If you missed celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, the Freehold Area Running Club has an answer for you. That is, if you are a runner. On March 21 the club will present the 21st annual Nestle Beverage Co. St. Paddy’s 10- Mile Race and its accompanying Leprechaun 5K at Michael J. Tighe Park, Georgia Road, Freehold Township.

The 10-mile race will start at 9:30 a.m. and the 5K will begin at 9:45 a.m. Race day registration will begin at 8 p.m.T

he course for the 10-mile run will start and finish in Tighe Park. When runners and racewalkers leave the park, they will race around the back roads of Freehold Township. They will turn left and head up Stonehill Hill, then turn right onto Jackson Mills Road, and then right onto to Aimee Drive and a left onto Brandon Boulevard before returning to Georgia Road.

Then it is on to Nomoco Road, where the field will pass the 5-mile mark. From Nomoco Road it is a left onto Ely Harmony Road and then left onto Pittinger Pond Road, which will take runners back to Nomoco Road for the final 2.5 miles. The field will run past Turkey Swamp Park, where they will pass by the 9-mile mark, and then head back into Tighe Park for the finish.

Last year, former Red Bank Regional High School and William and Mary standout Rob Dennis won the race in a time of 54:56. Colts Neck High standout and now Harvard University runner Brianna Jackucewicz was the women’s winner, clocking a time of 1:03.05.

The Leprechaun 5K is run inside Tighe Park. Matthew Nelson, 15, won the 5K race in 2009, posting a time of 17:59. The women’s 5K champion was Barbajean Brennan (20:109).

There is a racewalking division for the 10-mile event and last year Ron Salvio was victorious in a time of 1:48:21. The women’s champion was Marie Paul (1:56:14).

Trophies will go to the top three male and top three female finishers overall, as well as the top three finishers, male and female, in several age divisions.

The St. Paddy’s race has become a highlight on the early spring road racing calendar. Some runners use the 10-mile event to prepare for a spring marathon (such as the Boston Marathon) or for speed work as the 5K provides. Last year more than 800 runners and racewalkers participated in the two races.

For additional information about the races, call 732-431-2627 or visit www.farcnj.com.