5,000 meters is a perfect 5K

Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, January 28, 2018

5,000 METERS IS A PERFECT 5K

What’s your idea of a perfect 5K course?  You want it to be fast, so it needs to be flat.  No sharp corners, and of course you want it to be weather perfect.   You can have all that on Sunday, February 11 and you don’t have to travel too far to find it.

That 5K course is just across the bridge on Staten Island and here’s the best part.  It could be cold outside, raining cats and dogs, or snowing up a storm.  You’ll be warm and dry because you will be running your 5K indoors at the Ocean Breeze facility in the dual New Jersey / New York Championship meet.

It is not often that 5,000 meters is offered at an indoor meet, but this meet has it, along with the shorter and more common 3,000 meter distance.  The facility opened its doors for competition in November of 2015 and has been a magnet for high school, youth and open and masters competitors ever since.

This is the first time that New Jersey is holding a meet at Ocean Breeze.  In recent years athletes have had to travel to Toms River to compete in the John Bennet Indoor Sports Complex.  The bubble, as it is known, might be fine for a practice facility but it misses a lot as a competition venue, including indoor toilets.  That’s right, athletes and spectators have to make their way to the parking lot where the porta-potties are lined up for use.  It is guaranteed that the Ocean Breeze facility will not have you outside in porta-potties.   

The 5,000 meter race is scheduled for 12:20 p.m.  New Jersey runners will have plenty of time to make that race.  Those who want to try the mile indoors need to be there a little earlier.  The women’s mile begins at 11:10 a.m. and the men at 11:25 a.m.  Half milers (800 meters) will start right after the 5,000 meter race and for those who want to run 3,000 meters, that start is at 1:30 p.m.

This is the first year that the two associations are teaming up to hold a dual meet with their championships.  Points will be assigned for each event and within each age division and added together to determine the winning association. 

Pre-entry closes on Thursday, February 8, at 11:59 p.m.  That is a very generous close-to-day-of- meet deadline.  Be forewarned that there is no day of meet registration. Go to the New Jersey USATF website to enter.

New Jersey track fans will have a chance to preview the Ocean Breeze facility on Monday February 5^th when the Morris County Invitational high school meet is held there.  The meet starts at 4:00 p.m.

While we’re on the topic of track and field, several national meets will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network in the next few weeks.  The grand daddy of indoor track is the Milrose Games on Saturday, February 3^rd at 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix meet in Boston will be shown on Saturday, February 10 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Last is the USATF indoor championship in Albuquerque on February 17^th and 18^th.

CROSS COUNTRY IN FLORIDA

Ok, so who would rather run a cross country meet in February?  How about if it was in Tallahassee FL?  Sound better?

That’s where some New Jersey runners will be on February 3^rd to compete in the national winter cross country meet.  The meet will have several races ranging from junior women who will run 6 km and junior men who run 8 km, open men and women who will run 10 km and masters men running 8 km and masters women running 6 km.

A look at the pre-registration list shows that the Garden State Track club will have a fast team in the M40 division, giving them a good start to the season.  Likewise, the Shore Athletic Club that placed second in the M60, 2017 national team grand prix has entered a fast squad in that division.

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Publish only when space permits.  Please do not cut for this tag.

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

Long Distance Running Committee will meet February 6

Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, January 21 2018

  

LONG DISTANCE RUNNING COMMITTEE WILL MEET FEBRUARY 6

When the USATF long distance running committee meets each fall, usually in September, individuals are welcome to submit proposals for changes as to how the various events are conducted.  Most often these deal with components of the grands prix.  After many years of the New Balance sponsored individual grand prix, things are pretty much set there.

 The biggest change for that program was to make all participants their age at the beginning of the year what will be their age at the end of year.  If you turn 50 on December 31^st, you are 50 the whole year.  You are still 49 in the individual races that you run for age division awards.

That was settled years ago and eliminated a confusing and complicated system of handling those aging up into a new age division within the year.  It does give those who age up later in the year an advantage as they are the youngest of the youngest in their new age division, but it was accepted as the fairest way to handle the problem.

No, there are not too many issues in the individual grand prix, but oh my, every year a few people try to tweak the team grand prix to make it fairer or simpler, or – well - here’s some ideas; too many people required on a team, not enough people required on a team, team declarations are a nuisance, ten year age divisions are too broad, should a mile be in the grand prix? Should we have a coed grand prix.  In fact, this year those very items were addressed by participants at the September 2017 meeting.

A proposal that would eliminate the team declaration by just allowing the computer to assign all team members into a team as they registered.  This would work if there were only A teams, but USATF rules do allow for B, and C, etc. teams.  That proposal was essentially tabled until the kinks could be worked out, if at all.

 The merit for such a rule is that it would eliminate the team captains from having to wait to see if all of their team members were “on the ground” before turning in their team declarations.  This is a headache for team captains who are also running in the race.  Often their warm-up is delayed or non-existent.

What’s the old saying, “One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure”?  Not exactly apropos of the next proposal but similar.  Some long distance runners cross over into track distances and they love to run the mile.  On the other end of the spectrum are the long, long distance runners, who would rather not run even a 5 kilometer race (3.1 mile), let alone run a mile.

We now have a road mile championship, and all of our championships fall into the team grand prix.  This does not make everyone happy. A proposal has been submitted to recognize that the mile has championship status and teams will compete, but the race will not be in the team grand prix.

Where did all those age 40 to 49 women come from?  Are there too many of them?  Only three women are currently required for a W40 team to score.  Let’s change that to four women.

Ah, but let’s solve that in a new and innovative way.  Let’s create five year teams like we do when scoring individuals.  We do that in the individual divisions because it is recognized that as our runners grow older, there is far wider disparity between the younger members of a team and the older ones.  In the 40 to 49 division there is not that great a disparity but in the 50 to 59 span, the 60 to 69 span there is.  Forget about it once the runners are in their 70’s and beyond.

So, let’s create five year age division teams.  Let’s reduce the number of members on a team that score to account for the smaller pool of runners in a club for each team.  Let’s have the teams declare up to six runners and then score the three fastest.  Or maybe declare seven and score the four fastest in the younger age divisions of 40 through 54.  

In 2017 the President’s Cup Night Race 5K in Millburn in June had a coed division.  Wouldn’t that be interesting if all of the championship races featured a coed division.  Not a corporate coed division, but a USATF division, and let’s keep it in a separate grand prix.

All of these suggestions will be viewed, debated, argued and settled or tabled at the long distance running meeting at the Madison Y on February 6^th.  

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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

Auteri makes it two - Grand Prix and sub three marathon

Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, January 14 2018

AUTERI MAKES IT TWO – GRAND PRIX AND SUB THREE MARATHON

Let’s see.  Win the New Jersey New Balance Grand Prix.  Check.  Break three hours for the marathon.  Check.

Karen Auteri of Liberty Township with a mailing address of Belvidere has bragging rights to both accomplishments.  And it all started with an invite from her father, Peter, of Pompton Lakes.

When Peter Auteri asked her in 2004 if she wanted to run the Walt Disney marathon with him the answer was quick and emphatic.

“Absolutely not! I never want to run a marathon.  Ever in my life!”

Back then, fresh out of college and used to running short distance, with only one 10K under her belt the marathon seemed like an impossible and distasteful distance.

The aversion didn’t last long.  Auteri found herself running a half marathon that fall. 

“It was so hard.  I couldn’t imagine running it twice,” she said.   But the following January she did join her father to run in the Disney marathon and finished in 3:48.18.   She ran it again the next year and the next year, and this year, in her 23^rd marathon she placed fourth overall at Disney on January 7^th and broke the three-hour barrier with her 2:59:15

Although the Disney course is basically flat, Auteri relied on her training with Gary Leaman of Hardwick to power up each incline on the overpasses.

“On every tiny incline I did power up them because I have been training,” said Auteri.  “Gary taught me to run up the hills and then maintain a seven-minute pace.  With Gary you run hard all the time.”

Winning the New Balance Grand Prix might have seemed destined in 2017.  With Randolph’s Roberta Groner now affiliated with the New York Athletic Club and not eligible in New Jersey, the game was wide open, and especially for someone who loves to race.  Getting to enough races would not be all that difficult for Auteri.

Races are chosen based on what her training dictates as well as what races she needs in the grand prix.  She was in the lead from early in the fall but kept racing and improved her Category One score to 500 points at one of the last races of the season, the hugely popular Doughnut Run on December 10^th.  She was first runner overall to finish in the East Brunswick 10K in October. 

Auteri is making a big move in 2018.  After seeing the improvements that Groner, and Sam Tiegen of Hawthorne had in running the California International Marathon in December after hiring Hector Matos as their coach, she wondered if he could help her to reach another milestone, the B standard for the Olympic Trials Marathon.

 “I just see such results – someone like Roberta who you can’t imagine her getting any faster than she is and taking six minutes off her already unbelievable times,” said Auteri.

Auteri referenced the double amputee, Brian Reynolds of Clifton, who now holds the world record for below the knee amputees.

“He started training with Hector and he went from a 1:28 half to a 1:21,” she said.  “He also took an extreme amount of time off his marathon.” 

It was Tiegen that planted the seed to reach out to Matos.  He told her that he thought she had the potential to qualify for the Olympic Trials B standard of 2:45.

She knows that she will have to make big changes to her training.  Even training for the marathon, her highest mileage may have been only 48 miles.  Under Matos she expects that to nearly double and could include doubles on some days.  She runs only five days a week and does no workouts on the track.

“My races take the place of workout’s,” she said. 

 “I just run on “feels”.  If I feel good I’ll run a little faster,” she said.  Sometimes I’ll hit a marathon pace just because I’m feeling good.” 

Although she had broken the 3:05 marathon barrier with a 3:01 at the Pocono Marathon in May of 2016 Auteri said she was lacking confidence ahead of the Disney marathon.  Her talisman showed up in the form of a running shoe.  Nike athletes Geoffry Kirui, and Galen Rupp among other elite athletes have been running in the Nike Zoom Vaporfly.  With the same shoes on her feet, Auteri was ready to go, confidence restored and 2:59:15 her prize. 

With her new magical shoes and a bone fide coach, 2018 is looking good for this talented runner.

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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

Frigid weather didn't stop runners on New Year's Day

Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, January 7, 2018

FRIGID WEATHER DIDN'T STOP RUNNERS ON NEW YEAR’S DAY

Freezing cold weather did not deter 987 runners from showing up at the three north New Jersey races on New Year’s Day.  That’s the total number of finishers in the three races.  Add to that the runners who ran with their various clubs and we have a lot of either very hardy people, or a lot of really crazy runners.  From the comfort of my tiny exercise room, running on my Zero impact trainer, I say they are all crazy.

Ben Giugliano of Sparta won the Hillsborough Resolution Run 5K in 17:37. If Giugliano had stayed home, the winner would have been a fifty-three-year-old.  Not just any 53year old of course.  Bryan Crowley of Hillsborough is still defying the nature by finishing in second place in 17:44. Amy Williams of Hillsborough was the first woman to finish.  Her time of 20:26 was only 18 seconds ahead of the second place woman, Maria Metzger of Basking Ridge, who finished in 20:44.   The race counted 387 finishers.

The Central Jersey Road Runners Hangover Run was won by John Capobianco of Basking Ridge in 16:33. Carolina Collius, whose town is unknown, finished the race in 20:16 for first place woman.  Jeff Altman of Randolph was the first local runner to finish.  The 47-year-old finished in 19:24 to top the masters men category.  Kate Polles of Morristown was the first local woman to finish.  Her time was 21:40, This race had the largest field with 524 finishers.

St Mark’s New Year’s Day 5K in Long Valley attracted 76 runners to their inaugural race.  John Montgomery, 22, of Hackettstown won the race in 16:08 with who can be assumed to be his father, John Montgomery 52 second in 19:26.  Maggie Scardapane, whose town is not shown was the first woman in 20:39.

PHIDIPPIDES          

Now that the year 2017 is wrapped up, it is time for USATF masters runners to fill out their applications for the national Phidippides Award.  Points are award for the races that runners complete with one point, for instance, in a distance of 1 mile to 4 kilometers.  A 5K and 5 miles earns two points.  At the other end, five points are earned for 25 kilometers up to the marathon and six points for distances greater than the marathon.

To qualify for a Gold level award, you will need 30 points if you are 40 to 59 years old, 24 if you are 60 to 79, and 12 points if you are eighty or older.  A very nice plaque is issued and your name is published on the national USATF site on the masters long distance running page.

Runners who have been awarded the Phidippides Award for five years are recognized for that achievement also.  New Jersey runners make up a lot of names on those rosters. 

It is easy to pick up the names of Morris area runners in the 2016 list of gold medal winners: Peter Auteri, Debra Bernstein, Charlie Castigioni, Wesley Cole, Stephanie Edwards, Carla and Stephen Holusha, Scott Isgett, John Klobus, Sue Lawler, Pete Lee, Lori and Robert McGill, Randy Miller, Dario Mirski, Melva Murray, Shirley Pettijohn, Greg and Susan Rentko, Kathy and John Robertson, Rene Rovtar, Arch Seamans, Joe Sikora, Diane Stone, Bill Trengove, Patricia Tummey, Diane and Mark Washburne,

WINTER SERIES IS BACK

A winter series is coming back to Wayne in the form of the Passaic County Technical Institute Winter Series.  This 5K race features a car-less course with some small hills and a few twists.  It is not a PR course but good preparation for when the weather breaks.  Pre and post race activities are in a heated area. The first race is next Sunday, January 14^th and then in two week intervals, January 28, February 4, and February 18^th.

The organizers are offering discounts to those age 17 and younger and those 65 and over.  Not bad and a discount for USATF NJ members. 

For more information go to www.tristattiming.com/events/

AUTERI RACING AT DISNEY MARATHON

Blow good running wishes to the women’s winner of the 2017 New Balance grand prix.  Karen Auteri of Belvidere is running today at the Walt Disney World Marathon.

Edit notes:  Karen Auteri finished the marathon in 2:59 

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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

New New Year's Day race in Morris County

Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, December 31, 2017

NEW NEW YEAR’S DAY RACE

Morris area runners have had to drive out of the Hillsborough, or Fair lawn or Westfield in other years to celebrate the first day of the new year with an invigorating run.

Not anymore.  Now, right here in Morris County a new race has sprung up.   St. Mark the Evangelist church in Long Valley is putting on a 5K tomorrow morning at 11:30 a.m. 

Although the address of the church is 59 Spring Lane in Long Valley, in fact the location is not actually in the valley but more up and out of the valley and features some climbs. 

Race director Patrick Regan said in an email that the course uses five different roads and winds and rolls through the quiet Nestlingwoods neighborhood.

Regan said that the church got a late start with organizing the race and did not have enough time to get the race in the New Balance grand prix, nor have the course certified this year.  That is in the plans for next year’s race.

Hot chocolate and bagels will be distributed inside where the awards program will be held; sure to be welcome after a cold run.  In addition to awards there will be a drawing for donated prizes.

For more information go to the church website stmarksnj.org. 

Some of course will want to go to their old favorites like the Hangover Run 5K in Westfield in and around Tamaques Park.  The race starts at an easy to make 12 noon.

Or travel due south to run in the Hillsborough 5K; not a hangover run, but in keeping with the spirit of the new year, the Resolution Run. 

The 5K in Fair Lawn is also aptly named; the First Day 5K, and it starts at 11:00 a.m. All three of those races are 500 point grand prix races.

 Of course, to be able to capitalize on that fact, runners must have renewed their membership in USATF.  This is when having multiple year membership can become a liability.  Runners can become complacent and forget that their three year membership ended on December 31.  Ooops.  Of course it can be renewed online today.  Make a resolution to dial up usatf.org before the ball drops tonight.

New Jersey runners have plenty of incentives to be members of USATF New Jersey.  There is always a discount when pre-registering for New Balance grand prix races.  Just racing in ten or more races and the thirty-dollar ( the Daily Record sports editor changed the copy to ten dollars in the print edition - they don't understand the race discounts)  membership pays for itself.  In addition is discounts on two national car rental companies and 15% discounts at all of the Choice hotels and a minimum of 10% at Best Western.

 If you do any traveling these discounts can be a big savings.  Savvy travelers who care not a whit about running and racing could make up the thirty-dollar membership in no time.

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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

Morris area runners among top three in their age division

Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, December 24, 2017

MORRIS AREA RUNNERS AMONG TOP THREE IN THEIR AGE DIVISION

Several local runners placed in the top three in their age divisions in the New Balance Grand Prix. 

In the M45 division first place was taken by Gary Rosenberg of Morristown.  Has Rosenberg ever finished out of top three in his division?   Wesley Cole of Basking Ridge placed third.

Long time racing rivals placed first and second in the M55 division.  Gary Leaman of Hardwick placed first with Beau Atwater of Bernardsville second. 

All top three men in the M60 division were locals; Reno Stirrat of Rockaway placed first, Charlie Slaughter of Parsippany was second and James Button of Mendham took third.

Again, a trio from Morris area took the top three in the M65, with Carl Weaver of Morris Plains taking first, Bruce Langenkamp of Wharton was second and Peter Auteri of Pompton Lakes finished in third.

Old runners never die, they just keep on running.  In the M85 division seven men duked it out for first.  Nathaniel Finestone of Mountainside won the contest and Arch Seamans of Rockaway finished in second.

In the open women division Stacey Slaughter of Parsippany will move into third place when Karen Auteri and Lauren Jackson are moved out of the age division as they placed in the top three overall.  It’s the same story in the W45 division.  Hortencia Aliaga, 45, will be removed from the division and that will move Polly Harrison of Basking Ridge into second place.

In the W50 division, Susan Kinsella of Millington finished in third.  Also placing third, in the W55 division is Lisa Davenport of Lake Hopatcong. 

No surprise for the W60.  It’s Nora Cary of Morristown in first.   Roseanne Svihra of Gillette placed third in the W65 division.  Shirley Pettijohn of Chatham placed second in the W80 division and Diane Stone, also of Chatham won the W85 division.

All the division winners and friends and family have been invited to the annual Awards Banquet that will take place on January 20^th at the Pines Manor in Edison.

SOME SURPRISES IN THE 2018 CHAMPIONSHIP LINE-UP

Twelve kilometers is now in the Category Three division of the New Balance Grand Prix and that makes the distance attractive for a USATF championship.  Look for information soon about the new 12K championship in Mercer County Park for all divisions on March 11, 2018.

The Indian Trails 20K on April 8^th, will once again be the championship for all divisions, and the Clinton Country Run 15K on April 28, will return for all divisions.

The Newport 10K on May 5^th returns to host the open men and women.  Now here’s a twist.  The Our House Four mile on May 19th is the championship for all divisions.  Yes, four miles.  Not the five miles that Our House once was when it was a championship. 

Masters men and women will compete at the Ridgewood 10K on May 28th.  The Lager Run 5K on June 24th will host open men and women.

The Midland Mile on August 19th is for all divisions, and the USATF hosted 5km cross country on August 26th is also for all divisions.  Moving into September, the Liberty Newport half marathon for all divisions is on September 16^th.  The Little Silver 5K on September 30^th is host for masters men.

October 21^st is the date of the 8km cross country and the Harrington Park 5K on November 3^rd will host masters women.  The Horace Ashenfelter 8K on November 22, Thanksgiving will be the championship for all divisions.

NEW YEARS DAY RACE COMING TO LONG VALLEY

Look for information next Sunday about a new 5K on New Year’s Day.

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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

Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, December17, 2017

NEW BALANCE 2017 GRAND PRIX WINNERS ANNOUNCED

It has happened before.  Someone shoots up in the New Balance grand prix from way down in the rankings to first place. 

This year when I saw that Joshua Izewski of Doylestown ran in the Philadelphia 8K on Saturday, November 18, finishing second in 23:34 at 4:44 pace, and the next day ran the Great Swamp 15K in a slow time for him; 56:55 at 6:06 pace, but fast enough to stay ahead of the rest of the runners.  That’s when I knew that Izewski had realized that if he got to the right races he could win the New Jersey New Balance grand prix and take home a nice check for $500.00.

He was in 91^st place on November 9^th and missing four races.  By December 1^st he had added the Great Swamp 15K and the Westfield Turkey trot 5 mile and had moved up to 25^th place.  All he needed was a non championship 5K and he smartly went to the Trinity Academy Reindeer Run and collected $250.00 for his 15:33 win.

The only race that Izewski didn’t win was the Ashenfelter 8K when he finished in fourth place.  With such a huge field in that race he still came away with 699 points out of a possible 700.

Karl O’Reilly of Morristown had been in the lead at the previous publication of the grand prix series and finished with 5,685 points.  Kyle Price of Milltown, a previous winner was third trailing O’Reilly by only five points.

On the women’s side there was no surprise with Karen Auteri of Belvidere having had the lead for some time now.  She won with 5,689 points.  Hortencia Aliaga of Garfield was second trailing Auteri by 12 points; a remarkable performance for a 45-year-old.  Lauren Jackson of Augusta placed third with 5,659 points.

Rob Albano of Mahwah won the men’s Mini One series and Elena Rozhko of Morristown won the women’s Mini One grand prix.  Ruscel Kirkland of Haledon won the men’s Mini Two, with Charlie Slaughter of Parsippany taking second and Craig Roushinko of Succasunna in third.  Aya Leitz of Jersey City won the women’s Mini Two. 

James Button of Mendham won the long distance men’s Mini Three with Roushinko taking second. 

NEW JERSEY TEAM MEDALS AT THE NATIONAL CLUB CROSS COUNTRY MEET

The Shore Athletic Club’s M60 team took home a bronze medal at the national club cross country meet last Sunday in Lexington Kentucky.   Reno Stirrat of Rockaway finished in 33:43 for 14^th in his age division, well off his game.

All of the runners came away from the meet chilled by vicious winds and frigid temperatures.  The ground was frozen and Stirrat reported later than he came away with a sore hip probably caused by the unyielding ground.  Susan Stirrat finished the 6 kilometer masters women’s race in 30:05 for tenth place in the W60 division.   

Here in New Jersey it looks like donut lovers converged on Montclair for the Donut Run 5K last Sunday.  At least 1,847 donut lovers finished the race.  Rob Albano won the race in 15:34 with Justin Scheid of Succasunna in second in 15:59. Scheid must have made a beeline for home from Lexington, as he also competed in the national cross country meet on Saturday where he finished the 10km in 31:52, not far behind Aaron Leskow of Morristown who finished in 31:50.

Leskow and grand prix winner Izewski, who finished in 30:49, were on the adidas Garden State Track Club team that finished in tenth place out of 49 teams.

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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