By Warren Rappleyea
Staff Writer
About 3,200 participants, including defending women’s champ Grace Njoki, are expected for the running of the 5-mile George Sheehan Classic in Red Bank Saturday.
Another 500-600 people will participate in a variety of other events that begin Friday evening with the Kids’ Classic, a variety of short races for children ages 4-13, said Race Director Bob Rosa.
In addition to the 5-miler, the weekend includes a wheelchair race and a 2-mile health and fitness walk.
"Entries are up by about 10 to 12 percent," Rosa said. "I’m hoping we can do even better, and we’ll be taking registrations until race time."
The course for the 5-miler remains the same for the sixth successive year. It will start and end on Broad Street after twisting through the neighboring towns of Fair Haven and Little Silver. It also includes an out-and-back aspect along Harding Road.
Just past the 4-mile mark, runners face the challenge of Tower Hill, but it’s downhill on the other side and relatively flat from there to the finish.
Runners will again be timed by computer chip, Rosa noted. All runners will be issued a chip that they must wear on their ankle. This will enable all the runners to get an accurate time based on the time they actually cross the start and finish lines. Runners must pick up their chips at the race registration tent in Marine Park beginning Friday from 2-9 p.m., and on race morning beginning at 6:30 a.m. Chips will be collected at the finish line.
Race organizers will again host a Friday night pasta dinner, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Marine Park.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for kids, and may be purchased at the door. Participants in the kids’ races are allowed in free. In addition, a free concert sponsored by the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation will also be held Friday in the park, beginning at 8 p.m.
Besides Njoki, other top runners include Khristian Schwartz and Naoko Ishibe, both of the U.S.; Rosa Apaz of Brazil; and Edna Kiplagat and Naomi Nangui, both of Kenya. Schwartz recently took first place in the California International Marathon, while Nangui finished fifth in the Sheehan a year ago.
Top runners in the men’s field include Mike Melsi of the U.S.; Brazilian Marco Condor, Zblon Mokaya of Ethiopia; and David Njuguna, Thomas Omwnaga and Simon Wangai, from Kenya, who won the Broad Street 10-miler earlier this year in Philadelphia.
"We have a nice international flavor," Rosa said. "But we’re also very proud of the local turnout. That’s where most of our entrants come from."
Rosa said that if he were to draw a circle extending 25 miles out from Red Bank into neighboring Middlesex and Ocean counties — that’s where most of the runners reside. The race also draws many people from Bayonne, Hoboken and western Essex County, he said.
The Kids’ Classic will begin at 6 p.m. Friday. A 5-mile wheelchair race will precede the 5-miler Saturday, starting at 8:25 a.m.
The 5-mile Classic begins at 8:30 a.m., with the Health & Fitness Walk following at 8:40 a.m.
Other activities include a Runners’ Expo in Marine Park from 2-9 p.m. Friday, and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.
Entries for the 5-miler are $25; race-day entries are $30, entry fees include a T-shirt, and all finishers will receive medals. Entries for the fitness walk and Kids’ Classic are $16. For more information, call (732) 988-7725 or register online at www.sheehanclassic.org.
Race results will be posted on the site after 6 p.m. Saturday. The site also includes a schedule and description of the events, race registration information, detailed course maps, and hotel information and directions.