A quartet of Shore A.C. Masters Runners had an outstanding day at the 42nd annual
running of the New York Road Runners Club 5th Avenue Mile.  Despite a monsoon rain
in the middle of their events, club runners Rick Lee, Dr. Harry Nolan, Spider Rossiter and
Ken Wilson turned in outstanding performances in their respective age group races.
Running in the 60-64 age group, Lee, 61, turned in a fast win in 5:10, to outpace his rivals,
winning by a wide margin.  He once again repeated the first place he had achieved in the
2022 Fifth Avenue event.   Nolan, 76, also scored a win in the 75-79 age group, clocking
a 7:10 in his race.  Running is his 37th Fifth Avenue race, he has won at least one or
more of the races in every five year 40 and over age group category over the years.
 
In a hotly contested 70-74 division race, Rossiter,70 (6:27) and Wilson, 71, (6:30) landed second
and third places as the first two Americans only behind the win by New Zealander Rodger
Ward who clocked in at 6:23.  Two other shore area runners outdid themselves in the
women’s division races.   Joan Totaro of Toms River, won the 50-54 mile event in a career
best time of 5:34, while Courtney Decker of Avon placed second in the 40-44 women’s
race in 5:00 flat. 
 
A number of other Shore A.C. runners performed very well in their individual events.
Among that group included Gerard Rokosz (23) in 5:22, John Delaney (54) in 5:55,
Diana Stavrou (41) in 6:22, and Susan Stirrat (68) in 8:09. 
 
This year’s 5th Avenue Mile was well attended, with over 8,500 runners competing in
a variety of age groups.  Due to the impact of the hard rain, thunder and some lightening,
a number of later races scheduled had to be cancelled, except for the Professional Division
men’s and women’s races which took place later in the afternoon.  The event was held on
September 10th.