Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, June 24, 2018
RANDOLPH’S FROST WINS THE RAIN FLOODED PRESIDENT’S CUP NIGHT
RACE
Collin Frost of Randolph didn’t let a little rain keep him
from winning the President’s Cup Night Race 5K this past Monday night in
Millburn. Did I say a “little
rain”? OK. It was a downpour of biblical proportions.
When the race started at 8:00 p.m. the clear skies had
already darkened and there were hints of trouble to come from the far-off
rumbles of thunder heading our way. At
the start, the pack surged ahead on dry pavement but with no promise it would
remain that way. A lead pack of about
five fast young men quickly made their break but the relatively small pack
became even smaller by the time Frost and his challengers hit the first mile.
That’s when the storm reached Millburn. It began with a fine mist; then a shower, and
then with flashes of lightening, and booms of thunder that quickly followed,
the race was smack in the middle of the fast-moving storm. For the runners the rain was a welcome
wetting but there was the worry that this storm was much too close.
Some runners have reported that they would not have been
surprised if the high school at the turnaround had thrown open its doors and
demanded the runners take shelter. But
it did not happen. Spectators took
shelter in doorways and under awnings, but the runners ran on in the ankle high
water.
Frost was now running with just one other man. Robert
Stone of West Orange was at his side with Kyle Price of Milltown a lonely
third.
Frost said that he threw in some surges in the last mile,
but he couldn’t shake Stone who he did not know. One last surge and Frost pulled away and
headed for the finish on Essex Avenue.
He finished the race in 15:23 to Stone’s 15:27. Price
finished in third in 15:47. Nothing for
the record books unless there is an asterisk designating “finish in flooded
streets”.
Two out-of-town women placed first and second. Laura Cummings of Bay Shore NY was first in
18:33, with Jennifer Sober of Jupiter FL second in 18:47.
The top age graded master woman was no surprise; Nora Cary,
63, of Morristown who finished in 23:09 and 83.06% PLP. Mark Zamek, 55, of Allentown PA was the top
age graded man with an 85.20% PLP for his 17:59.
As the runners finished the race they quickly sought shelter
in doorways and under the pop-up tents in the Charlie Brown’s parking lot. The Sam Adams beer truck was dispensing beer
and the joke was that all the runners were drinking light beer, thinks to the
infusion of rain water.
Then, as in a miracle, as fast as the storm had arrived, it
left just as quickly. Soon the sopping
wet runners were out from under the pop-ups and enjoying their beer by the
light of a crescent moon.
FITZGERALD’S LAGER RUN TONIGHT
If it’s summertime and you run in a night race you can
expect to cool down with a cold beer.
Such is the case this evening after the Fitzgerald’s1928 Lager Run 5K in
Glen Ridge. Often a masters
championship, this year the race is an open men and open women’s
championship. The setting is at Hurrell
Field with the finish on the track. All
post race activities are on the field making for a pleasant setting for
socializing while waiting for the awards ceremony to begin. That in 2017 thirty-six teams came to compete
is a testament to the popularity of this race.
SUNSET CLASSIC FEATURES COED TEAM DIVISION
The month ends with the Tom Fleming Sunset Classic five
miler on Thursday in Bloomfield. The race
features a club coed division that is part of a three race coed club mini grand
prix. Like the corporate divisions in
that the number of declared runners can be unlimited, but the top three men and
top three women will be scored. The open
teams will be scored on time, but in the masters division the scoring will be
based on age grading. The Shades of
Death Half Marathon in October and the Giralda Farms 5K in November will be the
other two races in the coed series.
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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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