DeMonico, a familiar face and winner of the Born To Run Five-Miler, which takes runners through the streets of Freehold Borough the day after Thanksgiving, was in Freehold Township on Sunday for the 11th running of the Freehold Area Running Club’s St. Paddy’s 10-Mile Run through the back roads of Freehold Township.

DeMonico easily handled the extra distance, cruising to the win in 52:59. The front-running DeMonico won by 2:40 after setting a hard pace early and crushing his rivals in the out-and-back course that began and ended in Liberty Oak Park.

Runner-up was Frank Lamberti of Mahwah. He ran a 55:39 followed by Mark Schoenfield of Flemington (55:52), former Marlboro High School star Joe Pellegrino (56:02) and Brian Crowley of North Brunswick (56:12) in third through fifth place.

Old Bridge’s Annie O’Dowd is beginning to feel right at home in Freehold Township. The road racing veteran, who is well-known locally, successfully defended her 1999 St. Paddy’s championship. With Englishtown’s Ema Piccolella applying the pressure, O’Dowd had to run more than two minutes faster this year. Her 1:03:17 was just 27 seconds better than Piccolella’s 1:03:44. Last year, O’Dowd ran a 1:05:41 in picking up the win. She followed that up in the summer with a win at the FARC’s Women’s Only 5K in Marlboro.

K.C. Meehan, a former high school standout at Brick, was third (1:06:01). Hellen Ward, from Spring Lake Heights, was fourth (1:06:14) and Maggie Freeman, from neighboring Spring Lake, was fifth (1:08:14).

Age group winners for the men were: 15-19, Dave Wilson, Hamilton Square (58:39); 20-29, Pellegrino; 30-34, Rich Broxmeyer, Milltown (58:52); 35-39, Crowley; 40-44, Angelo Costa, North Bergen (58:57); 45-49, Chris Peters, Barnegat (57:48), who beat out Freehold’s Jim Schlentz, the cross country and track coach at Colts Neck (1:01:00); 50-54, Tito Ortiz, Paterson (1:08:4); 55-59, Russell Stallone, Avenel (1:07:10); 60-64, John Leonard, Cliffwood Beach (1:09:14); 65-69, Lawrence Corley, Aberdeen (1:12:56); and 70-over, Robert Mimm, Willingboro (1:45:43).

Elberon’s Richard Adams won the Clydesdale Division (1:09:12).

Age group winners for the women were: 15-19, Alino Zeleznova (1:43:19); 20-29, Alison Bergen, Brick (1:11:54); 30-34, Ward; 35-39, Jennifer Gunn, Red Bank (1:08:45); 40-44, Jane Erbe, Manasquan (1:09:20); 45-49, Lena Hollman, Scotch Plains (1:12:26); 50-54, Ellen Liauba, Bayonne (1:26:18); 55-59, Marilyn Rider, Long Branch (1:31:17); and 60-64, Imme Dyson, Princeton (1:22:05).

Bobby Cavallo of Bayville finished first among the FARC members. He was 16th overall with a 59:33 effort. First FARC woman across the finish line was Laurie Salberg of Manalapan (1:18:26).

Winners in the racewalking competition were Jack Lach, of Wall, (1:30:54) and Vanessa Ryans, Ashburn, (1:32:48).

Finishing second and third among the men were Dave Romansky, Pennsville, (1:32:25) and Erik Litt, Philadelphia, (1:38:51).

Taking second and third behind Ryan for the women were Sherry Brosnahan, Bridgewater, (1:37:16) and Janice Adams, Herndon, (1:50:57).

There was a very familiar face at the victory podium in the accompanying Windmill Leprechaun 5K, Lindsey Gallo. For the third straight year, the Howell High School star showed her heels to the field, capturing the women’s race in 19:12.

Gallo’s win capped a sweep for Howell High School as Matt Forys won the men’s and the overall race in 16:51.

Forys outran Robert Price of Bradley Beach (17:12) and his Howell High School cross country teammate Mike Cerchia (17:33).

Gallo turned back East Windsor’s Danielle Soldo (19:38) and Farmingdale’s Briana Jackucewicz (19:56).

Age group winners among the men in the 5K were: 14-and-under, Victor Vientos, Matawan (18:16); 15-19, Cerchia; 20-29, Tim Ragan (19:49); 30-39, Price; 40-49, Jack Anderson Jr. (18:27); 50-59, Bob Bocchetti, Brick (20:45); 60-69, Richard Roytoss, Tinton Falls (26:52); and 70-and-over, John McManus, Woodside (23:59), who beat Freehold’s Hal Smith (28:57).

For the women: 14-and-under, Jackucewicz; 15-19, Heather Gosack, Howell (22:03), who edged her Rebel teammate Nicole Forys (22:25); 20-29, Karrie Moss, Madison (22:29); 30-39, Soldo; 40-49, Lois Eder, Colts Neck (22:17); 50-59, Lois Levy (27:35); and 60-69, Shelly Polay, Freehold (35:41).

There were 844 runners and racewalkers who registered for this year’s St. Paddy’s and Windmill Leprechaun races.

For more information on upcoming FARC events, call the club’s hotline at (732) 431-2627, or visit the Web site at www.farcnj.com.