PRESIDENT’S CUP NIGHT RACE WILL BE PACKED

Written by Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, June 17, 2012

Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2012    

No, it’s not a USATF New Jersey Championship this year.  Not for open men, or open women.  Does that mean the runners won’t come to Millburn tomorrow night?  I wouldn’t bet on it.

Yes, championships do draw runners and some races would be a bit smaller if they weren’t a championship.  But some races can draw a good crowd of runners without the championship affiliation

The President’s Cup Night Race 5K is one of those.  Most years it has been the open men’s championship although occasionally it hosted the open women.  Last year’s race drew a strong field from both camps.  Jeff Perrella of Westfield won the race in 14:50 and the next seven men finished in under 16 minutes.  Eighth and ninth were just a squeak over sixteen.

On the women’s side Elena Rozhko of Morristown won in 17:21, and the next eight women finished in under twenty minutes. 

Bringing all those fast people together makes all those fast people even better.  There is no question that runners do better when there is competition and the President’s Cup almost guarantees fast times. 

However, not all of the runners are looking for fast times.  Some come for the fun night in Charlie Brown’s restaurant parking lot when Samuel Adams parks a beer truck and the amber fluid flows.  All in all there is something for everyone.  Registration begins at 6:30 p.m. in Charlie Brown’s parking lot.

LAGER RUN 5K NEXT SUNDAY EVENING

While the President Cup race is not a championship, there is one more on the spring schedule.  That is the Fitzgerald 1928 Lager Run in Glen Ridge next Sunday evening.  If the name sounds faintly like a beer run, it is.  Hosted by Fitzgerald 1928 it features Brooklyn Brewery Lager. 

Masters men are in the spotlight at this championship.  Age grading picks the top three for prize money and that went to a range of ages in 2011, from Mark Zamek, 48, of Macungie PA who was scored with the fastest age graded time with his 16:23 hitting 88.53% PLP.  Roger Price, 62, of Randolph was a half percentage point behind with his 18:32 scored at 88.05% and Hector Rivera, 40, of Clifton next in age grading with his 15:45, 86.66%.

Team competition within the age divisions draws many clubs.  Eighteen M40 teams were entered with the top spot taken by the Essex Fleet Feet club.  Shore Athletic Club won the M50 division with ten teams entered.  As many teams were entered in the M60 division with Raritan Valley scoring first, and in the M70 division saw the national caliber Clifton Running Club team with an easy win over the Central Jersey Road Runners.  All of those teams and individuals are expected back to defend their titles in the 2012 edition.

Registration and packet pickup begins at 4:30 p.m. at Hurrell Field on Sunday afternoon.  All that can be done the night before at Fitzgerald’s 1928 at 13 Herman Street between 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

NEW COURSE RECORDS SET AT ROXBURY

All the age division winners at the Roxbury Community Benefit 5K run on Monday, June 11^th set records on the new course.  The race was won by James Lothian of Morristown in 17:21 and by Dianna D’Achille of Denville on the women’s side in 18:46. 

While talking about course records, did you catch the error in last week’s column?  Anthony LaMastro of Flanders set the course record on the old Roxbury course in 2011.  His time was 15:33, not 16:08 as was printed.  I do regret the error.