JERRY WOLKOWITZ South River’s Dave DeMonico crosses the finish line first in Friday’s Born to Run race in Freehold.
Dave DeMonico keeps coming back to the streets of Freehold Borough for the Freehold Nissan Born to Run five-miler. He likes the race, the atmosphere, the people and race director Hank Bailey. And, the South River runner also likes to win, something he has done more of than anyone else in the 16-year history of the event.
Posting a 25:37, DeMonico won his second-straight Born to Run title and record fourth win overall.
"I took two weekends of racing off to prepare for this race," DeMonico noted. "I wasn’t sure how I would react to it. I was happy with my time today."
The time off for the busy DeMonico (this was his 37th race of the year) didn’t mean that he was planning to pull a surprise on the opposition. He went right at them in his usual, front-running style. Before the race was a half-mile over, his lead was more than 100 yards, and it only increased with each stride.
"I have to go out hard. It gets me into the race mentally," said DeMonico. "I can’t start off slow and then pick the pace up. Going out fast forces you to get into the race and focus. Before a race it’s me and my Black Sabbath tapes."
The Born to Run race was the most recent of a string of victories for DeMonico that have him already looking ahead.
"I’m still motivated," he pointed out. "I’m looking forward to next year. There are still things I think I can do."
Former Marlboro High School star Jay Pozner, who now lives in Colorado, was runner-up in 27:28. Pozner was home visiting his family for the Thanksgiving holiday,
Robert Malaysa was third (27:57). Barnegat’s Chris Peters, who has run in every edition of the Born to Run, had another Top 10 finish, taking fourth (28:01).
While DeMonico has adopted the streets of Freehold Borough, they are home to Madelyn Noe, the women’s winner in an impressive 29:15, which even more impressively, brought her home in 11th place overall.
"This is my hometown; I know the streets like the back of my hand," she pointed out. "I run them day and night."
Noe, whose coach and boyfriend is Jim Schlentz, who coaches the Colts Neck High School boys’ cross country team as well as Asics Club East, was as uncontested in her win as DeMonico. She took the race out hard at the start and didn’t ease off in beating two-time defending champion Barbara Moldoch of Point Pleasant.
Moldoch was looking for her fourth Born to Run win as well, but was thwarted by Noe.
She ran a 30:32. Phyllis Gunn of Red Bank was third.
Age group winners were: for the men — 19 and under, Tim Mulligan (28:12); 20-24, Bob Horn (28:33); 25-29, Pozner; 30-34, Greg Eckelbecker (31:55); 35-39, Charles Jenkins (28:05); 40-44, Bill Pane (29:26); 45-49, Peters; 50-54, John Dobol (32:23); 55-59, John Cheer (34:07); 60-69, Ralph Garfield (35:44); 70 and over, Hal Smith (49:05).
Women — 19 and under, Jen Gaffey (33:58); 20-24, Colleen Glass (33:53); 25-29, Kristina Reilly (33:59); 30-34, Amy Stern (38:57); 35-39, Moldoch; 40-44, Jill Soriano (37:11); 45-49, Dawn Ciccone (34:21); 50-54, Tair Chen (41:42); 55-59, Ann Warsing (43:37); and 60-69, Lisa Brasking.
Red Bank’s Art Glass won the racewalking division, stepping off a 55:53. Carol A. Smith was first in the women’s division (57:57). Richard Teubner finished first in the men’s Clydesdale division (35:02), and Peggy McKean was the women’s winner (41:43). Proceeds from the Born to Run race support the Monmouth County Child Abuse Task Force.