The 31-year-old Munoz is coming off a 1:16.57 performance, good enough for 30th place overall in the Brooklyn Half-marathon last month. The…
By The Times-ledger
Yorki Munoz will have a tough time winning the 23rd annual Queens Half-Marathon, slated for Saturday, April 14.
The 31-year-old Munoz is coming off a 1:16.57 performance, good enough for 30th place overall in the Brooklyn Half-marathon last month. The resident of Jackson Heights placed 20th in his age category, topped by overall winner Toby Tanser of Manhattan. Tanser, one of the outstanding road runners at almost any distance, covered the course in 1:09.51.
“It was a little windy,” Munoz said. “But I was still happy with my time.”
Munoz thus became the first finisher from the College Point Road Runners Track Club that is helping the New York Road Runners stage the upcoming Queens race. Munoz, who wound up runner-up overall in a 4-miler in Long Beach in February, intends to compete in all five half-marathons in the series, and in shorter distance events, such as 5Ks, as well.
His immediate goal is to break 1:10 for a half-marathon and he hopes to do it at the Queens event. He puts in an average of 60 miles a week of training in Central Park.
Tanser, whose best time for a half-marathon is 1:03 in Texas, will be entering the Queens Half as the favorite. He missed the Queens race in 2000.
The race goes off adjacent to McNeil Park in College Point at 8 a.m.
In addition to the usual age group awards, cash prizes will go to the first three overall male and female finishers. The winner receives $500, the runner-up $300 and the third place finisher $200.
The course record is 1:05.51, set by Steve Kogo in 1984 and for the women is 1:15.33, set by Zofia Wiecioirkowska last year. Nelson Rocha ran a 1:07.24 for first place in last year’s race.
In addition to the overall cash awards, $100 time bonuses will be awarded to the first three women who run faster than 1:16.30 and the first three men who run faster than 1:06, and the winner of the race will receive $100 if he or she breaks the existing record.
Entry blanks are available in Queens at Quantum feet Running Store, 188th St. and Union Turnpike, and Skaggs-Walsh Fuel Co., in College Point.
For further information call 762-1519.
