Beach Blast 5-K brings summer to winter in Sussex County

Stillwater -- Don Reinhardt, of Sussex, and Wantage’s Craig Polizzi are hoping it’s really cold this Saturday. The 16th is the date for the 6th Annual Beach Blast 5-Kilometer run, and one of the features of the race is something called the “dare to bare” which promises reimbursement of your entry fee at the finish line if you run the race wearing only a bathing suit and your running sneakers. “Last year it was too easy,” Reinhardt said, “The weather was pretty mild so it wasn’t so much of a challenge.” You don’t have to run in just a bathing suit, though, and most don’t at the highly popular annual event which will be held at 1 p.m. at Swartswood State Park this year. For most of the runners and walkers who turn out for this annual summer-in-the-winter festival, it’s about the fast course, enjoying a summer theme on the periphery of Christmas, and for people like Robert McGill, of Stanhope, the food. McGill, who rums more than 100 races each year said, Proceeds will benefit the Bears Youth Running Program. In its 11th year, the program has touched the lives of more than 350 area kids. Volunteer coaches with a passion for the sport share their knowledge and coaching twice a week after school then spend a big part of one of their weekend days coaching the kids at a race. “It’s a real labor of love,” said one of the coaches, Bruce Wask, of Newton, “I really enjoy working with the Bears.” The other coaches echo his sentiments. So much so that the program is spear-heading a winter component to the Bears this year with plans to offer the “Polar Bears” for a few months in the winter. Held annually “off season” in December, the Beach Blast 5-K is a favorite of runners like Bill Bosmann, of Sparta. Like McGill, Bosmann does a lot of races every year, but always puts Beach Blast on his calendar. “It’s a very festive environment and really gets you into the proper frame of mind going into the holidays.” Joe Pazoria, of Newton, likes the fitness aspect of the race. “It’s hard to find races this time of year and particularly the weekends around the holidays. The course is great and since the race is ‘snow or shine’ the directors get really creative if it snows. That’s hard to find, people putting their hearts, souls and shoveling muscles into something to make sure it happens.” Several years ago, race organizers had to shovel out the course due to snow. It was deep enough that they had to create a new 5-kilometer track on race morning, just hours before participants would arrive. Through their determination, the Beach Blast went off without a hitch. For information, call 973-383-7933 or send e-mail to BearsRunningClub@aol.com. Day-of-race registration opens at 11 a.m.