LOOK WHO’S IN THE TOP TEN
Runners are compulsive in more ways that just needing a run each day. They have a desire to know their stats; how they rack up against the next guy or gal. That compulsion is nurtured with the USATF-NJ long distance running grand prixs, but now there is another stat that can be checked.
Thanks to Joe Lanzalotto of Kendall Park, who is the Women’s long distance running committee chair, runners can find the top ten fastest times in each five-year age division, for New Jersey races at a range of distances. They are at the LDR page of the USATF-NJ website. A look at the stats for 5K found many local runners who have achieved that fame.
Diana D’Achille of Denville is the fourth fastest girl in the fourteen and under category. D’Achille, who is 13, has a 20:07, which is the fifth fastest time listed.
In the age 15 to 19 class, Lauren Gregory, 17, of Denville, whose name is well known in high school track and cross country is credited with 19:09, the fastest time for her division. Lauren Penney, 15, of Succasunna ranks third with her 19:53.
Heather Gardiner, 26, of Morristown has the fourth fastest time with only two women who have run faster than her 17:56. Cathy Grote, 30, of Bernardsville is the second person in the W30 division, with a time of 17:45.
Christine Glockenmeir, 37, of Basking Ridge is credited with the fastest time of 18:06 in her division.
Heather Gracie-Petty, 42, of Peapack has the first (18:40), third and fourth fastest listed times with Jeanne Pare, 44, of Mendham ranked third although her time of 18:55 is fifth. In the W45 division Jennifer Wheeldon, 46, of Denville, who races part of the year in Italy, is the third ranked woman and her time of 20:31 is ranked fourth.
When one runner dominates a division, there is not much room in the top ten for others. Such is the case in the W50 with Jane Parks of Morristown having all but one top ten times. She ranges from 20:48 to 21:28, with only Linda Mirabella, 50, of Rockaway inserted in the list at third with her 21:03.
Natalie Grabow, 59, of Mountain Lakes is the third fastest woman in her division with her 23:51 ranked sixth. Shirley Pettijohn, 71, of Chatham is second W70, with her 36:44, with Carolyn Weaver of Rockaway third and Diane Stone of Bernardsville fourth.
Nicholas Salek of Morris Plains is the third ranked boy in the fourteen and under division with his 19:10. Andrew Hanko of Montville is ranked number two in the M15 to 19 division with a 15:54 with Korey Edwards of Morris Plains ranked fourth with his 16:43.
Ken Goglas, 23, of Randolph is only in the state during his college breaks but he has gotten into the top ten with his 15:27 for fourth in the M20 division. Peter Allen of Morristown, who was featured here in June, is credited with fourth place with his time of 16:41.
Just a few weeks back Charlie Slaughter was featured in this column for coming on strong in the M50 division. He credited Bill Bosmann, 54, of Sparta with giving him some great competition. That is well borne out in looking at their division. Slaughter has the top time of 17:59, with Bosmann coming in at fourth fastest at 18:18. Only one other runner even shows up in the top ten at ninth. The rest are all Slaughter and Bosmann.
In the M55 division, Bruce Langenkamp of Wharton has always to contend with the same cast of characters in his always very competitive age division. Right now Langenkamp has the top ranking with his 18:33. Bob Aromando of Bedminster does not race often but when he does he is a shoe-in to win the M65 division and he has the two fastest times there with his best at 19:58.
Also featured in this column, George Studzinsk, 71, of Kinnelon has the second through fifth fastest times in the M70 division with his best being 22:35.
New Jersey is home to one of the oldest still competing runners in the country. Dudley Healy of Chatham is now 90, and he is ranked number one with his 58:27 done at the Ridgewood Run in May. We can all only hope that we can follow in Healy’s footsteps, literally, and be looking at our rankings when we hit that division.
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Published in the DAILY RECORD of Morris County on Sunday, August 14, 2005
Copyright, MADELINE BOST, 2005