BY SUSAN MCTIGUE
OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
CLOSTER, N.J.––Although Closter will be holding its traditional 36th Annual Labor Day 5K Dom Mircovich Memorial Run, at the same time the town will participate in its second annual Mayor’s Challenge, which started in conjunction with Haworth’s 5K Run in October. The brainchild of Haworth’s Dr. Jeff Pavell, the idea for a friendly competition between the two towns is a way to emphasize and promote the importance of physical fitness in these communities. Pavell, the race organizer, knew that Closter Mayor John Glidden and Haworth Mayor John Smart are runners who would be enthusiastic about starting this new tradition.
In 2016, the Closter team, consisting of the mayor, a borough employee and a resident, won the challenge by a slim margin. The two teams had promised that the second-place finisher would donate a tree to the winning town. A year later, the tree can be seen at the entrance to Closter’s Memorial Park on Harrington Avenue. The Haworth team is hoping to capture its first title in 2017 and add a tree to its own town property.
The Closter race is planned for Sunday, Sept. 3 and the starting line is on Harrington Avenue at Memorial Field. The Haworth race is planned for Saturday, Oct. 7 and the starting line is at 142 Terrace St.
The Closter team will include Glidden, Detective Sgt. Vinnie Aiello and Northern Valley Demarest student Josh Munoz, who runs during all three sports seasons on the high school’s track and cross-country teams.
The Haworth team will include Smart, Police Officer Kevin McKeary and resident Jason Timochko, who was one of five Haworth residents to qualify and run in the Boston Marathon.
And while the Mayor’s Challenge will be a fun side-show to the races, the community at large is also invited to participate.
To register online for the Closter 5K Run/Walk, go to www.closterrec.com. Registration information for the Haworth 5K Run/Walk on Oct. 7 can be found at www.Haworth5K.org.
Both Glidden and Smart saw an increase in participation last year, with 250 adults and kids in Closter and 625 in Haworth registering, respectively. Many runners participated in both competitions and were excited about the neighboring towns joining together for the Mayor’s Challenge, where the teams’ times in both races are combined to determine the eventual winner.
The money raised from
registration fees is used for good causes. In Haworth, proceeds are donated to the ambulance corps, the library, the PTO and the fire department. Closter earmarks the funds for the Recreation Department, supporting its widespread programs throughout the year.
Both events will be held rain or shine.
Photos by Murray Bass