published Atlantic Highlands Herald 25 August 2005

by Jim Robbins

MIDDLETOWN, NJ – The eighth annual Bradley Beach 5K Run was the host event for road racers on a cloudy, warm Saturday morning, August 20, to which 607 competitors responded. Bryan Poerner, 29, of Philadelphia, PA, was the first to break the finish-line tape set up at the gazebo area on Ocean Avenue at a record breaking-time of 15:32, twelve seconds faster than the previous record set by Gene Mitchell, five years ago. Coming in second of the 3.1 mile course that also starts at the gazebo area, with racers following the lead police vehicle driven by Special Police Officer Anthony Hughes, and includes the streets adjacent to both Fletcher and Sylvan Lakes was Mark Materna, 21, of Manasquan at 16:26 and third was Herbertsville’s Bob Horn, 29, at 17 minutes flat.

photo Bob Both, Jersey Shore Runners Club

Start of Bradley Beach 5K race.

“After about a half mile, I was out in front all the way,” said Poerner in describing his winning performance. “At one of the NYU indoor-meets at the Armory in New York I did a 14:50,” said today’s champion when asked his best time for a 5K distance.

Cheri Kenah, 34, of Wall Township was the women’s winner at 17:48 (7th place overall) not quite as fast as Briana Jackucewicz’ record time of 17:39 set last year. Kenah has the distinction of also being the women’s champion of the Firecracker Five (miler) race staged in her hometown on the 4th of July and of the recent Neptune City Day 5K. Coming in second for the women was Sarah Stein, 19, of Warwick, NY, at 19:06 (21st overall) and third was Belmar’s Amber Hart, 26, at 19:17 (25th overall).

“ Oh I love this course – it’s not only scenic but it’s fast and flat – and this was particularly fun for me this year because my two kids were with my husband who ran today,” Kenah said in general comments and alongside her was her husband, stroller in hand, and two toddlers, resting comfortably, enjoying it all. A little research on the print-out of the finishers’ list of names reveals Rich Kenah, 35, with a racing time of 21:53 and that’s with the non-empty stroller!

Bradley Beach winners, both male and female, respectively, went to Jack Coggins, 47, at a racing time of 18:20, very good, but still 22 seconds slower than last year’s time of 17:58 which also earned him this award and Beth Mayer, 18, at 19:51. Coggins’ descriptive, exuberant comments from last year bear repeating, conditions being similar: “This course is wonderful – flat, nice sea breeze – when you come off the ocean as you hit the two lakes both north and south you get a cooling breeze coming at you at an angle – and the cheering crowd seems to push you all the way through, like your feet are not even on the ground.”

Spring Lake’s Donna Mehler shares some immediate comments as she winds down after just finishing at 30:19, good for 2nd place trophy in the 60-69 age group: “I love this course – I grew up in Bradley Beach, my family, my son and my niece all come to run it – it takes in the picturesque view of the ocean and two lakes.” Mehler, who directs a group of lady friends from the various running clubs on Wednesday nights in Brielle to do speed work, informs that her best time for a 5K was “22:40 when I was age fifty at Lake Tak,” referring to the Lake Takanassee summer evening races in Long Branch, organized by the Shore Athletic Club (SAC).

Walter MacGowan, Spring Lake, president of SAC, finished at 22:17 and offered these comments: “I’ve done this race every year and every year it’s been a class event. It’s a beautiful course, you see the two lakes at either end of Bradley Beach and you finish at the gazebo that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.”

The Clarence Lurch Award, a trophy mounted on a plaque, was, of course, won by its namesake who informs that he’ll be 85 years old in October. Lurch,WW II Seabee and founder of Lertch (sic) Wrecking Company, asked his grandson five years ago to phone the event and ask if there were awards for eighty-year-old participants. Lacking any, it was decided that Lurch should come and that an award would be presented to him. Thus the award was created and Lurch has been present the last five years. His time this year was 41:05.

The Bradley Beach 5K Run is part of the Jersey Shore Grand Prix, a series of races beginning with St. Paddy's 10 Miler in Freehold in March to the Polar Bear Races in Asbury Park in December, organized by the Jersey Shore Running Club in which a racer receives points towards year-end overall and age-group awards.

This annual event actually began at 6:30 p.m. the night before with the Kids’ Races held on Bradley Boulevard adjacent to Sylvan Lake and was organized by Gail and Dennis Mayer, wife and husband, along with Todd Migdon and Kirby Scott, who had helped in preparation activities, but was unable to be present Friday night. Distances of 25 yards to a half mile were raced by nearly 100 children ages under 4 to 12, who were accompanied by parents, grandparents, possibly great-grandparents, siblings and friends who were very busy taking lots and lots of pictures. Scott Reinke of Brick Township, proud of his 4-year-old daughter Samantha’s running of the 50-yard distance had this to say of the races: “I think it’s a great opportunity for the kids to get out there and see what the older adults get to do and get a little idea of a contest, and still have a friendly environment.”

Richard Held, race director, awarded gift certificates and trophies to the aforementioned 5K winners and age-group leaders at the area next to the gazebo with its many benches where the wilted racers were relaxing and enjoying refreshments of bagels, bananas, oranges, apples, power bars and bottled water, provided by members of the race committee headed by Amanda Wheeler. Many random prizes were offered due to the generosity of the Bradley Beach business community. Fred and Anna Torres of the Elite Racing Systems, Clifton, did the computer results and finish-line activities (eliteracingsystems.com).

“I want to thank the Police Department, the First Aid Squad, Public Works Department and our sponsors for their financial aid. We had over 60 volunteers whose assistance made things run smoothly. I also want to acknowledge the patience of motorists who had to be detoured for the safety of our racers,” said Held in summing-up comments. With a smile the director said “Yes” when questioned if he were looking forward to directing the event next year.

Other leading finishers of the Bradley Beach 5K Run:

Bradley Beach: Frank Gousman Jr. 20:54, Ed Mulligan 21:17, Kenneth Thompson 21:54, Oscar Arias 22:06, Maggie Gousman 22:17, Chris Suarez 23:15, Sean Kennedy 23:48, Gary Engelstad 24:21, Brian Pawlowski 24:26, Kathryn Tell 24:26, Dean Shonts 24:38, Patrick Casterline 24:48, Marty Fitzpatrick 24:56, Joseph Toryk 25:02, Laura Freeman 25:11, John Sammon 25:26, Eddie Pilot 25:39, Mitch Migdon 25:45, Todd Migdon 25:46, Elijah Coggins 25:48, Ron Young 25:52, Annette Young 25:53, Jenna Pfarr 26:09, Rafael Albanir 26:45, Bob Hill 27:06, James Hindman 27:22, Michael Indelicato Jr. 27:33, Elaine Jadacki 27:42, Gail Mayer 28:09, Kristie Andersen 28:35, Kristen Schintz 28:40, Shannon Ciprut 29:02, Ron Minsky 29:17, Liza Restifo 29:22, Abbey Fromkin 29:38, Randy Bonnell 29:57, Karen Gregory 30:08.

Others: Richard Brugger Jr. 19:01, Neptune; Matthew Shafer 20:02, Tinton Falls; Paul Looney 21:11, Neptune; Lauren Ayars 21:12, Ocean; Kathy Kropke 21:15, Avon; Mike Washakowski 21:18 and Jeffrey Ragle 21:40, Ocean; Joseph Renzella 21:51, Neptune City; Cathy Finney 22:04, Ocean Grove; Mike Ayars 22:39, Ocean; Ruhi Guven 23:02, Neptune; Leslie Dexter 23:43, Oakhurst; John Wolfson 23:51, Ocean; Doug Donaldson 24:02 and Paul Weinstein 24:03, Ocean Grove; James Benkiel 24:14, Avon; Maureen Barry 24:29, Neptune; Nancy Pearlman 25:00, Oakhurst; Bob Mason 25:01, Avon; David Indursky 25:20, Ocean; Joseph Policastro 25:29, Ocean Grove; Kenneth Ritz 25:40, Tinton Falls; Kristin Scrabis 25:52, Avon; Jennifer Jones 26:39, Ocean Grove; Bob Hayes 27:45, Ocean; Janice Ritz 27:53, Tinton Falls; Diana Miszkiewicz 28:00, Allenhurst; Francis Burle 28:00, Avon; Kelly Cygan 28:14 and Craig Seba 28:26, Tinton Falls; John Valdivin 28:44 and Erin Benlead 29:00, Avon; Thomas Rogasis 29:01 and James Melchiorre 29:26, Ocean Grove.

Northern area finishers:

Middletown: Brian Hill 19:25, Janine Louie 21:34, Richard Hill 23:42, Cathy Capozzi 24:01, Christine Hill 27:20, John Donelik 27:31, Stephen Louie 28:10, Mark Scaliti 28:41, Beth Fitzpatrick 29:17, Lindsay Harris 31:39, Patricia Hill 36:52.

Red Bank: Marcos Cuevas 19:50, Jennifer Gunn 21:12, Mary Beth Glaccum 23:30, Fernando Ramierz 24:13, Oscar Pina 24:20, Nicole Baldessari 30:39, Eriberto Cuanenemi 32:34, Maureen Haywood 38:24.

Others: Andrew Carusotto 18:29, Keansburg; Scott Linnell 19:25, Colts Neck; Jim Munday 20:19, Holmdel; Nicole Karatzia 21:37, Sea Bright; John Kopko 21:47, Colts Neck; Frank Cannarozzo 22:08, Holmdel; Joseph Boyle 22:45, Colts Neck; Anthony Carusotto 23:57, Keansburg; Robert Moir 23:59, Fair Haven; Erica Linnell 24:13, Colts Neck; Tom Gillick 24:29, Belford; Gayle Stamer 26:11, Little Silver; Michael Volpe 27:13, Holmdel; Dughan Ahimovic 27:35, Fair Haven; Lauren Reaser 29:50, Highlands; Cindy Olsen 29:58, Monmouth Beach; Neil Devaney 30:28, Highlands; Victoria Rogers 30:39, Little Silver; Peter Ahimovic 31:07, Fair Haven; Thomas Canning 32:05, Little Silver; Karen Acacia 32:59, Rumson; Kathryn Winthrop 33:14 and Sadie Ahimovic 34:43, Fair Haven; Tiffany Romeo 35:05, Atlantic Highlands; Susan Farnelli 36:38, Colts Neck; Rosemary Smith 38:32, Monmouth Beach.

Racing continues, on Sept. 3, with Saturday in the Park Women’s 5K in Holmdel Park at 9:00 a.m., info call 732-542-6090 or www.saturdayinthepark5k.org. On Labor Day, Sept. 5, is the Pier Village 5K in Long Branch at 8:30 a.m., info call 732-571-2162 or piervillage@jsrc.org. Also on Sept. 5 is the Eatontown 5K Run at 9:10 a.m., info call 732-389-7607 or rec@eatontownnj.com.

Don’t forget the Jersey Shore 9/11 Memorial Run on Sunday, Sept. 11, at the Belmar boardwalk, across from Dunkin Donuts, at 6:00 p.m. This is not a race; it’s a casual jog to Spring Lake with a stop on the way to read names from a list of those who perished from the Jersey Shore on that fateful day. All, non-regular racers also, are welcome.