New Jersey Marathon Set to Run 4 Miles Through Oceanport Sunday

The traffic is already beginning to back up on Route 36. With sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 60s this weekend, some beach traffic is to be expected, but the buzz of activity at Monmouth Park two weeks before thoroughbred season tells a different story. The to Oceanport and Long Branch.

The runners are coming. In fact, some of them are already here, trotting out by the clubhouse in their Sauconys and Asics rather than horseshoes, picking up their bibs and race packets. The Health and Wellness Expo opened Friday afternoon. It is free for the general public and will be open until 8 p.m. Friday evening. It will also be open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wee runners will get their shot at glory Saturday morning in Long Branch, as the New Jersey Marathon Festival hosts several kid-friendly events on the Great Lawn at the Ocean Promenade between the hours of 8 a.m. and noon. A three-mile fun run/walk gets things started at 8:30 a.m., followed by a mini fair at 9:00 a.m. featuring "Bubbles the clown" (back by popular demand) and there will be a kids 1.2 mile "marathon" at 9:30 a.m. and sprint races beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Italian cuisine will undoubtedly trend as the area's dinner of choice Saturday evening as runners "carbo-load" in preparation for the Sunday race.

Donna "Mia" Perrulli, who manages just a short block away from Monmouth Park, said her restaurant is ready for the challenge.

"It should be great," said Perrulli in a telephone interview. "We seat about 100 people, but we have a good staff that does quick turnover so we can accomodate a lot of people."

Perrulli said she has quite a few reservations for Saturday evening, but Mia is still taking more.

Sunrise Sunday morning will begin to draw runners to the starting line at Long Branch Ocean Promenade, north of Pier Village and the Ocean Place Resort & Spa. The race will start at 8:00 a.m., and the first runners should enter Oceanport via the Pleasure Bay Bridge at approximately 8:22 a.m., according to a traffic alert issued by the Oceanport Police Department.

Runners will follow a four-mile loop around the borough for miles 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the 26.2 mile race, which has runners follow a route north through Oceanport and Monmouth Beach before sending them south along Ocean Avenue to Ocean Grove.

Once they enter Oceanport, runners will turn right onto Comanche Drive, make a left on Pocano Avenue, left onto Port Au Peck Avenue, right onto Monmouth Boulevard and through the front parking lot of Borough Hall. They will then proceed up Myrtle Avenue, turn left onto Port Au Peck Avenue, right onto Comanche Drive, right onto Monmouth Boulevard, and leave town over the Pleasure Bay Bridge.

Runners will be going through the route in Oceanport continuously until approximately 11:00 a.m.

Comanche Dr., Monmouth Blvd., Myrtle Ave. and Port Au Peck Ave. (east of Oceanport Ave.) will be closed to all traffic from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Police are advising all residents to plan ahead as vehicles will not be able to move through the east side of town during the race. They've also advised residents who live in the Port Au Peck section that if they wish to leave town, they should plan on leaving prior to 8:00 a.m., and returning after 11:30 a.m.

Parking will be prohibited on Comanche, Pocano, Port Au Peck, and Monmouth between Port Au Peck and Myrtle. Police ask that all parked vehicles be removed from those roadways the night prior to the event.

If an emergency requires you to drive through the Marathon area during the race, contact the Police Department at 732-222-6300 for instructions and assistance.

For more information about this year's New Jersey Marathon, please visit their website at njmarathon.org