TEAMS WERE KING AT THE WEYTH 5K RUN WITH PRIDE Nick Birosik of Easton PA and Greg Swiatocha of Hackettstown finished one, two at the Wyeth Run for Pride 5K this past Wednesday in Madison and that left no doubt how their Foster Wheeler team would place. Birosik finished in 16:41 with Swiatocha 34 seconds back in 17:15. Along with Scott Slingerland of Nazareth, PA who finished in 18th place in 18:59 the team totaled 52 minutes and fifty-five seconds, a good seven minutes and change ahead of second place team Wyeth. Wyeth’s team was lead in by Murray Resinski of Morris Plains who won the race in 2007. He had to settle for third place in this year’s edition with a time of 17:18, far off his 16:51 of 2007. Schering Plough had stacked their top runners on their Coed team but even without their speedsters the Men’s team took third place. But it was close. Only three seconds separated Schering Plough from fourth place Novartis. The teams combined top three men scored 1:01:00 and 1:01:03. |
Schering Plough was lead in by team captain Davis Gates of Summit who finished in 19:28. The Novartis team was headed by Mark Tramposch of Flanders who finished in 19:45.
Schering Plough’s Coed team was lead in by Erik Corbin of Mendham who was the fifth runner to finish. His time was 17:55. David Cole of Springfield was next in 19:16 just as had been predicted, with Tina Fleming of Newton the first woman on the team to finish in 21:03.
Team RCMT was the second Coed team to finish with Andy Ball of Sparta who finished in sixth place in 18:04 the first to score for the team. Medfit Runners were the third Coed team with Tom Kinsman of Stewartsville the top scoring runner in 18:51.
Novartis fielded the top scoring women’s team with Sara Kessler of Madison the first woman to finish. Her time was 22:07 with Karen Kakalecik of Edison next in 22:20 and Heidi Einolf of Denville the third woman to score in 23:07.
Foster Wheeler’s women were second and Wyeth women placed third. Thirty-three teams competed with close to one thousand runners registered and 646 runners listed as finishers. So many runners were arriving at the Giralda Farms complex to register that a back-up into the parking deck developed. For a time it looked like the 6:30 p.m. start might have to be delayed to accommodate the late arrivers but the race went off only a few minutes late. It may have seemed longer to the runners stripped down and ready to run, due to a chill wind and spatters of rain drops just at the start.
Most of the teams that competed on Wednesday can be expected to race again at the Verizon Wireless Corporate Classic in July in Morristown.
MERRY HEART 5K LEADS OFF THE JUNE NIGHT RACES
Runners who cannot make it to a weekend race in the coming weeks will have no problem finding a race on Monday night all through June. Each has their own unique flavor.
Monday, June 2: The Merry Heart Community Benefit 5K in Roxbury is first in the line-up. The race has grown in the past eleven years into one of the largest in the Morris County area. It features a family fee structure that makes it affordable and to top it off, there are medals to the members of the top scoring families. In 2007 the race had two all male family teams and three all female teams, but as would be expected, 25 coed teams. Corporate and club teams make up two other categories.
Monday, June 9: Ginty Field in Morris Township is the location of the 5000 Strides 5K. This race partners with the Lawyers for Kids 5K that takes place on the same course on July 10th to offer a random drawing to all runners who compete in both races. It is not often that a mid or back-of-the-pack runner has a chance to win $500.00 just to show up.
The course is one that some love for the hill in the early part of the race and the swooping downhill in the second half. Others hate it for the same reason, proving once again that one man’s cupcake is another man’s gruel. Yet, love the course or hate it, the runners come to races organized by Mark Zenobia, of On Your Mark Productions because Zenobia knows how to put on quality races that offer more than just a good course.
Monday, June 14: Although Millburn is in Union County Morris County residents will be flocking to it for the President’s Cup Night Race 5K. The President’s Cup also features a hill on the course and a corresponding downhill but of a lesser degree than the one in Morris Township. It is one of the fastest courses in the state, or perhaps people just run fast from the adrenaline of one of the most exciting races in the state.
Monday, June 23: Florham Park is the location for the Battle of the Business 5K. This is almost a reincarnation of the CPA 5K. That race had been held in Roseland and was hosted by ADP. It did not take place in 2007. This new race is also being organized by ADP and will feature corporate team competition as did the CPA race.
Monday, June 30: There are only thirty days in June but every once in awhile there are five Mondays. That is the case this year and will be again in 2009. Then it will disappear for another few years. A quick thinking race director could grab Monday, June 30, 2008 and Monday June 29, 2009 for a two year run on the fifth Monday in June.
Originally published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey on Sunday, May 25, 2008
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2008
