RACING SEASON BEGINS

Written By Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, September 4, 2011

Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2011

The fall racing season begins this weekend as does the fall USATF New Jersey championship series.  The first in that series is the Jimmy D 5K in New Brunswick, which is the USATF masters women championship.  The race is staged from Memorial Stadium between 9^th and 12^th Streets on Joyce Kilmer Avenue.  The start time is 9:00 a.m.

This is a fun race that is a Plain Jane out-and-back down Joyce Kilmer.  But Plain Jane pulls a trick on the unwary runner.  Adrenaline fuels a fast start that is aided by a slight downhill that is not felt until the turn-around.  Then you’ll notice that you have not just been feeling good, but have been running downhill for a mile and a half.  Now you must make the return to the stadium on tiring legs.  It’s a hard course to combat.

Once back at the stadium runners are rewarded with a picnic lunch washed down with a runner’s favorite beverage – cold beer from the tap.  As a championship the race is a 700 point New Balance Grand Prix event.

LOCAL RACES FOR MORRIS RUNNERS

Races have always come and gone but it seems like a number of smaller races have either disappeared or are not printing applications or getting listed in race calendars.  Still there are a number of local races in September to consider.

This Thursday, September 8^th, the Share the Care 5K will go off at 6:30 p.m. in Morris Plains.  The location is at Trinity Lutheran Church at 131 Mountain Way.  The race is a fund raiser for Habitat for Humanity and it appears that only the top overall Male and Female runners will take home an award.

Next Sunday, September 11, is the Netcong Day 5K starting at 10:00 a.m. from the Netcong Borough Hall on Maple Avenue.  Trophies will go to the top men and women and medals to the top three finishers in five year age groups to 70 and over.  This is a NBGP 500 points event.

On the following Sunday, September 18^th is the Cheshire Homes 5K in Florham Park.  Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. at the Madison High School with race start at 9:00 a.m.  The race is a point-to-point from the high school to Cheshire Home’s residence in Florham Park.   Awards are generous, starting with top three overall and to top three in each five year age group.  The most senior runners will love that the last age group is 80 and over.  The race is a New Balance 500 point grand prix event.

A race that was moved to September from June due to high temperatures, is the YMCA Flag Day 5K on Saturday, September 24^th at 140 Mt. Airy Road in Basking Ridge.  It features a 3:00 in the afternoon starting time.  It is a 500 New Balance Grand Prix event.

Not much information was available for the September 25^th , Miles for Mike 5K, at Greenview Park in Pequannock.  The race starts at  8:30 a.m., and awards are in ten year age divisions ending at 70 and over, with three youth divisions.  It does not appear to be a New Balance Grand Prix event.

On Sunday, September  25^th  the  Miles for Melanoma 5K will start at 9:00 a.m. from, I am guessing, Ginty Field,  in Morris Township.  This is another race with limited information.  Assume that it is not in the grand prix series.

Most experienced runners know that if a race is not in the USATF New Jersey race calendar it is not sanctioned, and if it is not sanctioned there is no chance that it is a New Balance Grand Prix event.  However some sanctioned races are also not in the grand prix so runners need to look for that information.  Sanctioning also does not imply certified, but grand prix races must be certified.  Confusing?  Check out the rules at www.usatfnj.org, and go to the LDR (Long Distance Running) page for more information.