ST. PATTY'S DAY 5K SEASON OPENER
You could say they are hungry, the obsessive compulsives knownas runners. The last road race in the area took place way last year andhere it is March. The long wait is over and Morris area runners will beflocking to Morris Township next Saturday for the St. Patty's Day 5K.
Runners from outside the area can also be expected as the 5K isthe only race on the calendar. The Newark Distance Classic 20K thatnormally takes place early in March, has moved and is tentatively scheduledfor May. This could cause a huge turnout for the little 5K that began in2005 with 304 finishers. That number nearly doubled in 2006, to 583.
"This year we are expecting close to 700," said Gary Rosenberg of MorrisTownship, who is the director of operations for the Running Company, thetitle sponsor of the race. The Running Company has stores in several NewJersey cities including one on South Street in Morristown.
The Saint Patty's Day race raises funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,the Police Unity Tour and Morristown High School's Track & Field Team. It'sa win-win arrangement with the high school athletes, who are out in forcehelping with the race as course marshals and finish line workers.
"Because of our affiliation with vendors we can get things done either cheapor free," said Rosenberg. "Our expenses overall are typically lower, so wecan give more out.
As an example Rosenberg points out the Brooks dry-wicking t-shirts that willbe given to the first 700 registrants.
"It retails for around $30.00," he said. "We can give them out as a raceshirt and it's a nice shirt for everybody."
In 2005 the race used the certified course of the defunct Healthy Heart 5K.It was popular with runners but the Morris Township police urged the St.Paddy's Day 5K to use a new course that did not close down Woodland Avenue.The new course needed fewer police officers and thus the change cut intoexpenses, but it does have its detractors.
The Healthy Heart course was designed to be flat and fast. The new courseforced the runners to climb a long hill in the second mile. Rosenbergpointed out that once the runners finish their uphill climb the rest of thecourse is a fast downhill to the finish.
It could be a moot point in 2008 according to Rosenberg. "Our original goalwas to finish in Morristown. We had to go down to Morris Township becauseof the [St Patrick's Day] parade.
"It took us a while but we think that next year we will be able to finish inMorristown," he said. "We will finish on the parade route but not interferewith the parade by using certain roads."
Rosenberg has been one of the best runners from the Morris area but will notbe racing on Saturday.
"I'll be in the lead vehicle," he quipped. "I'll win."
INJURIES HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATING
Rosenberg's humor is bittersweet. Other than jumping into atrack race a couple of weeks ago he hasn't raced since last August. Apuzzling injury that was misdiagnosed as a stress fracture has plagued himin recent years.
"Of my last five marathons I got injured in four of them," saidRosenberg. Luckily for him, his fiancée, Janice Morra is a physicaltherapist, employed by Active Care in Morristown. Frustrated with Rosenberg'scase history she did research that pointed in another direction. Armed withthat new knowledge she had Rosenberg back in training again. He'll berunning in the New Jersey Shore Marathon the end of April. Normally not ahigh mileage runner, Rosenberg is now up to 80 and 95 mile weeks, andlooking forward to an injury free season.
The St. Patty's Day 5K starts at 10:00 a.m. with registration at Ginty Fieldoff Woodland Avenue. A Kids mile will start at 9:45 a.m. There will beprizes to the top overall finishers and to the first three in ten year agedivisions. A random drawing will be held after the race for merchandize andgift certificates. An application can be downloaded from www.compuscore.com
Race Results can often be found at www.compuscore.com or at www.bestrace.com
A calendar of USATF sanctioned events can be found at www.usatfnj.org andalso at www.raceforum.com for running and tri and biathlon events.
Originally published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey on Sunday, March 4, 2007
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2007
