Regional Race Report: Sheehan Classic 5 Mile (NJ)

RED BANK, NJ (June 16, 2008)– Craig Sega, 24, won the 2008 George Sheehan Classic 5-mile run with a time of 25:34. Segal, of Holmdel, who won the Spring Lake Five in May, was followed closely by second-place finisher Tim Mulligan, 27, of Whiting, who finished 9 seconds back in 25:43. Kyle Laudadio, 24, Ridley Park, PA, 27:09, Thadeus Meyers, 23, Philadelphia, 27:16, and Luciano DeOliveira, 29, Long Branch, rounded out the top five spots in what proved to be a strong field; nearly windless conditions, with warm but not hot temperatures, made for good-racing-weather morning. Segal, Mulligan and DeOliveira also earned prizes as the top 3 male finishers from New Jersey.

Toms River’s Noel Brock, a 30-year-old who teaches third graders in Brick, was the first female finisher with a time of 27:38, resulting in an American woman champion of the Classic for the third year in a row. Brock, assistant track coach at Toms River HS North, had also won in Spring Lake just three weeks back. Following Brock at the Sheehan Classic were Ethiopian Alemtsehay Misganaw, of New York, (second woman, 27:46); Michelle Rafferty, 23, Hoboken, (third, 29:11); Jenifer Martin, 36, Clifton, (fourth, 29:39); and Megan (Maggie) Guiney, 27, Middletown, (fifth, 30:01). Brock, Rafferty and Guiney were also awarded Top 3 NJ Female honors.

By winning both the Sheehan Classic and the Spring Lake Five, Segal and Brock are both clear leaders in the 2008 Jersey Shore Golden Grand Prix, a series of races that recognizes overall champions, age group category winners, and participants of all series races. The five events are: Spring Lake 5, George Sheehan Classic, Belmar 5 (to be held July 12), Asbury Park 5K (August 9) & Pier Village 5K (Labor Day Monday). Brock was 2007 Female Champion of the series.

Nearly 2,500 athletes participated in the Sheehan Classic, a two-day event held June 13-14 that included a series of kids’ races, a free concert, expo village, post-race barbecue, two-mile health walk and the premier event, the five-mile run.

“We moved the race in 2004 from its previous August date, hoping that we would have cooler weather,” said race director Philip Hinck. “The weather was perfect this year, a mild breeze at the race start with hazy skies burning off during the race, provided ideal running conditions. We had a very successful race, thanks to our sponsors and to the hard work of countless volunteers. Thanks also to residents supporting the runners along the course, and to Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven, for ringing the church bells as the runners went past.”

The George Sheehan Classic began in 1981 as the Asbury Park 10K Classic and quickly became one of the major road running events on the national calendar. The race moved to Red Bank in 1994 and was renamed to honor the memory of Dr. George Sheehan, the prominent author, philosopher and area physician. “The Doc” has been called the “father of the running boom” in the United States. The Classic was named one of the Top 100 Road Races by Runner’s World magazine, and the Best Memorial Race in New Jersey by the New York Times .

Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank, Horizon BlueCross BlueShield of New Jersey and Lucas Capital sponsor the Sheehan Classic. Other sponsors include: New Jersey Natural Gas Company, Builders General Supply Company, Merrill Lynch, Straub Motors Lincoln/Mercury, Rothman Institute, Citi Smith Barney, McLoone’s Running Store and Jersey Shore Running Club. Refreshment sponsors were Whole Foods Market and LaYogurt.

Other leading area finishers of the George Sheehan Classic 2008, many of whom, along with the aforementioned top finishers, might agree with this quote attributed to the late beloved Running Doc: "When I run, truly run...it is all there. My body does what it does best. The mind like a kaleidoscope constantly rearranges the things it has stored into new and exciting patterns. And my soul utterly loses itself in the present."

Male: Eric Escorcia 29:19, Red Bank (age-group award winner); Greg Mendina 29:30, Navesink (award); Brian Hill 30:24, Middletown; Patrick Hill 31:30, Rumson; Henry Mercer 31:36, Locust (award); Chris Furlong 32:03, Middletown; Joe Cauvin 32:31, Atl. Highlands; Eric Jacobsen 32:54, Red Bank; Patrick O’Boyle 33:11, Atl. Highlands; Kevin Brandon 33:41, Rumson; Joseph Bieret 33:43, Middletown; Joel Lizotte 33:53, Red Bank; Christian Lamorte 34:04, Atl. Highlands; Kevin Martin 34:11, Middletown; Brian Forster 34:12, Sea Bright; Kevin Parks 34:28, Middletown; David Kelly 34:39, Little Silver; Geoffrey Nishiura 34:51, Red Bank; Joe Huesman 35:00, Fair Haven; Charlie Harrington 35:03 and Paul Dement 35:06, Red Bank; Wade Davis 35:07, Fair Haven; Raymond Viggiano 35:13 and David Richards 35:17, Red Bank; Kyle Shenk 35:19, Atl. Highlands; Brian Vieth 35:21, Middletown; Tim Blankley 35:25, Red Bank; Ronald Kane 35:33, Highlands; Bayley Davis 35:37, Little Silver; Joseph Berardi 35:38, Middletown; Larry O’Brien 35:40, Red Bank; John Strang 35:52, Rumson; John Cariero 36:12, Fair Haven; Joel Paulin 36:34, Sea Bright; Mike Shiels 36:42, Rumson; Michael Metlitz 36:55, Middletown; Kevin Dooley 37:06 and Patrick O’Boyle 37:08, Atl. Highlands; Chris Bollinger 37:09 and Dennis Ng 37:17, Little Silver; John O’Dwyer 37:37, Fair Haven; Kenny Florio 37:38, Monmouth Beach; Ryan Corbett 37:40, Fair Haven; Kevin Hill 37:42, Rumson; Ken Fullowan 37:45, Middletown; Stephen Ham 37:45, Fair Haven; Mike Yurkus 37:47, Middletown; Donald Hintze 37:54, Red Bank; Patrick Liewellyn 38:02 and Pete Mcnamara 38:13, Little Silver; Vinnie Tahamont 38:19, Atl. Highlands; P.J. Visceglia 38:22, Red Bank.

Female: Catherine Satzke 31:05, Fair Haven; Katie Connor 32:09, Rumson; Carol Buonanno 33:00, Middletown; Cate Robbie 33:21, Dalia Viggiano 34:00 and Martha Liposky 34:43, Red Bank; Nicole Karatzia 34:50, Sea Bright; Caitlin Dorgan 35:22, Red Bank; Caitlin Brown 35:42, Middletown; Harper Coles 35:58, Fair Haven; Marissa Alberti 36:24, Monmouth Beach; Maureen Massell 36:22 and Kristina Pachman 36:51, Red Bank; Dawn Wilcox 37:10, Little Silver; Julia Baratta 37:16 and Mary Argilagos 37:20, Red Bank; Cristin Browne 38:00, Middletown; Carly Clifton 38:02, Red Bank; Linda Puzzo 38:04, West Keansburg; Lori Scisco 38:24, Monmouth Beach; Patricia Watters 38:50 and Bethann Visceglia 39:00, Red Bank; Brittany Rutter 39:01, Sea Bright; Denise Kelley 39:20 and Alexandra Von Arx 39:47, Little Silver; Carolyn Hill 40:07, Rumson; Jean Kelly 40:08, Little Silver; Anna Walsh 40:09, Rumson.

Additional race results can be found on the web at www.sheehanclassic.org . Further information on the Jersey Shore Golden Grand Prix can be found on the series website, www.JSgrandprix.com .

Road-racing events continue as the Jersey Shore Running Club presents its annual Thursday nights' 3-mile Wall Twp. Summer Series, at the Municipal Complex, beginning on June 19 at 7 p.m. with kids’ races an hour before, info call 732-542-6090 or jsrc@hotmail.com. On Saturday, June 21 at 9 a.m., is Ryan's Run 5K at Mountain Hill School in Middletown, info at www.ryansrun.org. It’s the Pine Beach 5K at 9 a.m. on June 22, info call 732-505-9554 or sjkmustang@aol.com. On Friday, July 4, is the Firecracker Five 2008 at the Wall Township Municipal Complex at 8:35 a.m., a 5-mile race, info call 732-449-8444 or 732-280-1281. Down the road is the annual Belmar Five 2008 (Johnny Cobb Memorial Run) on Saturday, July 12, at 8:30 a.m., info call 732-571-2162 or www.belmar5.com.