***The 2019 Fall*** ***Season Begins***
USATF-NJ 5k XC Championships The ladies highlighted a great day out at beautiful Natirar Park as the GSTC had a huge showing in the USATF-NJ 5k...an event way too early and way too close to the road mile.
The women's A team scored a perfect 15 score with Meaghan Driscoll, Laura Cummings. Emmy Cary, Samantha Young, and Hortencia Aliaga rounding out the perfect 1-2-3-4-5 finish. The women's B team was second while the masters 40s team also scored a perfect 1-2-3 finish with Aliaga, Jess Byrnes, Heather McDermott, Gabrielle Panepinto, and Anne Balfour totally crushing it up front.
The open men put teams 2-4-5-8, and the masters M40s and M50s won handedly. The M50s, lead by Mark Zamek, Rich Osifchin, and John Hogan, also scored a perfect 15 points. The M60s, spearheaded by Gary Leaman, was 3rd overall. Kyle Price (2nd) and Evan Ward (8th) were the lone top-ten finishers for the open men.
We would tell you the team scores, but this hasn't been updated on the association website all year. Individual Grand Prix standings, however, were updated on May 2.
ROAD MILE CHAMPIONSHIPS: GSTC Runs the Table at the Midland Mile The men in black had a huge day at the office in Monclair with teams finishing 1-3-4-6-7-8. The squad of Eric Holt, Kyle Price, Maanek Kumar, Chuck Schneekloth, and Brendan Conway averaged 4:30.58 to take home the victory. Holt (4:16) and Schneekloth (4:33) won the open and masters race, respectively.
The M40s teams went 1-3, with their winning team edging out a big win thanks to the efforts of Zamek, Shawn Williams, Carlos Pineiro, Trevor Emmitt, Jeffrey Lawson, and Tyrone Ross. The M50s were first with the M60s 2nd.
The ladies teams went 1-2-3 with teams averaging 5:31, 5:36, and 6:01. The GSTC ladies put seven in the top ten: Laura Cummings (1), Suzanne Forlenza (2), Caryn Gehrke (3), Emily Rosario (4), Laura Barnes (7), Julie Williamson (8), and Meaghan Driscoll (9).
The M40s continued their banner year by going 1-2 in the team scores averaging 5:47 and 6:21. Aliaga, Byrnes, Panepinto, McDermott, Balfour, and Angee Riordan teamed up for the two scoring teams.
Ladies Throw Baby Shower for Co-Captain Erika Meling "A whole day just to give a baby a shower? Shouldn't that just take like fifteen- thirty minutes max?" asks a confused mens member Shout out to Adrienne Viola and Megan Cafferty for rocking outfits with team colors!
HOLT WINS MONMOUTH MILE; BREAKS 4:00 Race directors weren't even going to put him in the seeded heat earlier that week. Days later, he not only broke 4:00 for the first time...he won the entire race in front of a screaming crowd.
Against a setting sun at Monmouth University, Eric Holt executed a perfect race plan. Going through in 59 and 1:59, he sat in third with one lap to go. After rolling through the 1500m mark, he made a sweeping move down the final homestretch, hitting the tape in 3:58.88 for the upset win.
Holt has the 5th Ave Mile and Long Island Hoka Mile left next week before he ends his magical summer season.
Team Enjoys Asbury Park 5k Evangelist Mistakenly Wears Her Freedom RC Colors Some solid performances on the boards of Asbury Park weeks ago, including Maanek Kumar 16:48, David Chan 17:32, Wismith Francois 17:42, Adrienne Viola 19:03, Chelsea Callan (19:11), Shannon McKenna (19:14), Amy Bernstein (22:21), Sandi Kaspszhyk (23:04). This is one of the very few GSTC post-race pictures where more folks didn't run the race than did!
Masters Men Win Road Mile Team Title The M40s squad, the defending national grand prix champions, were picked to finish second by USATF correspondent Paul "The Running Prof" Carlin. Due to injuries, the group has struggled to put numbers on the board. After mustering a win in Virginia Beach and just a fourth place finish in Atlanta, the crew needed to beat favored Atlanta Track Club to keep their hopes alive to repeat as grand prix champions.
They came through in a big way, handing the ATC a 14:20-14:41 defeat. Schneekloth (1st overall, 4:37), Dave Ferruggia (4:50, PR), and Zamek (1st, 55-59, 4:55) teamed up to bring home the first place overall team title. With just two races left, in San Diego and Tulsa, the team needs to beat their Georgia rivals both races to hold on to the narrow team win.
Belmar 5: Good Results, Great Posing Summer is the time for fun races and great poses. Although not all are pictured, Brad Kilheeny (28:47), Sam Valentin (29:42), David Chan (30:19), Kelsey Pellegrino (31:42), Adrianne Speranza (32:13), Jarrett Dewelde (32:33), Danielle Shannon (34:34), Kelly Gorman (34:46), Stephanie Belbey (37:37), Rachel Cordasco (40:22), and Hannah Heck (44:14) all jumped in for the annual five miler.
GSTC Goes to Red Bulls Game "Wait, I thought this was a Bloods Initiation Meeting?" Ashwin Asks Ashwin Anantharaman, thinking this was his big opportunity to finally be a G, geared up in his finest red tshirt all to find out, last minute, it was only for a Red Bulls game. "By the time I found out, it was too late to use my famous, 'My family has a birthday party at 6am on a Sunday morning so I can't make the race' excuse, so I just sucked it up and hung around with everyone while wearing my grandpa's socks." Ryan McDonnell didn't wear red because "I can just blend in easily with all the other eight foot guys at the game."
USA CHAMPS RESULTS
BAKER FINISHES 4TH!!!!!!!!! Olivia Baker, a NJ high school legend, had the third best finish ever in GSTC history at a national championship with her 4th place finish in the 800m. Although her 2:00.94 final wasn't a PR, it was her best ever finish at an outdoor USA championship. And, look how awesome she looks on national television!
DOWNS MAKES 800M FINAL!!! One of the biggest surprises of the USA Championships was GSTC's Robert Downs. A relatively unknown 1:48 half miler, he was the 32nd runner (of 32 entrants) to qualify for the meet. After PRing in three straight races, the gutsy Philly native ran 1:46.46 in the semi-finals and eventually finished 8th in the USA 800m final. LetsRun even wrote an article about him called "Who is Robert Downs?"
MIRABELLI FINISHES 9TH Chris Mirabelli, one of the best athletes to graduate from Rutgers University, made the final and finished 9th in the javelin. Like the others, he hopes to make the Olympic Team in 2020 next year.
GIRARDI JUST MISSES 400IH FINAL Peter Girardi, like Downs, was a dark horse at the meet, but the scrappy hurdler qualified for the semi-finals and ran a PR of 50.27 to finish 12th overall...just .50 away from making the final!
INTERNATIONAL MASTERS TRACK Knowles, Schneekloth, Mooney Bring in Six Medal Haul Three GSTC athletes competed at the North, Central America and Caribbean Masters Championships in Toronto, Canada this July. Thom Knowles got two silvers in the 5k and 8k cross country race, Lee Mooney got a silver in the javelin, and Chuck Schneekloth got two silvers (1500, 800) and one gold (4x400).
TRACK SEASON FINALLY ENDS The spring track season finally came to end at the NJ Invitational in mid-July. Despite thunderstorms throughout the meet, which actually didn't stop the meet from delaying the events (?!?). The highlight of the meet was Mark VanMeter, second to the right, popping out a big win in the long jump of 24-6.
YOUTH NATIONALS: USATF Van Etten, Byers Earn All-American Status Will Van Etten and Kennan Byers both earned All-American accolades at the USATF National Youth Championships in Sacramento, CA weeks ago. Van Etten (9-10) picked up two bronze medals: the 1500m (4:57.57) and the 800m (2:26.61). In the former, he became just the second NJ age grouper (Craig Forys) to break 5:00 in that event. Byers (11-12) also took home two bronzes in the 1500 (4:44.83) and in the 3000m (10:11.81). Will Holman was 9th in the 400m (9-10), one spot off the All-American podium.
Gabby Pelov (30th/1500), Alex Pelov (14th/1500), and Aidan Byers (17th/HJ; 28th/shot put) also qualified and competed.
YOUTH NATIONALS: AAU Several athletes qualified and competed at the AAU National Championships in North Carolina. Bray Brown (42nd/400), Gabby Ball (30th/100m), Matt Califano (43rd/3000), Alex Califano (47th/3000m), Annya Trivedi (55th/800m), Prisha Kulawade (46th/800m), Zachary Bye (35th/300m), and boys 4x100 (45th) and the above girls 4x400 (29th).
MINERVINI BREAKS CLUB RECORD WINS BIGGEST TROPHY EVER The outdoor track season kicked off with the Rider Invitational in April, and several had big performances. Some of those included Kelly Gorman finishing second in the 1500m, Jovanni Parkinson winning the 200m, and masters Sam Teigen breaking 16:00 for the first time in 15:59.53. The men's 4x400 also crushed the field with a 3:15.48, with anchor Peter Girardi earlier winning the 400IH in 52.23.
BOILERMAKER 15k ACTION Several GSTC'ers jumped into the world famous Boilermaker 15k last month: Stephen Rathbun (51:31/52nd), Tim Ball (64:26), Ashwin Anantharaman, Aidan Taylor (64:26), Kyle Price (51:01/44th), and Brendan Conway (64:26).
M50s 2nd, M40s 4th in National Champs 5k in Hot-lanta In the club's first national championship with both a scoring 40s and 50s team, the M50s finished 2nd and the M40s finished 4th overall at the Atlanta 5k Masters National Championship.
The 40s team finished with a 17:30 average with Dave Ferruggia (17:24), Shawn Williams (17:32), and Thom Knowles (17:34) rounding out the scoring three. Charlotte RC (16:34 average), ATC (16:40), and GVH (16:54) finished in front of them.
The 50s team averaged 17:31, helping the crew to their first-ever podium finish on the national stage. Mark Zamek (17:06), Joe Hegge (17:27), Rich Osifchin (17:59), John Hogan (18:12), and Gary Leaman (18:29) teamed up for the big result, losing only to the nation's best 50s team, Greater Springfield Harriers.
Moise Rewrites GSTC Sprint Record Book Robert Moise can now make the strong case he's the GOAT in GSTC sprint history--which is a big statement to make. Despite being hurt and not being on the club's winning 4x200 relay at Millrose Games, he has set the track on fire this spring. After a come-from-behind-win as the 4x100 anchor to help the club win its first Olympic Development relay title, he has since blazed to a 10.46 (100m) and 20.80 (200m)- both club records!
Niles Wins HM in Iceland Yes, There Are Races in Iceland 
Alexandra Niles ran a big PR out in Iceland last weekend to win their big half marathon in Reykjavik, hitting the tape in 1:18:38. This puts her as the #3 club performance of all time!
Jang Reflects on the Eagle Metaphor He Used during the Club Gala Speech "In hindsight, I probably should have said red-tailed hawk or a crested honey buzzard for a more accurate extended metaphor." 
LOCAL MAN MOVES TO SOUTH PLAINFIELD AND IS DEARLY MISSED BY ELDERLY NEIGHBORS "Did that guy who took wet selfies in his living room and outdoor selfies of his legs and his junk move away?" Doris asked Zelda. "I haven't seen him running around town in a while."
Parisen Speaks to Group of Small Children About His Donut 5k Heroics Months Ago "And if you look at my Garmin Connect, I ran 5:35 pace for the final .1 miles. I had too much left in the tank. It was crazy."
Parisen's Teammate Asks to Hear More About the Pivotal Moment When He Passed the 58 Year Old With Arthritis At Mile Two
Evan Ward Rents Car to Attend the USATF-NJ 5k XC Championships "Mental note: don't leave the inside lights on for six hours next time," he regretfully claims while carrying jumper cables
Teigen, Masters Superstar, Invites You to the Local Renaissance Fair "Costumes are optional, but I'll be wearing my forest green Medieval Mercenary outfit," he asserts.
FRIEDER TWINS NOT IMPRESSED WITH YOUR SUMMER WEDDING ANNIVERSARY PICTURES ON FB "Please tell me you didn't pay real money to rent that hell hole out for your actual wedding. Our weddings were atop the Eiffel Tower and inside Stonehenge. Also, what's your 5k PR?"
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