New Jersey athletes in the Big Apple

NEW JERSEY ATHLETES IN THE BIG APPLE

It doesn't get a bigger than the Millrose Games track meet in New York City every February.  Once held at Madison Square Garden, the meet is now held at the New York Armory.  The meet was held this year on Friday, February 8th.

What many casual observers of the nationally televised meet do not know is that many events are held that do not make it to the prime time broadcast.  What New Jersey viewers did not see was the several events in which New Jersey athletes competed. 

 The Garden State Track Club New Balance won the men's Distance Medley Relay in 9:58.52.  Their B team placed seventh while the Shore Athletic Club finished in eighth place, with Justin Scheid of Succasunna running the anchor leg.  Garden State's Women's teams placed fifth and eighth in the Distance Medley and their sprint team placed third in the four by two hundred relay.  Their men's sprint team won the 4 X 200.

New Jersey masters teams  ran in the 4 X 400 relays with the Garmin M40 team finishing in fourth place and their M50 team finishing eleventh in the same combined heat.  How the teams were broken out by age is not available on the Armory website.

NEW JERSEY vs NEW YORK TRACK MEET

Morris area runners returned to the Ocean Breeze indoor facility this past Sunday to compete in the USATF New Jersey/ New York indoor championship meet with the New Jersey athletes winning again, as they did in 2018.

Nora Cary of Morristown won her W60 division in the 3,000 meters with a time of 12:54.35.  In a close race in the mile, Cary finished in 6:30.77 for second place just one second behind first.  Susan Stirrat of Rockaway made it a triple in her W60 division placing second to Cary in the 3,000 meter race with her 15:11.91.  She was third in the 800 meter run in 3:39.88 and fourth in the Mile in 7:47.76.

On the men's side, Reno Stirrat won the M60 3,000 meter race in 11:38.03 and placed second in the Mile in 6:04.34.  Bob Skorupski of Rockaway won his M45 division 3,000 meter race in 10:07.81, and placed third in the 800 meter race with his time of 2:13.53.  John Saarman of Stanhope was first in the 400 meter race in his M75 division in 1:44.45.

By far the biggest winner was Mark Williams of Columbia.  The former Lake Hopatcong athlete won all three of his M45 races;  400 meters in 54.60, 800 meters 2:01.51 and the mile 4:38.19.

Williams and some other New Jersey athletes will be competing at the masters national indoor championship in Winston Salem NC the first weekend in March.

LONG DISTANCE RUNNING MEETING MARCH 7

The USATF Long Distance Running committee is having their meeting on Thursday, March 7th at the Madison Y.  A major change is going to  be voted on regarding when submissions for rule changes will be made, debated and approved at this meeting.  Interested runners should check out the meeting agenda on the USATF New Jersey website and plan to attend.

##