MORRIS COUNTY AND SNEAKER FACTORY PLAY SECOND AND THIRD FIDDLE ONCE AGAIN TO RARITAN VALLEY The Raritan Valley Road Runners didn't just win the USATF-NJ Overall Club grand prix. They aced it. Only once has the RVRR club lost a grand prix since its inception and this year they scored 459 points to second place Morris County Striders' 370 points. The Sneaker Factory claimed third with 268 points. Runner up team, Shore Athletic Club was only 41 points behind. Raritan Valley didn't win them all though. The Breakneck Track Club took first in the Open Men division, winning five championships out of eight with 68 points. The closer contest in that division was the Running Company taking second, just one point ahead of RVRR, 58 to 57. Sneaker Factory starred in the M40 division with 65 points to second place Running Company's 60 points with Raritan Valley in third with 58. |
Morris County Striders M50 team had a good year and defeated RVRR's team 54 points to 46. Shore AC took third.
To no one's surprise the Clifton Road Runners M60 team placed first with Shore AC in second. In a tie for third between Morris County and the North Jersey Masters, the Morris County team won on the number of times they beat their rivals in head to head competition.
Shore AC beat the Central Jersey Road Runners in the M70 division and laid claim to a B team at the 5K cross country race on their home turf at Holmdel Park in October.
The Raritan Valley team won the Open Women's division with 61 points to Morris County's 55 with the Sneaker Factory taking third.
In fact, Raritan Valley swept the women's division with wins in the W40, W50 and W60. The contests turned out to be for second with Sneaker Factory taking that in the W40 and W50. Morris County settled for fourth in the W40 and W50 but placed second in the W60 divisions.
Both Raritan Valley and Morris County had W70 teams but were not able to satisfy the three race requirement for getting to the final tally.
CHAMPIONSHIPS BRING THE TEAMS
USATF-NJ championships are the only time that teams compete officially so the choice of races to host championships is always important. The Long Distance Running Committee made their selection in November and the races that have been selected are now posted on the USATF website.
First on the schedule on March 9th is the Newark Distance Classic 20K coming back after a year's absence. It will host all divisions.
Also in March is the Freehold St. Paddy's 10 miler on the 30th hosting all divisions. This will be the second year for St. Paddy's.
April 13th is the date of the Run for Rachel 5K in Livingston hosting the Open women's division. A new race in 2007, the Clinton Country Run 15K will host Open men and women on April 26th.
On May 10th the Our House 5 mile in Summit will host Masters men and women. Newport in Jersey City is the site of the Newport 10,000 on May 10th hosting Open men and women.
The President's Cup Night Race 5K in Millburn on June 16th will be the Open men's championship followed on June 22nd by the Masters men and women's 5K at Pine Beach.
September 28th is the date of the Liberty Waterfront Half Marathon for all divisions at Newport in Jersey City.
Returning as a championship is the Giralda Farms 10K in Madison on November 9th. The Ashenfelter 8K on Thanksgiving morning will once again be the Open men and women's championship. The Masters men and women's 15K championship will be hosted by the USATF-NJ association on December 14th.
Still to be determined are the location and dates of the 5K and 8K cross country championships.
JANUARY FIRST RACES ON TUESDAY
That's the whole year of racing championships but looming just around the corner, two days from now are the January 1st races, including the Central Jersey Road Runners Hangover 5K in Westfield and the Hamilton Hangover 5 Mile. The Hillsborough Resolution Run is undoubtedly closed as they have usually met their limit by now and do not accept race day applications.
Originally published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey on Sunday, December 30, 2007
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2007
