2016 Brielle Day Hill and Dale 10K Race Results

By Penny Hinck and Jim Robbins
Two hundred and fifteen road racers finished the 36th annual Brielle Day Hill & Dale 10K on the hot and humid Saturday morning of September 10. The course starts at the Elementary School area on Union Lane, meanders through the many, very many, picturesque hills of adjacent tree-lined streets; passes by Manasquan River Golf Course, and ends the 6.2 mile challenge at Green Acres Park, also located on Union Lane, amidst over a hundred quality crafters and vendors enjoying Brielle Day.
The event is staged by the Brielle Day Race Committee with the help of the Jersey Shore Running Club (JSRC) to benefit Brielle Recreation.
First into the finish-line chute, set up by Elite Racing Systems.com of Clifton, and breaking the tape held by Wall’s Diane Cheer, one of the race directors, was Terry Davidson, 45, former Wall resident, now of Randolph, at a racing time of 37:05 (37 minutes and 5 seconds). Coming in second place was Chuck Schneekloth, 39, of North Brunswick at 37:38 and rounding out the top three male finishers was Sea Girt’s John Jankowski, 41, at 38:41. Schneekloth and Jankowski finished “two-three” last year as well.
“The conditions weren't ideal and I wasn't expecting a fast time, so I was only looking for a great workout and just happened to feel good enough to win,” said the winner, Davidson (bib 178), when asked about his performance. He is training for the Mohawk Marathon on Oct 9th, happened to be visiting his mother for the weekend, and scratched his planned long run, deciding to do a tempo workout in the race instead, having run the event just twice before in the 1980’s. “I love everything about the race including the hills. You need to challenge yourself to get better and hills are a great workout.” “The (warm) weather was a major factor,” he added. “All of the runners were struggling, but the great fans and volunteers helped with the cheering, sprinklers, water, etc. Especially the kids! I think the kids got a kick out of throwing water on me at each water station...which I asked them to! It also helped get me to keep going! I also appreciated all the effort from The Women's Club of Brielle and many other volunteers that make the whole day a great from the crafts sale, food, beer and of course the race!”
Brick’s Amy Nalven, 38, was first in for the females at 45:18 (16th place overall) and rounding out the top three distaff competitors, respectively, were Robin Gialanella, 38, of Forked River at 46:30 (21st overall) and Toms River’s Lori Lidlow, 27, at 47:29 (25th overall).
“It was my first time running Brielle, although I was familiar with the course since we live nearby,” shared Nalven via post-race email. “My husband and I ran the race together and started off at a pretty conservative pace due to the heat and humidity. I didn't expect to win, but took the lead around mile 2. I loved the hills and atmosphere of the race and will definitely run it again, hopefully on a cooler day!”
At the 9:00 a.m. start on Union Lane race-starter Phil Hinck informed the assembled racers that there were two water spots available and strategically placed so that each served the racers twice, once on the way out and the other on the way back and that it would be wise to make use of them all four times. He then led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance, as the Boy Scout Troop 63 stood Color Guard, and gave his usual loud “Ready, Set, Go!” and the racers were off on their 6.2 mile trek following a lead police vehicle.
Bunny McDonald, 70, of Middletown, whose racing time of 1:07:18 (one hour, seven minutes and eighteen seconds) earned her 1st place in her age category, was in a good mood prior to the race. “I’m going after your record,” she joked to course-record-holder and race volunteer Phil Hinck, referencing his 30:33 record time on the “original course”, which has lasted since 1988.
Manasquan’s Charles (Keith) Henderson, 49, finished at 1:25:49, a 13:49 pace (racing time for each mile). This was his 13th Brielle 10K finish. When congratulated on his performance, he responded graciously “I always do my best,” but recognized that he was cautious because of the heat, and was quick to wish this writer a “Happy Brielle Day”.
The aforementioned winners and other special groups, as well as age-group leaders, were awarded plaques and hooded sweatshirts by the race director Cheer, assisted by members of the JSRC in the center of Green Acres Park, which also served as the refreshment area. Many random prizes were offered, due to the generosity of the private business community, the heartbeat of our nation, including the grand prize of a bicycle donated by Brielle Cyclery, won by the Laura Dolan of Asbury Park.
Mick Morris, 50, with a racing time of 42:40, and Mercedes Wall, 41, 48:47 were recognized as the First Brielle Residents. Ryan Mahony, 39, of Brielle, with a finish time of 57:10 and Louis Trumpbour, 43, of Sea Girt, at 50:05, were presented with First Law Enforcement Officer and First Firefighter awards, respectively.
Race Directors Jack and Diane Cheer noted that “the 36th Annual Brielle Hill and Dale 10K Challenge did hold true that ‘It never rains on Brielle Day’. The challenging hills of Brielle accompanied by the heat and humidity proved to be quite a steamy ascent up Union Lane towards Schoolhouse Road.”
They wished to “thank everyone who made the day possible, including behind the scenes help from Brielle Borough Hall, Brielle First Aid, Brielle Fire & Police Departments, Brielle DPW, Brielle Mayor Thomas B Nicol, the town of Brielle, Jersey Shore Running Club, BSA Troop 63, and the Church of Brielle.” The Cheers also wish to recognize and thank all of the sponsors of the event including Simko’s Grille of Brielle, Waypoint 622 of Brielle, Montenegro, Thompson, Montenegro, & Goetz of Brick, LSA of Neptune, Ocean First Bank, and The River House.
Other leading finishers of this 10K (6.2 miles) hilly challenge:
Leading male Brielle finishers: Mick Morris 42:40 (42 minutes and 40 seconds), Carter Condoluci 47:54, Luca Lucarelli 48:19, Sean Savage 50:07, Camerlon Fallon 52:08, Holden Becker 52:36, Richard Siderko 53:13, Daniel Kalemba 54:54, Ben Amorelli 55:08, Christian Felstedt 55:10, Ryan Mahony 57:10, Donald Cresitello 57:21, Dan Viani 57:40, Richard Davidson 58:35, Michael Gianforte 1:00:57.
Leading female Brielle finishers: Mercedes Wall 48:27, Erin North 51:15, Melanie Viani 51:43, Tricia Callahan 52:48, Kirsten Kalemba 54:34, Kaitlin Mahony 54:46, Gabrielle Korb 57:24, Kathy Drent 58:00, Sheila Gonzalez 58:57, Meghan Byrnes 1:00:22, Jessica Tice 1:00:31, Jennifer Esquieres 1:00:52, Tara Haley 1:00:52, Cathryn Oconnor 1:01:26, Alexis Feldman 1:01:58.
Road-racing events continue and schedules can be found on these websites: www.jsrc.org and www.farcnj.com.
Photos by George Ertle