A sorority of 500 would-be road racers started their Labor Day weekend as cross country competitors and challenged Holmdel Park’s 3.1-mile championship course by responding to the invitation of the 12th annual Saturday in the Park Women’s 5K, on the sunny, glorious morning of Sept. 3.

Fifteen-year-old Amanda Marino, of Jackson, was the first to cross the finish line at a racing time of 19:05, followed by Brooklyn’s Kelly Chin at 19:36 and third-place Amy Caruso, of Toms River, at 19:53.

Adele McDonough, 29, of Belmar, a past president of the Jersey Shore Running Club (JSRC), finishing in 20:41. Red Bank’s Elizabeth Ireland, another past president of the Jersey Shore Running Club, finished at 30:05, good for a first-place award in her age group 55-59.

Since its inception, the Saturday in the Park 5K has raised over $145,000 and has created public awareness of options and services available to women. This year, donor pledges earned over $1,600.

The Saturday in the Park event began as part of the Women’s Distance Festival of the Road Runner’s Club of America, which was an effort to encourage women’s running at all levels. To add to this idea, the JSRC Women’s Running 101 Program, which was initiated by the club in 2002 to train women to run the Saturday in the Park race as their first 5K, was continued and several women completed the race as their graduation event.

Other finishers of the grueling grind, but worthy cause, were:

Red Bank: Marueen Massell, 22:15; Jennifer Gunn, 22:51; Karen Carson, 26:44; Colleen Healey, 28:15; Elizabeth Ireland, 30:05; Kathleen Dina Misciagna, 31:49; Carol Thomson, 36:38; Maureen Nora Hayward, 40:45; Kathy Misciagna, 41:22; Christine Latore, 41:22; Kathie Sterzinar, 43:01; Jennifer Freyer, 43:02; GailBujold, 43:11; Rosemarie Korbelak, 43:29; Lindsey Matre, 58:17; and Cheryl Matre, 58:18.

Others included: Sara Robinson 23:13, Rumson; Samantha Obrien 23:15, Rumson; Serena Hunt 23:32, Rumson; Sammie Marinko 23:32, Fair Haven; Ashley Hopkins 23:45, Rumson; Janet Walsh Burpee 24:26, Fair Haven; Mary Friedman 24:56, Fair Haven; Jackie Kirwan 25:59, Rumson; Susan Mazzer 26:08, Fair Haven; Arlene Jensen 26:17, Rumson; Carol Irwin 26:20, Rumson; JayneWhitman 26:52, Fair Haven; Lauren Fodero 27:32, Fair Haven; Veronica Elizabeth Lamura, 27:51 Shrewsbury; Gina Rosset 27:57, Rumson; Catherine Lynch 28:30, Shrewsbury; Abigail Joan Burpee 29:19, Fair Haven; Rachel Dobken 30:02, Rumson; Taryn Berry 30:02, Rumson; Cardina Mueller 31:13, Fair Haven; Alicia Laugler 31:55, Lincroft; Quinn Mckay 31:58, Rumson; Riley Herrmann 32:02, Rumson; Penny Herrmann 32:02, Rumson; Mary Fowler 33:33, Fair Haven; Penny Duncan 33:53, Fair Haven; Taylor Mckay 34:09, Rumson; Sandra Talarico 34:55, Little Silver; Stephanie Duncan 35:17, Fair Haven; Kathryn Winthrop 35:18, Fair Haven; Susan Schnell 37:04, Rumson; and Karen Cebulko 40:49, Oceanport; Shanna Giordano 40:50, Oceanport.