Published in the DAILY RECORD
For Sunday, June 3, 2018
GRONER STARS AT RIDGEWOOD
While she may not be a New Jersey association champion, thanks to her now being a member of New
York’s association, Roberta Groner of Randolph was the story at the Ridgewood Run 10K last Monday.
The 10K was the state championship for men and women masters runners, but Groner, who turned 40
recently wasn’t eligible to compete in the championship division.
In a race that encourages professional runners, like the winner of the race, Temesgen Habtemariam
of New York who finished in 30:15, the first New Jersey runner is expected to be down a few spots
in the order of finish.
And so it was. The first New Jersey runner finished in seventh place overall. What wasn’t expected –
the first New Jersey runner was Groner, who finished in an eye popping 33:31. Her time placed her
as the overall course record holder, beating out the previous record of 33:36 by five seconds,
set by assumed professional runner Naomi Wangui in 2001.
Groner was followed by three out-of-state women with Karen Auteri of Belvidere the next New Jersey
woman to finish. Her time was 36:44, which is reported to be an Auteri pr.
Stuart Haynes of Chatham was the top masters man, and top man on the winning M40 team Garmin
Runners, with Gary Rosenberg of Morristown next in 35:20. The Garden State Track Club’s A team
took second with the club’s B team next in third place.
In the M50 division, the Garmin’s team placed first to the Garden State’s team with the Shore AC third. Rockaway’s Reno Stirrat was the fastest man on the Shore team with his 38:36. Stirrat did not let a little thing like a back issue, as mentioned in this column last week, slow him down and he was only off of his age division course record time of 38:28 by eight seconds. Ten teams competed in the M50 division that requires five men on a team minimum.
Thanks to being able to use one runner on two different age division teams, Stirrat headed up the
Shore’s winning M60 team well ahead of the North Jersey Masters in second and Fleet Feet Essex
in third, out of 13 teams.
On the women’s side the Clifton Running Club had no trouble placing first in the W40 division with
the Garmin Runners in second and the Garden State team in third, out of 19 teams that competed.
Clifton took a back seat in the W50 division with the North Jersey Masters taking first with Clifton
second with the Garmin Runners third out of 14 teams.
Nora Cary of Morristown was the top finisher in the W60 division with her 43:23 and she brought her
North Jersey Masters team to first place in their W60 division. The Raritan Valley team was second
and the North Jersey B team was third, out of six teams that competed.
The North Jersey team was the sole competitor in the W70 division.
Misa Tamura shaved four seconds off her own W50 record of 38:43 set in 2016 down to 38:38.
Cary knocked the legs off Toshiko d’Elia’s long standing W60 record of 44:47 by
more than a minute with her 43:23.
COLUMBIA TRAIL AND KEN LOCKWOOD TRAIL 15K, BEAUTIFUL BEAST
If I were in 15 kilometer shape I would be at the USATF NJ trail race championship on Saturday,
June 9th. Many runners have run on the Columbia Trail former railroad bed out of Long Valley
to High Bridge. Contrast the trail with its only slight inclines with the Ken Lockwood Gorge
and you have quite an adventure.
Quoting the race website, “run above the river and falls, and then wind your way through the
gorge as you take in all Hunterdon County has to offer, just before a climb that will provide
you the chance to conquer (or be conquered) by the “BEAST”. “
A bit of hyperbole perhaps, but the Ken Lockwood Gorge is considered one of the treasures
of the state and a run into and back out of the gorge promises to be memorable.
There are plenty of less challenging races this coming weekend, including the Chatham Fishawack
4 miler and the Florham Park Jaycees 5K.
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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.
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