Five running clubs in Queens — the Alley Pond Striders, College Point Road Runners Track Club, Forest Park Road Runners, Hellgate Road Runners and Quantum Feet Road Runners — have joined together to launch the first Queens Grand. Prix Series, op
“I’ve always wanted to do something to unite Queens,” said Dominic Ortiz, head of the Quantum Feet Road Runners. “At first I thought about a race on Thanksgiving Day. It’s a tough day or people to come out and volunteer.
“Then I thought about a Grand Prix,” he added. “The New York Road Runners stage a half-marathon grand prix series (a race in each of the five boroughs). Long Island Track and Field has its grand prix series. To bring awareness to Queens the best thing we can do is to have our own grand prix series.”
The Alley Pond 5-mile Challenge is scheduled for Sunday, April 27, and The Forest Park 5K or 3.1 mile race will be held Sunday, May 18, The Gabe Vitale 5K, hosted by the College Point Road Runners Club, will take place Saturday, May, 31. The Quantum Feet 5K will be held on Sunday, June 8, in Fresh Meadows and the Heligate 5K in Astoria is set for Saturday, June 14.
A runner who registers for and completes races sponsored by at least four of the five clubs receives a Queens Grand Prix Series embroidered patch, which recognizes the five clubs in their effort to keep Queens running vibrant.
In addition, those runners competing in all five races will be eligible for special raffle prizes, including merchandise and running apparel.
Volunteers are also recognized in the series. The effort and hard work by the volunteers will be counted toward the race tally.
For further information call Dominic Ortiz at 718-454-3338.
In other running news, Yorki Munoz of Jackson Heights was the first member of the College Point Road Runners Track Club to cross the finish line in the Brooklyn Half-Marathon.
The 33-year-old Munoz, who ran a 1:12.29 last year, slipped a bit to 1:15.47 for 18th place overall, but with a seventh place finish in his age category still managed to take home an age group trophy.
“I was doing good until the six-mile mark, but the two loops in Prospect Park slowed me down,” he said.
Munoz wasn’t quite ready for the 13.1 mile race because of the weather conditions during the week of the race.
“The day of the race was beautiful,” he said. “Still, I was happy with my time as I ran it at an under six-minute pace. Now I’m putting in an average of 45 miles a week of training and want to go up to 70. With spring we now have good weather for running.”
The winning time for the race was 1:11.15 turned in by Meek Floral of Brooklyn. Rounding out the top three members of the College Point Road Runners Track Club were Marco Monjardin, whose 1:17.44 earned him 32nd place overall, and Javier Palma, whose 1:21.32 placed him 66th.
The top runner from Queens to finish was Marc Antone, whose 1:13.14 earned him seventh place overall in a field of 3,999 entrants, including 3,172 finishers.
