By The TimesLedger
It's the same old story.
Yorki Munoz became the first member of the College Point Road Runners Track Club to cross the finish line, taking 15th place overall at the Manhattan Half-Marathon on Sun., Aug. 5.
The resident of Jackson Heights covered the 13.1 miles over two loop course in Central Park in 1:16:30 for 15th place in a field of 5,934 entrants, but did not go back home with an award, taking 12th in his age group.
Coming into the race, the 31-year-old Munoz expected to do a 1:12, but the humidity slowed him down.
The humidity and hot weather also affected teammate Marco Monjardin, 22, who ran a 1:20:10 for the 24th place and was the second member of the CPRRTC to cross the finish line.
However, Julio Aguirre took back a trophy to his Corona residence for becoming the first place finisher in his age bracket. The 55-year-old Aguirre was clocked in 1:25:29 for 77th placed place overall.
Rounding out the top five members of the local club in the Half-Marathon was 17-year-old Nicholas Ng, who ran a 1:27:38 for 117th place overall and third place in his age division, and Ramiro Munoz, who finished in 1:34:14 for 296th place.
Meanwhile, Ryan Grote of Bernardaville, N.J., took the lead at the four-mile mark and covered the course in a winning time of 1:08:37, far ahead of runner-up Toby Tanser of Manhattan, who was timed in 1:11:38.
On the Friday evening before the Manhattan Half-Marathon, Carlos Parra, 27, of Manhattan, took the lead after the second mile and captured the third 5K race of the Summer Series conducted by the CPRTC in Flushing Meadow Park. Parra was timed in 16:32.
Alfonso Polainia, 39, of Jamaica, finished second in 16:39 in a field of 78 finishers, just ahead of Dan Palms (17:16) and Alejandro Gonzalez (17:19).
Gonzalez, 17, a resident of Ridgewood, is preparing for the cross country team at Townsend Harris High School.
“Running these races keeps me in shape,” said Gonzalez, who is entering his senior year. “I want to see the level I'm at.”
Maria Elena Negrete finished the course in 19:05 for 15th place overall, first in the women's bracket.
