10th Annual Bradley Beach 5k Draws Record Turnout
Photos Courtesy of Bob Both
A record 684 participants competed in the Bradley Beach 5k held last Saturday in the borough.
By JIM ROBBINS
The tenth annual Bradley Beach 5K Run was the host event for 684 (record number) road racers on a clear, cool and windy Saturday morning on August 18.
Harry Norton, 22, of North Reading, MA, was the way-out-in-front leader and crossed the finish line, located at the Gazebo area on Ocean Avenue, first, in a record-breaking racing time of 15:24 [passing Bryan Poerners 2005 time by 8 seconds]).
Coming in a distant second in the 3.1 mile course, which includes the streets adjacent to both Fletcher and Sylvan Lakes, was Luciano DeOliveira, 28, of Long Branch at 16:47 and third place went to Forked Rivers Philip Wood, 15, at 16:51.
Oh, yes, very definitely, said Norton when asked if he was satisfied with his performance, while also informing that his best time for a 5K was 14:54 on a track.
Its great its fast and its flat and its a nice temperature, I felt the wind a little bit going into the two miles but after that it was great, Norton, who is visiting relatives in Mantoloking, said.
Jessica Thomas, 26, of Bayhead, was the womens winner at 18:11 (13th place overall). Cheri Kenah, 36, Wall, (Neptune City Days 5K womens champion in 2005), was second for the women at 18:24 (15th overall) and Denvilles Lauren Gregory was third at 18:32 (17th overall).
Im very happy, Thomas said when asked her thoughts on her winning performance. I like the course, its nice and flat and the weather was perfect except for the wind.
She said although she was not out in front of the other women the whole way, she was after the first mile.
Bradley Beach winners, both male and female, respectively, went to Timothy Murphy, 28, at 18:59 (21st overall) and Beth Mayer, 20, at 19:19 (34th overall).
One racer said the Bradley Beach 5k is her favorite.
I love this race of the 15 races or so that I do each year this is my favorite – I grew up in Bradley Beach, said Donna Mehler of Spring Lake Heights, as she wound down in the refreshment area after finishing at 32:09:
My niece, from Monmouth Beach came to run it it takes in the picturesque view of the ocean and two lakes, said Mehler, who is active in the Jersey Shore Running Club (JSRC).
She directs a group of lady friends from the club on Wednesday nights in Brielle to do hills or speed work on the Ocean Township High School track and said her best time for a 5K was 22:40 when I was age fifty at Lake Tak, referring to the Monday night Lake Takanassee summer evening races in Long Branch, organized by the Shore Athletic Club (SAC).
Belmars Tim Mahoney, 40, a retired lieutenant from the State Police, finished at 20:18, a very respectable 6:33 per mile pace
The Bradley Beach annual is always a great time the best thing about this run, Jim, is that its late in August and well soon turn our racing calendars to September when we all have to remember 9/11, said Mahoney.
The state cop will again direct the JSRC annual Sept. 11 Memorial Run beginning at 6 p.m. on the boardwalk from Belmar to Spring Lake in memory of Shore area residents who lost their lives that infamous day.
Long-time friends Lynn Porter of Bradley Beach and Tina Duda of Ocean Grove said they enjoyed competing in the race.
Porter finished at 31:33 and commented that she was satisfied with my time especially since I havent run a race in a few years, and that the weather was perfect and the wind didnt bother me since I was in no way near the front.
Duda finished at 43:10 and informed, My time wasnt as good as usual but I had stopped to help someone who had fallen and scraped her knees. Duda is the director of the annual Ocean Grove Biathlon presented the 4th week in July.
Neptune Citys Joe Renzellas racing time of 22:47 earned him 3rd place trophy in the 60-69 age group.
Its an excellent course, not too many turns, and the weather was beautiful today, even though the wind made it a little tough as you came to the finish, he said.
Renzellas many racing friends are proud of his Vietnam veteran status: four Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart.
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