New Jersey Marathon Has a Banner Day in Long Branch

With the start of the New Jersey Marathon just seconds away, friends and family of the 11,000 who participated gathered at starting line at the promenade in Long Branch on Sunday morning to cheer as loudly as they could.

The record number of participants had a perfect day with sun shining high in the sky and a cool breeze rolling off the Atlantic Ocean, as they prepared to run the 26.2-mile course through nine Jersey Shore towns.

New Jersey Marathon Festival Race Director Art Castellano said just under 2,500 participated in the full marathon, about 8,000 have raced in the half marathon and about 350 two-man teams participated in the relay race.

Marathon winner Oz Pearlman, of Manhattan, N.Y., set a course record with a time of 2:28:19 after winning in 2008. After the race, he was exhausted but said he was happy to have finished first.

"The headwind was a killer coming back," Pearlman said. "The wind and the heat really kicked in near the boardwalk in Asbury Park."

The racers traveled north through Long Branch before heading through Monmouth Beach and Oceanport, and then south again through Long Branch, Deal, Allenhurst, Loch Arbour, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach. After crossing over to Bradley Beach, the runners turned around and headed back to finish line on the promenade in Long Branch.

In the past, the race was a double loop through Long Branch, Monmouth Beach and Oceanport, so runners had a new course this year.

Castellano said it is impressive to see somebody break a course record. 

"For him to run alone for the last 20 miles without a challenger shows his true grit," Castellano said.

Erica Weitz, of Orlando, had the second best time of the female participants in the marathon and finished at 3:05:31. Weitz said this was her first marathon and that she had never run more than 15 miles so she was "a little scared at first."

She said she enjoyed the course the New Jersey Marathon offered.

"I liked it a lot," Weitz said. "It was a nice, flat course."

Bronawyn O'Leary of Cliffwood Beach finished first amongst her female counterparts with a time of 3:02:22.

For others who participated in the marathon, the day was not about having the best time, it was about completing a goal.

Doug Shanks, of Portland, ran his 106th marathon on Sunday and at the same time, he finished his personal goal of competing in a marathon in all 50 states.

"Last year, I came here to run, and I broke my arm, so I had to come back this year," Shanks said. "Today was more of a celebration than going fast."

Castellano said he was "thrilled" about this year's marathon.

"I think it's the best we have had in 15 years," Castellano said. "A turnout like this shows me that the course is scenic and enjoyable to spectators."

Castellano said the race helps raise funds for 25 local charities through the participants' fundraising efforts, but that an immediate total of money raised from Sunday's race was not yet available. He said that in the past, an average of $1 million is raised through the race.

For a full list of results from all of Sunday's races click here.