FULL FIELD AT CROSS COUNTRY 5K

Written by Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, September 16, 2012

Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2012

Two hundred and forty-six runners were on the line at Deer Path Park in Hunterdon County last Saturday for the USATF New Jersey cross country 5 kilometer championship.
Eleven open men’s teams finished the race with the Garden State Track Club taking the top four spots by spreading their talent among all four teams.  Their fastest runner, Anthony Harris of East Brunswick who finished first overall in 15:51, was on the club’s C team.

The Shore Athletic Club took first in the M40, M50, but a ploy similar to the Garden State club backfired in the M60.  Shore had sufficient men in the M60 to field two teams and they split their speedster between the A and the B teams, hoping to push the Raritan Valley Road Runners team that is currently in the lead in the team grand prix to third place.  They were cutting it close and when one of their men went down and another team member stopped to give aid, the Raritan Valley team grabbed first.  Both Shore men finished but they had lost precious seconds.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the Shore’s B team placed second while their A team was pushed to third.  In February a rule was established that a B team would remain a B team even if it finished ahead of an A team of the same club.  This is important for points in the team grand prix.  Fourth place was taken by the Morris County Striders in the division.

On the women’s side, winner Cheyenne Ogletree of Garfield (18:06) brought the Garden State’s open women’s team in for first place, but second went to Raritan Valley and third to the Morris area Garmin Runners.

The Garmin Runners have been dominating the W40 division and they did so again on Saturday.  Second was taken by the Sneaker Factory and third by the Do Run Runners.  In the W50 division first was taken by the Sneaker Factory and second went to the Clifton Road Runners.  The Morris County Striders were third, with the Rose City Runners fourth.  The Morris County senior women took first in the W60, W70 and the W80 division.

Thirty-nine men’s and 28 women’s teams competed.  Even teams that did not finish high enough to earn points in the team grand prix, did win points at the race.  As an incentive to the clubs all teams receive a bonus of two points.  Even a team that finishes in eleventh place is valuable to a club’s score in the cross country races.

The next cross country championship, the 8 kilometer, will be at Deer Path Park on Sunday, October 28.

NEWPORT LIBERTY WATERFRONT HALF MARATHON NEXT CHAMPIONSHIP

The Newport half marathon is the championship for all divisions of USATF clubs.  It will take place next Sunday at the Newport Town Square in Jersey City.  Last year over twenty-two hundred runners finished the race and more can be expected this year.

RAIN OR SHINE, THE RACE WILL GO ON

But sometimes a race can’t be held.  No, a little rain won’t stop it but when a tornado appears heading your way, the show stops.  That’s what happened last Saturday afternoon in Morristown when the first annual Run 4 the Seeing Eye had to be cancelled.  Organizers are looking at a date in October for it to be held.  Runners will be notified via email and can always go to superheroracing.com for the latest update.