; Briana Jackucewicz 29:54, Farmingdale (women’s champion of the Rumson Run); Jennifer Flint 29:57, Berwyn, PA; Jennifer Malavota 29:58, Reeders, PA; Eileen Petito 30:17, Alton, IL; Christy Defilippis 30:38, Tinton Falls; Jill Evarts 30:53, Middletown (women’s champion of the Michael Thorne 4 miler).

Shore area racing star Alicia Kelly, not competing this year, was in charge of the volunteers and organized the different service groups who manned the five water spots at the mile markers.

This annual event includes the Spring Lake Five Kids’ Races presented the night before starting at 6 p.m also on Ocean Avenue in front of the Essex and Sussex Condominium, with favorite TV characters to greet them: Winnie the Pooh, Tweety Bird, Blue from Blue’s Clues, Bob the Builder and Cookie Monster. It consists of a series of races of 25 yards for the 2-years old to a half-mile for the 14-years old. Over 2, 000 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. Wall Township’s Frank Nikola, along with his wife Laura and their son 3 ½ year old racer Krystof were involved and Frank offered these comments when asked about this event: “It’s wonderful – the whole weekend’s a good time – organizers do a great job with setting it up, they have a lot of volunteers who help out and they all know what they’re doing.”

Early-morning volunteers, setting up the nearly two hundred 2’ x 8’ tables needed for all the bagels, cookies, bananas, iced-down soda and bottled water that wilted racers would eventually consume, were treated to breakfast goodies of cakes and coffee on the steps of the Essex and Sussex Condominium Association. The Spring Lake Five welcoming committee members: Ginny Shutner and Robert Ferguson, who is also president of the board of trustees, were on hand to replenish the supplies when necessary. The sun was just completely above the water from its rise at 5:31 which added to the classy setting. The Association also offered coffee to the parents of the Friday-night racers.

“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. Fred and Anna Torres of the Elite Racing Systems organized the computer scoring and finish-line activities. 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 area finishers: Spring Lake: Rob Fallone 29:40, Patrick Gilligan 31:50, Steve Ludeking 31:58, Robert Tanzola 32:18, Edwin Hale 32:30, Bernadette Taylor 32:35, Robert Delaney 32;46, Jean Clifton 32:57, Laura Trenkle 33:00, Thomas McInerney 33:03, Pete Jennings 33:30, Daniel Carragher 34:21, Kevin Kelly 34:46, John Scotto 34:48, Tom Jennings 34:49, Tom Heath 34:50, Joseph Strempek 35:13, Christopher Fitzmaurice 35:19, Walter MacGowan 35:26, Todd Russell 35:47, Steve Luzzi 35:58, Gerry Male 36:03, Irene Hale 36:37, Colin Richmond 36:43, Jeffrey Stapleton 36:53, John McPartland 36:54, Emily Patterson 37:00, Michael Murller 37:09, Joe Hardiman 37:17, Robert Galizio 37:27, Michelle Fallone 37:50, Normano Savaria 37:54, Karin Wingard 37:59, James Gamgort 38:01, Hank Young 38:02, Eileen Cassidy 38:03, Kenneth McQuillen 38:13.

Other Monmouth County (coastal) area leaders: Joe Pawlish 27:49, Asbury Park; Jeremy Pilkington 29:10, Allenhurst; Bill Scholl 30:23, Neptune; Christy Defilippis 30:53, Tinton Falls; Scott McGhee 31:20, Neptune; Michael Badger 32:01, Ocean Grove; Richard Brugger Jr. 32:24, Neptune; Stephen Apostolacus 32:32, West Allenhurst; Matthew Shafer 33:46, Tinton Falls; John Paradise 34:32, Interlaken; James McAnee 34:47, Neptune City; Richard Adams 35:06, West Allenhurst; Kathleen Kropke 35:10, Avon; Wayne Faust 35:39, Asbury Park; Robert Echeverria 35:47, Neptune; William Fannings 36:02 and Jeff Ragle 36:24, Ocean; Rick Vegh 36:25, West Allenhurst; Andrew Vasta 36:34, Ocean; Bob Cullinane 36:41, Ocean Grove; James Coperthwaite 37:07, Allenhurst; Mike Faletti 37:08, Tinton Falls; Peter Mills 37:14, Jay Nerenberg 37:20, Bob Vandeboe 37:38 and Mike Ayars 37:46, Ocean; Dennis Rogers 38:03, Interlaken; Ryan Hardie 38:06, Avon; Ross Coomber 38:17, Ocean Grove; Betty Shonts 38:20, Bradley Beach; Emily Manni 38:34, Ocean Grove; Dorothy Lurch 38:48, Avon; Suzanne Grabowski 38:51 and Patrick Praitano 38:54, Neptune.

Other Monmouth County (northern) area leaders: James McGovern 27:08, Atl. Highlands; Geoffrey Evarts 29;15, Middletown; Greg Mendina 29:22, Navesink; Jill Evarts 31:00 and David Zurheide 31:44, Middletown; Ryan McGrath 31:52, William Burke 32:12 and Ali Belicose 32:20, Red Bank; Robert O’Connell Jr. 32:28, Little Silver; Tim Walsh 32:36, Monmouth Beach; Chris Ferrone 33:08, Atl. Highlands; Michael Villane 33:11, Rumson; John Jankowski 33:13, Little Silver; Peter Micioni 33:23, Fair Haven; Guy Gallo 33:42, Little Sliver; Wendy Dipietro 33:45, Monmouth Beach; Anthony Miele 33:51, Middletown; John Ohern 33:56, Little Silver; Jennifer Gunn 34:28, Red Bank; Maxmilian Sparshatt 34:28 and Mike Bruno 34:37, Rumson; Mark Lonergan 34:42, Red Bank; Jennifer Huesman 34:50 and Michael Wingertzahn 35:07, Fair Haven; Tom Reardon 35:26, Little Silver; Carol Buonanno 35:49, Middletown; Michael Walsh 35:52, Monmouth Beach; Marc Hershey 35:57, Todd Desimone 36:03 and William Matre 36:04, Red Bank; Bayley Davis 36:26, Little Silver; Raymond Viggiano 36:27, Rumson; Marya Baeta Moore 36:51, Red Bank; Michael Kircher 37:02, Little Silver; Peter Stajk 37:04, Rumson; Kevin Dooley 37:11, Red Bank; Amber LaFrance 37:15, Sea Bright; Edward Kalinowski 37:20, Monmouth Beach; Jenn Crow 37:38, Rumson; Maureen McLaughlin 37:39, Middletown; Mark Gardner 37:40, Monmouth Beach; Matt Metlitz 37:44, Little Silver; Rick Baeta 37:49 and Donald Hintze 37:53, Red Bank; Paul Weber 37:54, Rumson; Vincent Beese 37:56, Middletown; Eric Jacobsen 38:10, Red Bank; John Marchisin 38:13, Monmouth Beach; Dawn Ciccone 38:19, Highlands (vocalist who sang the Star-Spangled Banner at the start).

Road racers have the Avon Day 5K on Saturday, June 4 at 8:30 a.m., info call 732-502-4519. It's the Pre-Father's Day 5K on Saturday, June 11, at Wanamassa school on Bendermere Avenue at 9 a.m., info call 732-542-6090. On Sunday, June 5, is the Hartshorne Woods Spring Trail Run in Middletown at 8:30 a.m., info call 732-578-1771. The George Sheehan Classic 5 Miler in Red Bank is on June 18, at 8:30 a.m., info call 732-988-7725. Down the road is the Pine Beach 5K on June 26, at 9 a.m. info call 732-505-9554 or sjkalksma@aol.com.