Indian Trails had its challenges

Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, April 9, 2017

INDIAN TRAILS HAD ITS CHALLENGES

It’s called Indian Trails, but you were assured it was not a trail race.  Dirt roads and macadam, yes, no trails.  Runners in the Indian Trails 20K or 10K could be excused for asserting that it was a trail race after all.  After a week of rain the dirt roads on the course that wound through the Navesink hills of Leonardo sported rain filled pot holes that had to be dodged.  Especially annoying was the turnaround point for the 20K with a monster puddle that defied careful navigation.

Otherwise the race was well organized and well marked.  Unsuspecting runners who had been warned that it was a challenging course now understand the meaning of challenging.  All though, were rewarded for their efforts when they reached 11 and a half miles.  The course enters the Beacon Hill Country Club golf course and they are at the top of Beacon Hill with the view of the NYC skyline.

 Runners either flew down the hill or put on the brakes.  The first to reach the finish line was Joshua Izewski of Doylestown PA.  Izewski finished in 1:08:06.  In second was Justine Scheid of Succasunna in 1:09:53.

Hannah Eckstein of Middletown was the first woman to finish.  Her time was 1:19:29.  Eckstein led in her Garden State Track Club team to first place.  The Shore Athletic Club women, running on their home turf were second. 

Scheid’s Shore team took third place, while the Garden State club took first and second place.  The Morris based Garmin team placed fourth led in by Karl O’Reilly of Morristown who finished in 1:12:40.

Garmin’s M40 team won their division with Brian Crowley of Hillsborough the top runner in that division.  Crowley finished in 1:13:49.

The Garmin women’s team placed second in the W40 division and took the top spot in the W50 division.  Mary Christian of Flanders, on the W50 team scored third in the women’s age grading with her time of 1:31:32.  Susan Stirrat of Rockaway won the W60 division in 1:49:42 helping her Shore Athletic Club win the W60 division.

Reno Stirrat running on the winning Shore AC M60 team was age graded at third with his time of 1:25:19 and Bruce Langenkamp of Wharton won the M65 division in 1:38:09.  Fifty eight complete teams scored in the race, the first in the year long team grand prix.

In the 10K it was a sweep of sorts for the Slaughter family of Parsippany with daughter Stacy finishing first female in 44:35 with father Charlie winning the M60 division in 44:36.

LOCAL RUNNERS CAME OUT FOR THE STEIDL MEMORIAL5K DESPITE THE WINTER LIKE COLD

Despite the cold and biting winds yesterday, 295 undaunted runners turned out and ran in the Ryan Steidl Memorial 5K in Denville.  Matthew Byrne of Berkeley Heights was the first to finish in a time of 17:22.  Tim Murphy of Morristown was second in 17:30 and Robert Skorupski of Rockaway was third and the first masters runner to finish.  His time was 18:22

Fifteen year old Mackenzie Furlong of Denville showed her heels to the other women in the race and finished first in 19:18.   Gina Baker of Rockaway was second in 20:57.

Other notable performances tracked by the age grading system show Reno Stirrat, 62 of Rockaway with the highest PLP  (performance level percentage) at 84.34%  for his division winning time of 19:14.  Terry Lusard, 53, of Madison hit 82.12% with his 18:22.  Susan Stirrat, 61, joined her husband Reno as the top age graded masters woman at 75.97% for her 27:45 finish.

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Contact Madeline Bost at madelinebost@verizon.net.