ON THANKSGIVING RUNNERS GIVE THANKS FOR A RACE TO RUN
Thanksgiving in New Jersey for many runners means a good hard run, make that a good hard race, in the morning and then a feast with the family. Across the nation Thanksgiving morning races have become some of the biggest events in the entire race season. In New Jersey the first was the Flemington Turkey Trot 5K which now draws over two thousand runners.
Plenty of Morris area runners will go down to Flemington but many others will be going to Glen Ridge for the Ashenfelter 8K that honors Horace Ashenfelter of Glen Ridge. Ashenfelter won the Gold medal at the 1952 Olympics in the steeplechase. One of the most difficult of all the track events, the Steeplechase is 3,000 meters, or seven and a half laps around the track, with five steeples to hurdle on each lap, one that catapults the runner into a water pit. Ashenfelter has a personal record at the event of 8:48.
Ashenfelter will be at the post race breakfast and awards party at Glen Ridge High School, where registration will take place, beginning at 7:30 a.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP FOR OPEN MEN AND WOMEN
The Ashenfelter has been the USATF-NJ Open Men and Open Women’s 8K Championship for the past several years. So in addition to drawing the folks who just love to run on turkey day, many of the state elite racers will also be there, either to add to their individual points in the New Balance Grand Prix or the Mini Two Grand Prix, or to run for their team. This is the last championship race that is devoted to only the Open division.
The Fleet Feet Racing team currently has the lead in the Open Men division. At the 2004 Ashenfelter race the fleet-of-feet squad scored first with their closest competitor, the Raritan Valley Road Runners, nearly a full ten minutes back.
However Fleet Feet has only a slight lead in the team grand prix after the cross country 8K championship on October 30th. Sneaker Factory, which was third at the Ashenfelter last year, is in second place with Raritan Valley in third and the Morris County Striders in fourth.
In the Open Women’s division the cast is much the same, but the line-up has changed. Fleet Feet does not have a women’s team. Sneaker Factory leads in that division, with Raritan Valley close behind. Warren Street has only a two point lead in third over the fourth place Striders.
MORRIS COUNTY STRIDERS LEAD IN OVERALL CLUB GRAND PRIX
After the Giralda Farms 10K in Madison on November 13th, the Liberty Waterfront Club Grand Prix has a surprise leader. For the first time in the history of the year-long contest, the Morris County Striders have the lead. It is fairly tenuous as the Striders are not as strong in the Open division and arch rival Raritan Valley could narrow the fourteen point gap.
OTHER RACES OVER THE WEEKEND
Two Category Two races are taking place this coming Saturday, November 26th. This is important for those individuals who are missing a vital non-championship race in their individual points. The Westfield Trukey Trot 5 mile in Tamaques Park at 11:00 a.m. is well known, but the other is new on the grand prix schedule.
The Race for Vision 10K may be a bit of a hike for folks from this area, but its 9:30 a.m. start may suit some folks needs. It is taking place at the Dutch Neck Fire House in West Windsor.
Only two Category One races remain on the 2005 calendar as well. In Franklin Lakes on December 3rd is the AMBS Jingle Bell Run at 9:30 a.m.. Later in the month, in Perth Amboy is Ramona’s Run four mile at 4:00 p.m.
All grand prix races are listed at www.usatfnj.org and often the application can be downloaded from the calendar listing.
Originally Published on Sunday, November 20, 2005 in the DAILY RECORD of Morris County
Copyright MADELINE BOST, 2005