Sheehan Classic returns to Red Bank Saturday

Defending champions Titus Mungi and Catherine N’bereba will return to Red Bank to lead a field of more than 3,500 runners in the George Sheehan Classic on Saturday.

Another 500-600 people will participate in a variety of other events that begin Friday evening with the Kids Classic, a variety of short races for children ages 4-13, race director Bob Rosa said.

In addition to the five-miler, the weekend includes a wheelchair race and a two-mile health and fitness walk.

Last year’s race was nearly postponed because of heavy rains that caused flooding along the course. A Herculean effort by Bob Rosa and other members of the race committee resulted in some last-minute course adjustments that allowed the race to go on, albeit at just over 4.9 miles. The last-minute downpour put a dent in walk-up registrations, and just under 3,000 runners competed in the five-miler.

"I did order good weather this time," Rosa joked. "So far our numbers are good, and we’ll be taking registrations right up until race time."

This year, for the first time, participants will be timed by computer chip, Rosa noted. All runners will be issued a chip that they must wear on their ankle. This will enable each runner to get an accurate time based on the time they actually cross the start and finish lines. Runners must pick up their chips at the race registration tent in Marine Park beginning on Friday from 2 to 9 p.m. and on race morning beginning at 6:30 a.m. Chips will be collected at the finish line.

Race organizers have also brought back the Friday night pasta dinner, which will be held beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Marine Park. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for kids and may be purchased at the door.

A free concert sponsored by the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation also will be held Friday in the park, beginning at 6 p.m. Rosa said that a minimum of $1 per runner will be donated to the Family Health Clinic of Red Bank, a free medical treatment facility for people without health insurance.

The five-mile course remains the same for the fifth straight year (barring inclement weather), starting and ending on Broad Street and meandering through the neighboring towns of Fair Haven and Little Silver. It also includes an out-and-back aspect along Harding Road.

Between miles three and four, the course winds through the residential side streets of Fair Haven. Just past the four-mile mark, runners get to climb Tower Hill, but it’s downhill on the other side and relatively flat from there to the finish.

Mungi won the men’s race in 23:05, while fellow Kenyan N’bereba was the first woman to cross the finish line with a time of 26:27. Several other world-class runners will be on hand as well.

On the men’s side competitors include Gabriel Muchiri and John Korir, who finished second and fourth, respectively, in the Sheehan last summer, and Johnson Muiruri, who finished second in the recent Crescent City Classic in New Orleans. All are from Kenya.

Top women include Kenyan Kim Saddic, who won the Sheehan three years ago and finished fourth last year; Catherine Nbereba, who won the Boston Marathon for the second time in April and who is a member of the Kenyan Olympic team; and three-time U.S. Olympian Ann Marie Lauck, who will be running in the Sheehan for the first time.

Although the presence of elite athletes lends an air of importance to the event, the Classic is primarily a local race. More than half the field comes from the surrounding communities in Monmouth, Middlesex and Ocean counties, Rosa noted.

"We get a lot of support from runners in the area, but we do get a fair number of runners from other parts of the state and New York and Pennsylvania," Rosa said. "And the three towns along the route have been great," he said. "We could never have a race this size without their help."

The Kids Classic will begin at 6 p.m. on Aug. 11. A five-mile wheelchair race will start at 8:25 a.m. The five-mile Classic begins at 8:30 a.m. with the Health & Fitness Walk following at 8:40 a.m. Other activities include a Runners Expo in Marine Park from 2 to 9 p.m. on Friday and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free.

Entries for the five-miler are $25. Entries for the fitness walk and Kids Classic are $16.

For more information, call (732) 988-7725 or visit www.sheehanclassic.org. Race results will be posted on the site after 6 p.m. on Saturday. The site also includes a schedule and description of the events, race registration information, detailed course maps, hotel information and directions.