Registration now open for the tenth annual Asbury Park 5K

ASBURY PARK, N.J. - May 29, 2013 - PRLog -- Last year 1,048 runners completed the race, this time out, race director Phil Hinck is hoping to attract 1,500 runners for the event, which is presented by the Asbury Park Urban Enterprise Zone program with cooperation from the Shore Athletic Club (SAC), the Freehold Area Running Club (FARC) and the Jersey Shore Running Club. Proceeds will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County and other local organizations.

According to race director, Phil Hinck, the Asbury Park race began ten years ago, and organizers picked the second Saturday in August for the 5K to pay tribute to the former Asbury Park 10K Classic, which moved up the Parkway to Red Bank in the 1990s to become the Sheehan Classic (marathon great Bill Rodgers won the first Asbury Park 10K in 1982).

Hinck said 5K was selected as the distance to enable more people to compete.
“The casual runner nowadays runs one or two miles and does other activities like cycling,” said Hinck. “To them, five miles seems a long way.”

Hinck said the fast, flat course is spectator friendly, and those who come to watch will get to see the runners pass twice as the  race features a double-loop course that begins and ends at Bradley Park opposite Convention Hall at Sunset and Ocean Avenues. The course proceeds along Ocean Avenue prior to turning left onto Fifth Avenue. Another left will take runners onto Grand Avenue, then a slight left onto Cookman Avenue and back to Ocean Avenue before going around again.

The winner of the 2012 Asbury Park 5K was Andrew Brodeur, age 22 of Brick with a time of 15 minutes, 39 seconds. He was followed by John Trautman, 44 of New York City at 16:30 and Geoff Harrison, 41 of Fair Haven, 16:47.  In the womens race, first went to Jennifer Nelson, Barnegat with a 17:49 time. Second was Cheyenne Ogletree, 23 Garfield, 18:0 while third was Dactilia Booth, Long Branch, in 18:43.

The Asbury Park 5K is the fourth event of the Jersey Shore Golden Grand Prix‎, a series of races that offers awards to overall winners and age-group category winners sponsored by McLoone’s.

The five races are: Spring Lake 5, George Sheehan Classic, Belmar 5, Asbury Park 5K and the  Pier House 5K. Further information can be found at http://www.jsgrandprix.com

Registration is available online at http://www.jsrc.org or on race day beginning at 7 a.m. in Atlantic Square Park across from Convention Hall. The entry fee is $30. Runners can also register on Aug. 9 between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Convention Hall. A series of Kids’ races will be held in the park immediately following the 5K. The entry fee for the Kids’ races is $10. All participants will also receive free beach access for the day.

Sponsorships are still available. The Asbury Park 5K could not exist without the dedication of hundreds of volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or volunteer, please call 732-571-2162.