ROXBURY COMMUNITY BENEFIT 5K MAKES CHANGES

Written by Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, June 10, 2012
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2012

Most runners have a preference for the way a race course is laid out. A pure out and back course gives you a runners-side view of the race. You see the field as it comes back on the other side of the road. A lollipop course is part out and back and part loop. A pure loop course begins and ends at the same place but arrives at that spot by circling the area.

While runners have preferences, there is another group that has preferences that have nothing to do with running. Those people are the police officers who must control and often stop traffic while the race is going on.

In the case of the Roxbury Community Benefit 5K that will take place tomorrow night in Succasunna, Roxbury Township, the police have made their preference known. The popular out-and-back, with a lollipop, had to go.

With the growth in population over the years since the races’ inception, the traffic that had to be held up while the runners used Eyland Avenue, could not be managed. The road was being used for just too much time with no place to stall the drivers trying to use it. A new course had to be designed.

Enter Jim Schulz who lives in the area of the race and who is the director of the race with assistance from the Morris County Striders who took over the race from the Merry Heart Health Care Center.

Schulz found that if the runners start on Eyland, in front of the Eisenhower Middle School where all race activities takes place, he could route a loop through the neighborhoods and up to Hillside and then back to the middle school via the roadway to the adjacent high school.

But then things get tricky. Roxbury High School needed to be free of any evening activities, with no vehicles blocking the racers. That meant that the race would need to move to the second Monday in June, not the first. At one time every Monday night in June sported a 5K race, but the race that normally used the second Monday has folded. Smart race organizers never want to schedule the same day as another established race. With the other race gone, the calendar was clear for the Roxbury race. It takes the second Monday, the President’s Cup Night Race in Millburn has the third and the Battle of the Business 5K in Florham Park has the fourth.

Any time you change a course significantly you open the race up to the setting of course records.

Anthony LaMastro of Flanders set the course record of 15:33 in 2011. Ali Caruana of Succasunna has the women’s course record of 17:15 that she set in 2006. Some of the age division records are not shabby either. Doug Smith of Succasunna had the record for one year with his 16:08 that he set in 2010. It stands for the 15 to 16 year old division. Smith also has the 13/14 division record of 17:17. On the girls side of the ledger, Roxbury High School standouts have them all sewed up, with Jenn Ennis holding the 12 and under record of 19:29, Ashley Cromartie has the 13/14 record with 18:52 and Mary Migton the 15/16 of 18:54.

Some of the masters age division records are held by runners who no longer race, but some still active runners include Jeanne Pare of Mendham who claims 18:07 and 19:12 for the W40 and W45 records. Triathlete Linda Mirabella of Rockaway has the W50 and W55 records of 21:44 and 21:58 respectively. Cande Olsen of Chatham has the W60 record of 24:00.

The runner with the most course records is Bill Hagman of Morris Plains, who has the M55, M60 and M65, of 19:06, 18:22 and 21:32 respectively. All the records will be retired and fresh names and times will be recorded on Monday night.

Not just the course and the date have changed. This year the post race refreshments will be pizzas donated by several local pizzerias; Papa John’s on Route 10 West in Succasunna, Domino’s on Route 46 west in Ledgewood, Joe's Pizzeria on Route 46 East in Kenvil and Luigi's Pizza on Route 10 East in Succasunna.

Pizza will be washed down by a brand new sports hydration beverage, Powercoco that is made from coconut water. Of course the big draw for the runners is the post pizza treat from Cliff’s Ice Cream.

Details about the race can be found at morriscountystriders.com. For more information contact Jim Schulz at 973-219-4494 or rcb5k@optonline.net

COLLEGE AVENUE MILES NEXT SUNDAY IN NEW BRUNSWICK

Written by Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, June 3, 2012
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2012

The Garden State Track Club if hosting what they expect to be the first of annual College Avenue Mile festival of miles in New Brunswick next Sunday, June 10th.           

Beginning at 10:00 a.m. with the youth divisions going off first, there will be a succession of races.  After the youth will come the elite divisions with high school, open, and masters 40 to 59, and senior masters 60 and over.  Then the fun begins for the other folks who want a taste of competitive mile races that fit with their running pace.  Starting those races will be the division for those who will run a ten minute mile or slower.  Then nine to ten minutes, on down to the last one that is faster than five minutes.

How to determine a winner of a heat if he or she goes under the division time will be tricky but the club has people working on that.  Runners should probably assume they will run their mile a bit faster than they think they can and seed themselves appropriately.

The course will be flat and fast.  It is two 800 meter loops making it a very friendly spectator course that starts and finishes in front of the College Avenue Gym.

Once the runners have finished with their race, they can drift to the Olive Branch Bar and Restaurant that is on the race course to enjoy two dollar beers being served all day.  Not a bad way to watch the races.

Pre-registration is greatly encouraged.  Day-of-race registration must be done at least one hour prior to the selected race.  The schedule and other information can be found on the club website, gardenstatetc.org. 

TRACK MEET TODAY AT MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY  

Track runners are at Monmouth University today for the USATF New Jersey open and masters track and field championship. 

This evening the Pleasant Valley Twilight Challenge 5K will start at 6:00 at Pleasant Valley Park on Valley Road in Basking Ridge.  The course is a combination of roads and dirt surface – part cross country and part roads.

Next Saturday is the Chatham Fishawack Four mile race and a one mile run.  The mile race begins at 9:00 a.m. while the four mile starts at 9:30 a.m.  On the same day in Florham Park is the Jaycees 5K starting at 8:30 a.m.  On Sunday, June 10^th is the Run for Marge 5K in Pequannock.  The Run for Julianna 10K in Denville that has been shown for the 10^th has moved to the fall.

Central Park in Morris Plains will be the site of a 5K Cross Country run at 9:30 a.m. on the 10^th.  It is a new addition to the USATF-NJ cross country grand prix series.

Don’t look for the Roxbury Community Benefit 5K tomorrow.  The race has been moved to the second Monday evening in June, June 11^th.

RIDGEWOOD RUN

The Ridgewood Runs on Monday always draw elite, professional runners from outside the state and that was true this year as well.  First place in the 10K was won in 30:18, followed by a handful of said runners, but Morristown’s Ben Clarke finished sixth in 34:09.  Clarke’s friend from Atlanta Allison Dublinski placed third in 39:27.  Clarke and Dublinski won the Pfizer Run With Pride, respectively on May 23^rd in Madison.

In the 5K, Youssef Rochdi of Morris Plains, who was featured here onMay 6th, finished third in 15:09 while Elena Rozhko of Morristown took second woman in 17:46.  Just as the professional runners are almost guaranteed to show at Ridgewood, so it seems are hot and humid conditions.   That was the case on Monday resulting in disappointing times for the racers.

A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN TWO WEEKS

Written by Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, May 27, 2012
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2012

TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS HAVE COME AND GONE

A lot can happen in two weeks, when it is two weeks in prime racing season.  I was called away unexpectedly two weeks ago for a family member’s illness in Washington state, and am now catching up to the news on the racing scene.

The Newport 10,000 in Jersey City has always been an interesting race.  No, not because of the location in the Newport area of the waterfront city, but because of the mixture of local elite runners and elite runners from out of state and out of the country.

The non New Jersey runners are lured in with prize money substantial enough to warrant the drive or the flight from places like Kentucky, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, Maryland, New Mexico, and of course, New York.  First place was taken by Julius Koskei in 29:15 and seven men went under 30 minutes.  Eighth place was taken by New Jersean Jeff Perella of Westfield in 31:15.

The first woman to finish was Loretta Kilmer in 33:53.  Coincidentally the first New Jersey woman to finish also took eighth place.  Elena Rozhko of Morristown would win a 10K ordinarily with a time of 37:03, but when you are up against pro runners, well, you get eighth.

The race, which took place on May 12^th, was host to USATF New Jersey open men and women, so in a sense they were not running against the pros, but against fellow state runners.

The now dominant Garden State Track club took first in the both the men and women’s team championship.  The Sneaker Factory was second men’s team with the Fleet Feet Essex club third.  On the women’s side Raritan Valley’s team was second and the new in 2012 Garmin runners were third. 

On May 20^th, the Run for Rachel in Livingston was the USATF New Jersey 5K open women’s championship.  Rozhko won the race with her time of 17:41, the only local woman to place in the top ten.  The Garden State Track club made it a double header of sorts with another win, Raritan Valley again in second and the Garmin women again in third.

The win by Garden State broke the tie in the open women division of the team grand prix that has now been posted on the USATF NJ website.  In the club grand prix, the Raritan Valley Road Runners have once again jumped to the lead.

In addition to the championship races this month, Morris County saw the SuperHero Half Marathon draw 1,237 official finishers and maybe even set a world record for the most super heroes in costume in one place.  Ryan Grote of Morristown won the race in 1:11:19, well over three minutes ahead of the rest of the field, which certainly makes him a super hero, whether he dressed as one or not.

Masters runner Misa Tamura of Ridgewood was the first woman to finish, but with only a seven second margin over Kristin Miller, 17, of Long Valley.  Their times were 1:27:40 and 1:27:47 respectively.

This past Wednesday in Madison the Pfizer Run For Pride 5K was won by Ben Clarke of Morristown in 16:28.  Visiting from Atlanta, Allison Dublinski finished in 18:26 to win the women’s race.  Threatening skies may have kept some runners away but the rain held off or had moved away for the 525 who finished the race.

Foster Wheeler won the men’s team division, with Novartis second and host Pfizer third.   Novartis women won their division, with Pfizer second and ADP third.  The Coed division was won by the Greystone Park staff team, Prudential Real Estate Investors were second, and the Picatinny Pacers took third.

NATIONAL TRAILS DAY IS SATURDAY

Morris County is blessed with a network of off-road walking, cycling and yes, running trails.  This Saturday is National Trails Day and a newly opened segment of the Patriots Path will have a ribbon cutting ceremony and then a ride, walk, or run that will begin at the Horseshoe Lake complex in Roxbury at 9:00 a.m.  The segment being opened is through the Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority land between Righter Road in Roxbury and Pleasant Hill Road in Ironia.  It reconnects what was once a railroad track that goes through the Black River Wildlife Management area to Pleasant Hill Road in Chester.  

ROCHDI WORKING HARD TO MAKE IT TO THE TOP

Written by Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, May 6, 2012
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2012

Youssef Rochdi, 28, an immigrant from Morocco who now calls Morris Plains New Jersey home is a man with a mission.  Despite long hours as a delivery man, and not enough hours to train, his mission is to make it to the top in road racing.  No, not in New Jersey, but in the elite world of national and international competition.

Rochdi was the winner of this past Saturday’s USATF New Jersey 15K championship at the Clinton Country Run.  That puts him solidly in the category of elite New Jersey runner, out stepping Michael Dixon of Fanwood, 51:03 to 51:16.

Rochdi looked comfortable winning the race and he said that it was not difficult to maintain the lead.  On the track he does one mile repeats in 4:42, so the 5:28 pace over 9.3 miles had to be in his words, a convenient pace.

In Morocco Rochdi was a track racer, specializing in the mile and the 5,000 meters.  On the track he has run 3:57 and 13:42, respectively.   His heart is still on the track but he now runs road races in order to help support himself with prize money.

Purses are not big enough to support any but the most elite and Rochdi does not fall into that category yet.  When he came to the US a few years ago, he was first injured and then was unable to do the training that he needed to be competitive.  In 2009 and 2010 Rochdi said that he was working 60 to 70 hours a week and it clearly was an impediment to his running and racing ability.

“I did not have to work to support myself in Morocco, so it was easier,” said Rochdi.  “When I came to America I had to support myself.”

Up  at 5:00 a.m., he gets in an hour or so of easy running.  His evening runs are speed workouts.  Twenty miles in a day when he does his doubles adds up to a lot of miles each week.

Rochdi had an unpleasant experience recently when he came to a local high school to do his track workout.  Although he arrived after six in the evening, as he had been told was the rule for non-students, he was barred from using the track.  Although the experience was upsetting he said that he will run on a different track that is more hospitable to non-students.

Youssef‘s goal for 2012 is to run 14:37 on the roads and he thinks that is doable at the President’s Cup Night Race in Millburn in June.  The eight o’clock in the evening is a good fit for him.

“I like to run in the evening and not in the morning,” he said.  “My body is used to it and it is awake in the evening.”

Rochdi has a full schedule in addition to his running and work.  He is taking classes at County College of Morris in physical therapy although his schooling in Morocco was in law.  He has attained his certificate as a USATF Level 1 coach and he coaches at the West Essex YMCA. 

Rochdi would like to be training in Albuquerque New Mexico where he could benefit from the high altitude that helps other elite athletes.  He would love to be the first New Jersey runner to win the ING New York City Marathon, a very lofty goal, but one that he sees as possible if he could devote all of his energies to his training.  Three months in New Mexico could make it possible, he thinks.

“I’d like to go over 160 miles per week,” he said.  “The high mileage is a sure improvement for long distance running, especially at altitude.”

Rochdi is friends with Mo Trafeh who won the USATF half marathon in 2011, out sprinting Ryan Hall for the win.  Clearly Trafeh has inspired Rochdi that with hard work and high mileage he too can be a top runner.

When Rochdi gets discouraged and depressed he thinks about Trafeh and the other Moroccan runners who have come to the United States and have done well; people like Khalid Kannouchi, and Fouzi Aloui who have both raced in New Jersey.

Rochdi is at the Our House Five Miler today in Summit, which is the USATF New Jersey open men and women’s championship.  Next week he will be at the Newport 10,000 in Jersey City.

At the Newport 10,000 last year in Jersey City, Rochdi did not run the race competitively and in fact did not actually cross the finish line until nearly an hour and a half had passed.  This year will be a different story and he hopes to get close to thirty minutes.

GARDEN STATE TRACK CLUB STOMPED THE COMPETITION AT THE STOMP THE MONSTER

Written by Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, April 15, 2012
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2012

At last Sunday’s USATF New Jersey open men’s championship 5K, the Stomp the Monster in Marlboro, the Garden State Track Club took first, second and fourth in the team competition.  Their first place team was timed in 1:22.25 for their first five men.  Their second place team needed only six seconds to tie as their time was 1:22.31.  The Raritan Valley Road Runners team was third and the Do Run Runners were fifth.  The Sneaker Factory was the only other local team to place in the top eight.  In all fifteen teams competed, representing eight clubs.  Just over 900 runners finished the race.

The race was won by Craig Segal of Highlands in 15:12 with Jeff Perrella of Westfield second in 15:15.  Youssef Rochdi of Morris Plains was third in 15:19.  With only a week’s recovery from the Boston Marathon, Michael Dixon of Fanwood finished fourth in 15:23.

Nine men finished in under sixteen minutes and a total of seventeen finished in under 17 minutes.

On the women’s side, Elena Rozhko of Morristown was a decisive first in 17:38.  Second place was taken by Katie Van Horn of Glenora in 18:04.  Catherine Smith of Wayne was third in 18:37.

At the Unite Half Marathon the same day at Rutgers, Thomas Poland of Morristown took second in 1:08:38, beaten by Washington DC runner Demesse Tefera in 1:07:44.  Jacob Edwards of Montclair gave Poland the race he wanted in a close third in 1:08:41.  On the women’s side Hirut Mandefro of DC was first in 1:19:39.   A field of 2,667 runners finished the race.  In addition over 500 runners finished the 8K race.

Ryan Grote of Morristown won the Miles for Matheny 5K in Peapack in 15:34.  Placing second to the thirty-seven year old Grote was thirteen year old Christopher Sisto of Bernardsville who finished in 17:41.

A tight race on the women’s side ended with Laura Quintana of Bedminster winning a sprint to the tape with Zoe Wojtech of Far Hills by only a lean, 20:18.28 to 20:18.44.  Both girls, 16, compete for Bernards High School.

Next Sunday, May 6^th, both open men and open women will be competing at the next USATF New Jersey championship; the Our House 5 Miler in Summit.  It has a one o’clock start time and all activities are centered on the Green at Summit and Broad Streets.

Open runners will be competing for prize money beginning at $250.00 for first and descending down five places.  In addition the open teams will win $125.00 for first, $75.00 for second and $50.00 for third.

The Our House is an OYMP event with five year age divisions, mile clocks on the course, which is a mix of rolling to hilly sections.

At the South Mountain Reservation the same day over five thousand people are expected to participate in the Susan B Komen Race for the Cure 5K, a very different kind of event than the competitive Our House race.

MASTERS WOMEN BLOOMED WITH CHERRY BLOSSOM 10K

Written by Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, April 22, 2012
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2012

Polly Harrison of Basking Ridge placed second overall masters woman at the Cherry Blossom 10K this past Sunday earning a silver medal in the masters women’s USATF-NJ championship. [ results ]  Misa Tamura of Ridgewood was first masters with her time of 39:17.  Harrison finished in 41:03.

The race was won by Ben Clarke of Morristown in 34:11 and on the women’s side by Catherine Smith of Wayne in 38:55. 

Jane Parks and Nora Cary, both of Morristown placed one, two in the W55 division.  Park’s finished in 44:41 while Cary posted a 45:43.

Shirley Pettijohn of Chatham placed third in the W75 division with fellow Morris Country Strider teammate Melva Murray in fourth.  The pair was teamed with Diane Stone of Bernardsville who won the W80 division, to garner points for their team in both the W60 and W70 team divisions.

Local teams included the Sneaker Factory W40 team that placed fourth, just ahead of the Do Run Runners in fifth.  Rose City placed 8^th out of 12 teams.  In the W50 division, the Sneaker Factory placed second, with the Do Run team taking fourth and Rose City placing seventh.

The teams will meet again this coming Saturday at the Clinton Country Run 15K.  The Sneaker Factory women’s masters teams have earned their club a total of 21 points when the points earned at the Miles for Music 20K are added to the Cherry Blossom tally.  Do Run Runners have 15 points, Rose City has two and the Morris County Striders has a total of 19.  The Striders had only their senior women at the Cherry Blossom due to the schedule conflict with the Boston Marathon.  Other teams were also missing runners who were in Boston.

BOSTON WAS A SCORCHER, LOCALS DID WELL       

How hot was it?  Well hot enough that most runners slowed down and some did not finish and some did not even start.  Runners who would never consider anything but running the whole distance of a marathon were reduced to walking during some parts of the race and some walked the last few miles.  It was tough.

Some runners however did manage to have a decent race, albeit slower than they might have imagined.  Rich Burke, 44, of Morristown was the first New Jersey runner to finish.  His time was 2:35:41 and that put him in fifth place in his M40 age division, and 48^th overall.

Justin Scheid, 29, of Sparta was ten places back in 58^th place and with a time of 2:36:50.  Elliott Frieder, 41, of Montville was eleventh M40 with a time of 2:43:56.  Barry Lass, 48, of Cedar Knolls finished in under the magic three hour mark in 2:58:34.

Wendy Locke, 50, of Boonton was the first local woman to finish.  Her time of 3:34:07 put her fifth in her age division.  Mary Christian, 48, of Flanders finished in 3:37:49.

STOMP THE MONSTER TUG OF WAR WITH UNITE HALF MARATHON

This segment was cut from the printed version in the Daily Record last Sunday.  Note that there is more to the story than I knew.

Tom Poland, who was featured here last week, had a fairly easy choice to make for April 22^nd.  He could chose to run in the Stomp the Monster 5K, the USATF open men’s championship or enter the Unite Half Marathon taking place the same day on the Rutgers campus in New Brunswick.  With a chance to win one thousand dollars, or even $500.00 for second or $250.00 for third, paying the $85.00 entry fee was not too risky.

For most runners, those who have no shot at the big bucks, paying $25.00 to register for the Stomp the Monster, or even $30.00 on race day is a whole lot easier on the budget than $85.00 for the Unite or $90.00 on race day.  This trend toward higher entry fees has many long -time fans and participants worrying about where road racing is heading.  You’ll be hearing and reading about this more in the days ahead.

There is more to an entry fee than you might think.  The Unite Half Marathon charges a day of race packet pick-up fee of $15.00 and you must reserve the service prior to the day of the race.  If you do not, the fee goes up to $25.00.  The fee can be avoided if the packet is picked up at the race expo that takes place the day before the race.    I trust that we can assume that the runners who entered the race were aware of this packet pickup procedure.

THOMAS POLAND CATCHING ATTENTION IN NEW JERSEY

Written by Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, April 15, 2012
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2012

His name popped up first this year at the Super Sunday FourMile race in Morristown in February.  Thomas Poland, 23, of Morristown won the race in 20:59, averaging 5:14 minutes per mile.  Second place was nearly a full minute slower.

In March, at the Miles for Music 20K in Johnson Park in Piscataway, Poland dueled with Mike Dixon of Fanwood [ results | blog ], and it was Dixon who went ahead to win in 1:05:04 to his 1:05:18 with Mike Rolek of Maplewood in third.

Three weeks later the trio switched places at the IndianTrails 15K in Middletown.  Poland put six seconds between himself and Rolek to win in 48:18 to 48:24.  Dixon took third in 49:13.

After the 20K Poland said that he got in some key workouts that played to his strength and the change to hills at Indian Trails.

“They were two completely different races,” he said.  “The 20K was a pancake and the 15K was an up-and-down all over the place.”

“I knew that that was going to play to my strength,” said Poland.  “I was always a better cross country runner than I was a track runner.  I love hills.  I love breaking up the rhythm.”

Poland attended Delbarton in Morristown where he ran for the cross country and track team.  In his senior year, in the fall of 2006 he placed 15^th in the Foot Locker cross country race at Van Courtland Park in 15:48.  After graduating from Columbia University last year he set about hitting the running and racing scene.

Poland is a valued member of the Garden State Track Club but because he has to train around his job schedule he does not run with the club.  Training alone is what he has been used to.

“As a distance runner I have been doing much of my training by myself all my life and I don’t necessarily need a group of people to train with,” he said. 

A morning guy by his account, he is usually out the door by six thirty, six forty, to run in the area around his home in Morristown.  He is not a high mileage runner, keeping in the mid sixty range for weekly mileage.  Stress fractures while in college have taught him to be mindful of his mileage and to not do anything too crazy.

On weekends Poland meets up with a group of runners who train on the unpaved roads off River Road in Bedminster.

“It’s wonderful out there,” he said.  “It’s all soft surface and rolling hills.” 

Poland’s coach is Jon Clemons who was a two-time All-American in cross country and in the steeplechase.  His specialty was the steeplechase and made five USATF national championships.  He was a college coach for six years and coached Poland the four years that he was at Columbia.  Clemons now coaches post-collegiate athletes like Poland.

Clemons and Poland made the decision to enter the Unite Half Marathon at Rutgers next weekend, instead of the USATF New Jersey open men’s 5K championship, Stomp the Monster. 

The 5K might have been an easy win for Poland, and the half marathon could have some tougher competition from outside the state, but Poland would relish such a race.

“If somebody from Westchester or somewhere else comes in that is better than me I could get my doors blown off,” he said.  “At least I would get beat having to run fast.  I would much rather take running  67 minutes low, or 66 minutes getting beat than just to run a 5K and not get even close to my PR.”

“I think the overall take away from the Unite will be better than the 5K,” said Poland.  “To sweeten the deal would be to win the one thousand first place prize money.   I talked to my coach and we both agreed that it would be a really stupid decision not to take the shot.”

STOMP THE MONSTER TUG OF WAR WITH UNITE HALF MARATHON

Tom Poland has a fairly easy choice to make for April 22^nd.  He could chose to run in the Stomp theMonster 5K, the USATF open men’s championship or enter the Unite Half Marathon taking place the same day on the Rutgers campus in New Brunswick.  With a chance to win one thousand dollars, or even $500.00 for second or $250.00 for third, paying the $85.00 entry fee is not too risky.

For most runners, those who have no shot at the big bucks, paying $25.00 to register for the Stomp the Monster, or even $30.00 on race day is a whole lot easier on the budget than $85.00 for the Unite or $90.00 on race day.  This trend toward higher entry fees has many long -time fans and participants worrying about where road racing is heading.  You’ll be hearing and reading about this more in the days ahead.