PRESIDENT’S CUP NIGHT RACE BRINGS OUT SPEED
The names change over the years, but one thing that does not change is the speed that comes to the President’s Cup Night Race 5K each year. Coming up this coming Monday night, the Millburn race has been a championship for Open Men or Open Women for a number of years. But it doesn’t matter what division it hosts, the runners will come.
In 2004 Stephen Ondieki of Hackensack out kicked Anthony DeBenedictis of Roselle Park to win in 14:49. DeBenedictis also finished in under fifteen minutes, in 14:54. Fifteen men had crossed the finish line when the clock hit 16:00, a time that would guarantee first place in almost any other New Jersey race.
On the women’s side things were no different. Even though the championship division was for the open men, ten women finished the race in under 19 minutes. First place was Amy VanAlstine of Midland Park with her 17:21. Six women finished in under eighteen minutes and a total of seventeen finished before the clock hit 20 flat. [complete 2004 results]
The course has been remeasured and re-certified over the years, so being short can’t explain the fastness of the course. I believe it is the extra doses of adrenaline that infuse the runners when they are elbow to elbow with their fastest rivals.
That doesn’t mean just the elite, in-the-front-of-the-pack runners. Throughout the field 24 minute runners and 27 minute runners will tell you that their personal bests were done at the President’s Cup.
But what draws the runners to Millburn on a Monday night in June? Is it the cold Samuel Adams that is dispensed from a bottom-less tanker at Charley Brown’s? Could be. I’ve heard enough runners praise that cold beer to consider it a definite factor.
But if that is bringing runners, it is the runners, who with their collective adrenaline that pushes the pace, that makes all of them faster than they would have been in a 250-person field. The President’s Cup always draws over a thousand runners. In 2004 it was close to 1,300. Threatening weather only puts a slight damper on the turnout.
For those who have never run the race, it is a double loop of Millburn. The first loop is the smaller of the two, bringing the runners up the only hill on the course. The first time it is a small hill, the second time it has grown to surprising proportions as it is sited at about two and a half miles, when the legs are beginning to burn. [course map]
After that the finish is waiting on the other side. But if you’re not careful you could put it into finish line gear and find out there is a block more than you thought. Come to think of it, maybe that is why the times are so fast. Maybe people make their move too soon and are forced to hold the drive longer than anticipated.
MEN’S TEAM COULD PROVE INTERESTING
Another contest is in the making in the team division. In 2004 the winning team was the Sneaker Factory with three of their men in the top ten, Anthony DeBenedictis of Roselle Park who was second, Mohamed Khadraoui of Paterson, fourth, and Scott Bessette of Maplewood, tenth. This year DeBenedictis has not been seen in any races, nor has Khadraoui, and Bessette has moved out of state.
That leaves the door open to the 2004 second place team, Gadsden, except that Gadsden is no more. The team has merged with Mizuno’s Runner’s High and that means they will add Rob DeFilippis of Tinton Falls to the squad.
Meanwhile, the Fleet Feet team, which had the number three man in 2004, Carlos Martins of Kearny, will be back, looking to defend their record. So far this year, Fleet Feet has won every championship race they have entered. This will be one exciting race to watch.
Applications are being taken at the Sneaker Factory in Millburn up until race day. For more information call 973-376-6094.
Originally p ublished in the DAILY RECORD on Sunday, June 12, 2005
Copyright Madeline Bost, 2005