The Show Must go on, and Races too

Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, June 7, 2015

 

THE SHOW MUST GO ON, AND RACES TOO

Rain or shine.   That’s the catch phrase that applies to races.  After the miserable Sunday rain this past weekend, and still raining Monday morning, the question was being asked, “Will you still hold the race?”

“Rain or shine,” was the answer that Jim Schulz, the race director of the Roxbury Community Benefit 5K gave.  After all, the t-shirts were ready to be distributed, the ice cream from Cliff’s of Ledgewood was ordered, Pizza was ordered, and the cases of water were in the truck.  It is not just those things that make it a rain or shine event.  Police and local rescue squads are scheduled for the event.  Volunteers are lined up to help.

It really has to go on.  By 5:00 p.m. although the skies weren’t sunny, they also weren’t dropping rain either and the race did indeed go on – no rain and no shine.  All post race activities did take place in the Eisenhower Middle School gymnasium as a precaution and that worked out well.

Yousef Rochdi of Rockaway returned to defend his title after having won the race in 2014 in course record time of 15:40.  On Monday he was content to settle in to a 5:03 pace for the win.  Second place was won by Zachary Matthiesen of Flanders in 16:25, while third place went to Tim Burns of Randolph in 17:06.

Fourth place was taken by Roberta Groner of Randolph who finished in 17:11.  Groner was featured here earlier this year after winning the Miles for Music 20K in 1:16:03.  She finished the Boston Marathon in April in 2:50:48 and was the first New Jersey woman to finish.  At the Ridgewood 10K her winning time was 35:53.  Groner’s time at the 10K and the Roxbury race is indicative of a good recovery from the marathon and that she is ready for the 2015 competitive season. 

How fast can she run?  The President’s Cup Night race is coming up in just eight days and that course is notoriously fast.  Later in the month is the Lager Run in Glen Ridge, another fast race. 

ULTRA RACES HAD A GOOD TURNOUT AS ULTRA’S GO

Another Randolph woman had a good race a couple of weeks ago.  Elaine Acosta, 40, didn’t run in the Roxbury race this year.  She finished it in 23:40 back in 2013 but this year she may have been a bit tired after running in the Mayapple 50K at South Mountain Reservation on May 30^th.  Acosta who loves running ultras finished in second place in six hours and 24 minutes.  The race was won in 5:02 by Nohuyori Takeda, whose town is   not listed.  Twenty people finished the race while five did not finish and nine did not start. 

You think that is bad?   Ha!   Seven people started in the Mayapple 100K and just one finished.  Ryan Thorpe finished the race in 13 hours and forty-four minutes.  Humid weather may be to blame.

There was a better percentage of finishers in the 50K with twenty finishers, 9 DNS and only five did not finish.  The 20 miler had 29 finishers and was won in 3:05.  The ten miler was won in 1:27 and had 50 finishers.  Since the races are run on the same set of trails, the woods were actually alive with runners for the early part of the day.

FLAG DAY 5K ON THURSDAY

For those who love night races, the Flag Day 5K is Thursday, June 11, at the VA campus in Lyons.  In 2014 the race was won in 18:15 by Kathleen Castles of New Providence.  Castles has not been racing a lot lately but expect her back for this one.

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Race Results can often be found at www.compuscore.com or at  www.bestrace.com 

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.