Fog welcomed more than 200 runners, volunteers, and families on the morning of Dec. 2 at South Brunswick High School for the 8th Annual Run with the Vikings 5K presented by the Viking Athletic Club.
The race had to be rescheduled due to hurricane sandy, but despite the calendar reading December, the runners were treated to perfect running weather.
The race started and finished at SBHS with two races planned for the day. At 9:30 a.m., Race director Bob Tona gave the command for the 1-mile runners to start and off they went around the front of the school and up First Avenue where they would eventually turn around and make their way back.
Nolan Kus of Jackson was the overall winner and Amy Colhoun of Dayton was the first female finisher.
The starting gun went off at 10 a.m. for the start of the 5K run which winds through the quiet neighborhood of Welcome Farms. The runners followed the lead vehicle driven by Carolyn Dardani of Windsor–Brunswick Driving School.
Coming in first was Bryan Colhoun of Dayton with a time of 17:17 minutes. Mr. Colhoun was followed closely behind by Scott Sarno of Beach Haven with a time of 17:27 minutes and then Jack Medina of Livingston with a time of 17:33 minutes.
The females were lead by Amy Bernstein of East Windsor with a time of 20:15, followed by Angela Lynch of Cranford with 21:38 and then Sue Patla of Matawan with a time of 22:09 minutes.
The Fittest Family Challenge was won by the Lynch Family of Little Silver followed by Team Patla and then Team Ryan, lead by Detective Sgt. Jim Ryan of South Brunswick Police Department.
The runners were treated to bagels, bananas and refreshments courtesy of Johanna Foods, High Grade Beverage, and Joe Bork who provided the water. Tastee Subs on Route 27 provided sandwiches and Joe’s Deli donated cannolis.
Prior to the race, The Rehabilitation Center in Princeton provided stretching instruction to the runners and popcorn for the families.
Each runner received a specially designed t-shirt and a goody bag from Jersey Physical Therapy.
Sparky, the mascot of the Somerset Patriots, provided much needed help at the awards ceremony and took photos with all the winners.
