SECOND HALF OF APRIL FULL OF LOCAL RACES
Morris area runners have had to go outside their home territory to find races after the St. Patty's 5K weeks ago in Morris Township. Next weekend will start a flood of local races, more than can be done by most runners.
Morris Knolls Baseball Diamond Club is hosting the third annual MK5K in Denville on Saturday April 21st. There is a lot going for this little race and the best, from a runner's point of view might be the course, which is the now defunct St. Clare's Harvest Festival course. The start is on Diamond Spring Road but the finish is on Pocono Road, by St. Clare's Hospital. You go down more than you go up, leading to fast times.
The overall winners of the race win Mizuno shoes, and all will be entered into a random prize drawing for gift certificates from area merchants and local eateries. This race starts early - at 8:00 a.m. so no sleeping in on Saturday morning. More information is at www.mhrd.k12.nj.us/mk/mk5k
Sunday, the 22nd, you can catch a bit more sleep if you plan to run in the Miles for Matheny 5K in Peapack with its 11:00 a.m. start. If you loved running in the Midland Run for the scenery then you will love the Miles for Matheny. It has gently rolling hills on roads often flanked by horse and cattle pastures. It is truly a beautiful setting.
In addition to the run there are bike races that start earlier in the morning. Plan for extra time to park at the Pfizer complex on Route 206 north to take a shuttle bus to tiny Peapack for the start. All folks parking at Pfizer, passengers included, will need to show a photo I.D. to enter the complex. More information is at www.oymp.net.
Another race with a unique setting is the Woods & Lakes 10K and 5K in Mountain Lakes on Saturday April 28th. You must be thirty years of age, or older to enter. The race was established thirty years ago, when being thirty, and still running, was considered a handicap. Woods and Lakes gave the "oldsters" a shot at winning a race.
Times have sure changed, haven't they? Now there are more folks over age forty running and racing than those in their twenties and thirties. One area where the race has not caught up to the times is in the final category for the senior ages - sixty and over could be a sizeable group ranging from sixty to 75 and even 80.
Two races are now held and both go off together at 10:00 a.m. Both the traditional 10K that is celebrating its thirtieth birthday, and the younger 5K traverse dirt trails, bogs, sand, as well as some macadam paths. More information is at http://woodsandlakesrun.home.att.net .
Just up Route 15 in Sparta is the Main Street 5K also on the 28th. The 5K is only part of a larger festival and business expo that runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A fun run starts at 9:00 a.m. and the competitive 5K goes off at 9:30 a.m. A pre-race pasta party is held the night before from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at Sparta United Methodist Church. Eats are free for registered runners but guests can pony up a mere five dollars to join in the feast. More information is at http://www.mainstreetevents.org/
The Morris area running clubs and competitive USATF-NJ runners will be in Livingston on Sunday April 29th for the Run for Rachel 5K, which is the USATF-NJ Open Women's Championship.
The 5K is only the second race in the championship series, after the St. Patty's ten miler last month. In that race the Shore Athletic Club women beat the Sneaker Factory team, with the Morris County Striders placing fourth. Raritan Valley took third. Also on the 29th is a memorial race in Chester being held for the first year, for Tanner Birch and Kyleigh D'Alessio. The race is being held from the West Morris Central High School in Chester Township at 1:00 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to the top three girls and top three boys to finish the race according to the race application that can be downloaded from http://www.compuscore.com/cs2007/april/index.htm
The New Jersey Marathon is the headline event of a weekend of running and racing in Long Branch on April 28 and 29. Starting with the marathoners Sunday morning will also be half marathoners and runners doing the first leg of the four person relay. Check it out at www.njmarathon.org.
CORECTION: Last week's column contained an editing error. Mark Washburne had run 6,308 days as of last Sunday, not 6,388.
BOSTON BOUND: Washburne and all the Morris area runners will need some determination to get them through tomorrow's Boston Marathon, if the weather forecasts are correct. Running 26 miles in a chill nor'easter will be a challenge.
Originally published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey on Sunday, April 15, 2007
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2007
