Bob Beckert Run 2017

  One of the staples on the Mountain Fitness calendar is the annual Bob Beckert Memorial 5-K Run, held at Watchung Hills H.S. on the first Sunday of June.
   The race honors the memory of Bob Beckert of Watchung, who was tragically killed as a passenger in a car while on a business trip  15 years ago. His family still organizes the event, and all the proceeds benefit a Memorial Scholarship fund in his name at WHRHS.
    Mountain Fitness is proud to be a sponsor, and we always get a good representation of runners as well.
   This year, one of our entrants, Lindsay Friedman, was participating in her first 5-K. A lifeguard and former high school swimmer, Lindsay had only about a month's preparation for the event, and merely days before, had run three miles at a stretch for the first time. Still, she had an excellent first-time effort, finishing the challenging course in 33:06 and earning a third-place medal in the 15-19 female division. She's already looking forward to the next event with the club: the downtown Scotch Plains 5-K on June 29th.
    Barry Sommerville, a martial arts Black Belt and occasional runner, showed his grit and mettle with a second-place finish in the 60-69 division in 26:19. Due to his martial arts teaching schedule, youth wrestling coach commitments, and other workout priorities, Barry had only two training runs this winter, and still averaged under 8:30 per mile pace!
   Cheryl Gatti, a longtime participant (and medal winner) in this event, captured third in the 60-69 women's division in 30:26, and I was able take third in the 50-59 division in 22:23.
    While it wan't too long ago I was breaking 20 minutes in this race, I believe my time may have been a couple of seconds faster than last year, when we trudged through a thunderstorm that hit in the middle of the 5-K. Yes, we will take any little positive sign at this point!
    Race performance aside, the Beckert Run is about comraderie. There's usually about 200 runners, and for the most part, it's the same faces every year.  It introduces some new people, like Lindsay,  into the world of road races, and keeps old-timers like myself and Barry plugging along, with something to run for. Most importantly, it's the epitome of a small-town race for a great cause. We are happy to be a part of it!    
   .