RACING LULLS IN JULY – GOES TO NIGHT TIME
Once crowded weekends, full of races, are behind us now until fall. Almost all local races in July are now taking place in the evening in hopes of beating the heat and finding the runners. Summertime is family time on weekends or get-aways to the shore or the mountains. Race directors wisely locate their events for when the runners can attend.
In addition to the Morris County Striders Summer Series Cross Country 5K on July 5th and 19th in Boonton that was featured here last Sunday, two other races are taking place this week.
A long time favorite is the Summer Blast 5K put on by the Rockaway Rotary that was once a Saturday morning race, but which has been a Thursday night race for several years now. It is taking place this Thursday, the seventh.
The Summer Blast course cannot claim to be flat, but it is interesting as the runners head out to Main Street from the start on Beach Street at Fireman's Field. Running a loop on the south side of the borough, they circle back for another run down Main Street and then head north for a loop back to the start.
The Summer Blast was one of the first nighttime races to serve pizza to all of the finishers. Race time is 7:00 p.m. For an application go to www.compuscore.com or call 973-665-2292.
Brand new and unfortunately on the same day as the Summer Blast, the Lawyers for Kids 5K will take place from Ginty Field near the police headquarters in Morris Township.
It uses the same course that was used by the 5,000 Strides in June. Like the Summer Blast it cannot claim to be flat as there is a considerable climb up to Kitchell Road going up Woodland Avenue. Fortunately it occurs in the first half of the race and the rest is downhill to South Street for the drive to the finish.
Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. with the 5K going off at 7:15 p.m. The race is to benefit kids who are provided advocates to see to their needs in family court situations. Kids’ Gallops begin at 8:00 p.m. and are from 25 to 150 yards for kids from age two to eleven. More information can be found at www.OYMP.net or by calling 732-381-0318
Triathlons take too long to be night races. The Morris Center YMCA Triathlon will take place on Sunday, July 17th at Randolph Township Lake just off Route 10 near the border with Roxbury Township. This event has an early start with check-in beginning at 6:00 a.m. with the pre-race briefing at 7:45 a.m. At 8:00 a.m. the first wave of swimmers will be started with successive waves at 5 minute intervals.
The ½ mile swim is in Randolph Township Lake and the 16.4 mile bike leg goes into Randolph and Chester Townships. The run leg is a 5K semi-cross country course.
More information can be found at www.morriscenterymca.org.
One of the biggest races in the state, the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge in Morristown is Thursday, July 21st at 7:15 p.m. Information on how your company can enter a team, which is the only way runners can enter the race, can be found at www.jpmorganchasecc.com or call 973-898-9386. New this year is online registration and according the website, this has been embraced enthusiastically in earlier JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge races.
Also on the website is a listing of the fastest times in a variety of divisions. None have been run at the Morristown race and for good reason. Morristown is hailed as the toughest course in all the world for the series that literally is run all over the world.
CEDAR GROVE RACE WAS SHORT
An abrupt shortening of the 5 kilometer course at the Cedar Grove 5K on June 25th bestowed personal best on all the finishers. Not that any of the runners were putting it in their log. Most were unhappy with the race being shortened, which deprived them of an accurate time for their 5K effort.
We have been told that the police informed the race organizers that they were understaffed and could not post the required number of officers to cover the full course. Instead they insisted that the racers turn back short of the certified turn-around.
SUNSET CLASSIC
The Bloomfield Sunset Classic 5 Mile race this past Thursday was well represented by Morris area runners. Greg Mullins of Wharton placed second with a time of 27:50 and on the women’s side, teenager Diana D’Achille, 13, of Denville was fifth overall in 35:03. The youngster is always turning up in the top tier in local races.
The numbers were up for this year’s race, with 623 finishers as compared to 506 in 2004. It is good to see this once hugely popular race making a comeback.
Originally p ublished on Sunday, July 3, 2005 in the DAILY RECORD of Morris County
Copyright Madeline Bost, 2005