Published by the DAILY
RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, July 12,
2015
NEW
BALANCE GRAND PRIX IS TOP HEAVY WITH MASTERS
The
New Jersey racing season is half over.
The summer will be light on New Balance Grand Prix races, although some
are still to come like the Westfield race on July 22nd. At this time of the year it is interesting to
take
a look at the grand prix series to see who is leading. Not that it is a surprise but the top level
people are over age 40 an in the case of the top men, it is fifty year old John
Hogan of Washington (Bergen County) who has the lead with all nine races and a
point total of 5,409.
Fifty-one
year old Sergio Cano of Kearny who cools off after races with unbelievable
dance routines is in second place with 4,946 points. In third is sixty year old Charlie Slaughter
of Parsippany. The youngest in the top
nine is 46 year old Scott Isgett of Rockaway in sixth place with only one more
race needed to cap his grand prix points.
Ah,
but who is in tenth place with seven races?
None other than 37 year old Atilla Sabahoglu of Somerset who won the
overall grand prix in 2014. He is certainly
on his way. Stalking him is last year’s
second place finisher Ken Goglas of Port Reading who is currently in 51st
place and needing four more grand prix races.
There is plenty of time to get those in the fall.
What
about last year’s third place finishers and multiple-year overall grand prix
winner Mike Dixon of Fanwood? Dixon is
literally nearly off the charts. He is
in 300th place with only two races.
Rumor has it that Dixon is not pursuing grand prix stardom in 2015 and I
would say this proves the point.
Masters
women also dominate the top ten but not as heavily as the men. In first is also an over fifty runner. Mary Christian of Flanders has the lead with
all nice races in. Nora Cary of
Morristown, who turned sixty this year and who has been topping age grading
charts in most of her races is in third place, also with all nine races.
In
2014 as a newbie New Jersey racer, Roberta Groner, 37 of Randolph had just
moved here in August. She knew next to
nothing about the grand prix. While she
ran in a few grand prix races in the fall she was an also-ran in the grand
prix. Not so in 2015. Groner is in twelfth place and missing only
two races – Category Threes. She should
be able to work them into her fall marathon training.
VERIZON
CORPORATE CHALLENGE THIS THURSDAY
The
streets of Morristown will be under siege by swarms of corporate teams on
Thursday evening. The Verizon Corporate
Classic is marking its tenth year. In 2014,
4,264 people finished the race and notice that I did not use the word runner to
describe the folks. Oh yes, plenty of
people run the race but the event puts the emphasis on fitness and the benefit of
fitness and not all of the participants are able to run 3.1 miles. Many walk the entire distance and some while
pushing baby carriages.
In 2014
Tradelle Ward of Hoboken, running for Stryker Orthopaedics won the race in
15:55, with teen Paul Ehmanns of Mendham second in 16:07. The winning time was not the fastest time
ever for the race. That honor was earned
by Chris Pannone of Whitehouse Station in 2009 when he won the race in
15:01.
Last
year’s female winner very definitely set a new course record. Ashley
Higginson, running for Riker Danzig placed ninth overall in 17:11 smashing Elena
Rozhko record of 17:49 set in 2011.
There
will be a crowd in Morristown for sure. The
race has reached capacity and is no longer taking registrations.
##
A calendar of USATF sanctioned events can be found at www.usatfnj.org or at www.raceforum.com for running and tri and
biathlon events.
Contact Madeline Bost at madelinebost@verizon.net.
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