Craig Segal and Rob Dennis turned back the clock at the Freehold Area Running Club’s 23rd St. Paddy’s Day 10-Mile Run.
Segal and Dennis, who were high school opponents before they embarked on collegiate careers, finished first and second, respectively, in the March 25 race that started and ended at Michael J. Tighe Park in Freehold Township. The runners toured some of the township’s back roads.
It took an automatic timer to separate the two men at the finish line with Segal, a former Holmdel High School standout, getting first place in 52:37.47, and Dennis, a former Red Bank Regional High School standout who now lives in Princeton, finishing second in 52:37.68.
Both runners averaged 5:16 a mile for the 10-mile race.
Wall Township’s Jeff Propert was third (58:24.24) and Richard Airey of Forked River was fourth (59:44.13). They were the only other runners to average under 6:00 a mile.
Rounding out the top 10 were West Long Branch’s Gary Wersinger (1:01.36.25), Bayonne’ Scott Duprex (1:01:58.70), Howell High School senior Drew Kinghorn (1:04.04.39), Point Pleasant’s Thomas Zarra (1:04:26.58), Freehold’s Chad Safran (1:04:45.30) and Englishtown’s Rob Ditota (1:04:47.68).
The winner of the women’s 10-mile race was Cliffwood Beach’s Brondwyn Oleary, who was 13th overall. She posted a time of 1:05:08.11 to win her race by almost two minutes. Oleary averaged 6:31 per mile.
The runner-up in the women’s race was Sara Amitrani of Red Bank (1:06:51.70). Keara McGran of Largo, Fla., was third (1:09:39.93).
In the race-walking competition, first overall was Long Branch’s Marie Paul in a time of 1:51:44.74. Men’s winner Raymond Robertson of Ocean Township posted a time of 1:53:48.77.
Finishing behind Paul among the women were Farmingdale’s Karen Freeman (2:10:36.35) and Jackson’s Nan Owen (2:25:42.10).
Patrick Bivoan of Clifton (2:00:55.33) and Raritan’s Eliot Collins (2:22:38.88) finished second and third among the men.
The Leprechaun5K was won by 15-yearold Bill Foster of South River. He averaged 5:37 per mile in clocking 17:23.95. Ramsey’s John Walsh was second (18:51.85), followed by Colts Neck’s Alejandro Penaloza (19:37.78).
Former Raritan High School standout Christine Altland was the women’s champion. She was 10th overall in 21:02.77 and averaged 6:47 per mile. Skillman’s Jenna Kugel, 14, was second in a time of 21:52.72 and finished 11th overall. Cranbury’s Maddie Whaley, 12, finished third among the women (22:52.98).