MORRIS COUNTY STRIDERS SUMMER SERIES ENDS THIS TUESDAY
The Morris County Striders Summer Series will have its final race this Tuesday, wrapping up a four race series that began on July 11th. Now run at Johanson Field in Boonton Township, the series started not as a cross country race, but on roads in Picatinny Arsenal. In 2002, as a result of the terrorist attack on America on September 11th, 2001, the Arsenal had tightened security and the Striders moved the series to Lewis Morris Park.
It was a quirky course that was sort of roads and sort of cross country. No one claimed it as their favorite race course. The present location is a big improvement, with the course now completely cross country, although lacking the challenging hills of an ideal cross country course.
From its inception the race series was designed to offer no frills summer racing, more for fun and bragging rights than trophies. The age divisions were also designed to make the competition appealing to youth runners, and it was hoped that the local high school runners would use it as an opportunity to stay focused in preparation for the fall cross country season.
The high school runners have been slow to catch on to the series, with notable exceptions. The top three fastest female times are credited to runners under twenty.
The fastest 20:14, was run by Jennifer Ennis, then 17, of Succasunna in July of 2005. The second fastest female was Diana D’Achille of Denville, then age 13 when she won in August of 2005 with a 20:19. The third fastest female time is credited to Jackie Marchese of Basking Ridge, who posted 20:46 in 2005 when she was 18 years old.
This season Tim Riley, 19, of North Brunswick, was the overall winner of the first two races with a best time of 16:56. Greg Mullins, 31, of Wharton had the course record of 16:51, but that record was taken away on August 8th when Mark Hess, 17, of Morristown finished in 16:39.
As a no frills race, entrants do not receive a race t-shirt, but the entry fee on race day is only ten dollars for non Morris Country Strider adults, and six dollars for members or for runners age 17 and younger.
To keep the costs down, the club has been fortunate to receive donated, previously cherished trophies that have had the plates stripped and replaced with a series race plate. Watching the youngsters walk off with a huge trophy for winning in their age division is part of the fun at the awards ceremony. Other items are displayed for the winners to choose from, and sometimes the adult runners take nothing at all, happy for the competition.
As this is a series, winners will be determined by the race on Tuesday, with the best three out of four race scores counted. Currently Riley and Hess are separated by a mere two points, 1499 to 1497. Points begin at 500, and graduate down one point for each place.
On the women’s side, Cassie Thalman, 16, of Denville is in a tie with Colleen Owens, 17, of Montville with 1445 points.
What is not so obvious when looking at the points [www.compuscore.com] is that a runner with only two races so far, could move past both young women.
D’Achille, has one win and one second in her two races, and if she runs on Tuesday could move past Thalman and Owens. Victoria Berard, 15, of Denville, is only one point behind D’Achille, so is another contender. For the women, Tuesdays race will be the one to win.
Registration begins around 5:30 p.m. at the far pavilion at the sports fields. The race will go off at 7:00 p.m.
For more information go to www.morriscountystriders.com or call 973-265-5529.
Originally published in the DAILY RECORD of Morris County New Jersey, on Sunday, August 20, 2006
Copyright, MADELINE BOST 2006
