What a difference a year makes?
Not for Tradelle Ward.
He won last year’s Verizon Corporate Classic 5K–downgraded to a “fun run” when sizzling heat threatened to melt runners’ medals–and he won without any asterisks on Thursday.
“Today we had perfect conditions. It couldn’t get any better for July,” said the 26-year-old Hoboken resident.
He posted a 15:55 time for his company, Stryker Orthopaedics, on a dry, comfortable Morristown evening that saw 5,200 people from 130 companies participate in race that netted $10,000 for Jersey Battered Women’s Services Inc.
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Not far behind at 16:07 was Paul Ehmann, 17, a rising senior at Mendham High School. He planned to reward himself with some carbs.
“I’m going to get pizza!” he said after the race.
Ashley Higginson, an intern at Riker Danzig, won the ladies division with more than two minutes to spare, recording an unofficial time of 17:11. Only eight men posted faster times.
One of them was Chris Nocera, another Stryker employee, who finished third with a 5:18 performance.
Joining Higginson in the winners circle: Karen Auteri (19:28) of IMS Health and Carly Kliment (19:35) of L’Oreal USA. Congratulations, everyone!
