Peterson comes in first in FARC’s season-ending race
Roman best at predicting time in race series finale
The Freehold Area Running Club’s Summer 5K Series ended in 2001 with a first. Hightstown’s Megan Peterson became the first female runner to win the overall race.
Peterson clicked off a 19:22 in edging Marlboro’s Kevin McGann (19:25), who was the first overall male.
The season finale, however, was a predicted time event, with the winners being those runners who were the closest to finishing in the time they predicted they would run. Overall winners were recognized, which is where Peterson’s win comes into play.
Fifty runners braved the 100-degree temperatures to compete in the last race of the season at the Battlefield State Park, Manalapan.
Morganville’s Bob Roman was the best at predicting his time as there was only a one-second difference between the time he ran and the time he predicted.
Several runners came remarkably close to their predicted times. Danielle Soldo of East Windsor was runner-up, only three seconds off the time she had forecasted. Bob Peterson of Hightstown was four seconds off. Spence Holcombe of Ewing and McGann and Judy Wait of Freehold were only five seconds off.
The actual time difference of overall winner Megan Peterson was eight seconds.
Rounding out the Top 10 were Fran Bell, Jacobstown, (9 seconds) and Nicole McDonald (11).
The second 10 were Matt Egeland, Howell (12); Mike O’Connell, Belmar (15); Dorothy Peterson, Manalapan (16); Jim Gaffey, Freehold (19); Rick Bessette, Freehold (20); Ed Daley, Freehold (22); John Behrens, Howell (27); Thomas Wilson, Willingboro (28); Mark Leary, Roselle Park (29); and David Curren, Manalapan (30).
For more information on the FARC and its upcoming races, call the club’s hot line at (732) 431-2667 or visit the Web site at www.farcnj.com.

