published Atlantic Highlands Herald 15 September 2005

by Jim Robbins

BELMAR, NJ - Over 200 racers, with hand flags or flowers, participated in the 3rd annual non-competitive 9/11 Memorial Run that starts at the Belmar boardwalk at the Dunkin Donuts area and proceeds to the beach at the Spring Lake/Sea Girt border on Sunday evening, September 11.

photos Bob Both

Lieutenant Tim Mahoney of the New Jersey State Police, race director, with the Stars and Stripes flag pole in hand and Tom Morrison, president of the Jersey Shore Running Club (JSRC) led the silent, no-talking pack, on their trek with one stop at the park adjacent to Lake Como for participants to continue to read aloud the names of the 145 Monmouth County residents who were lost on that tragic day.

At the destination point, approximately a 2 ½ mile distance, a piece of the World Trade Center was placed on the sand where the gathered joggers finished reading the names from the list. Mahoney then offered the still very silent group an opportunity to sound aloud any name that was not on that list who also was a victim. About a dozen names were heard.

The group then placed their flags and flowers at the World Trade Center piece and “resumed” their return to the Dunkin Donuts area at their own pace with talking now allowed.

The theme of the Memorial Run as stated by Mahoney at the 6 p.m. start is to “Run, Reflect and Resume.” The “run” is obvious since the idea was created by Mahoney and Bob Both who are members of the JSRC and regulars on the club’s Thursday night runs in that same boardwalk area. The “reflect” is the reason for the silence so there can be time to concentrate on the tragedy that occurred and the “resume” was in response to what President Bush had asked the country to do: “Resume your lives but never forget.”