A New Race in Newport
As a new race on the 2019 NYRR calendar, the NYRR Newport Fiesta 5K aimed to bring runners someplace new—Jersey City, NJ—for a fast and flat evening 5K through the city's downtown area. Rising New York Road Runners races and activities opened the day's festivities, followed by the 5K for adults and a post-race fiesta on the Hudson River waterfront to close out the night, giving runners from the five boroughs and beyond a warm welcome to running in New Jersey.
First to finish the brand-new event was Daniel Winn of the Brooklyn Track Club, breaking the tape in 14:28. Taking first-place in the women's race was Gadise Fita Megersa of the West Side Runners, leading the way in 17:03.
Daniel Winn and Gadise Fita Megersa are your inaugural #NYRRNewport5K winners! pic.twitter.com/DfU2wIhiC4
— New York Road Runners (@nyrr) May 4, 2019
Behind them were more than 5,500 runners dashing through the 3.1-mile course, which started and finished in Newport, passing by local landmarks like City Hall, the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza, and Exchange Place along the way.
Want to see more of Jersey City? Try out our 5.5-mile Downtown Jersey City Running Route.
Before the course turned off of Montgomery Street and back toward Newport, runners could enjoy a clear view of the World Trade Center, and the great views continued into the post-race fiesta, where runners had live music, food trucks, photo opps, and more to enjoy as the sun set.
A custom NYRR Newport Fiesta 5K photo backdrop also provided finishers with New Jersey-themed quote bubbles to add to their snapshots, including one pair of signs that aimed to settle a years-long statewide debate: Is it called Taylor Ham or is it called pork roll? (A third sign, which read, "What are you talking about?" was available for those unfamiliar with the local delicacy.)
As the festival continued well into the evening, the NYRR Newport Fiesta 5K started the excitement for what's next to come this month from NYRR: The Japan Run (4M) in Central Park next Sunday, with its own post-race festival as well, followed soon after by the Popular® Brooklyn Half on Saturday, May 18, with the Pre-Party Presented by New Balance and the After-Party at MCU Park designed to get runners excited with all things Brooklyn.
(And just in case you need another race in the meantime, there's also the NYRR Virtual Dog Jog 5K, which you can run with or without a pup up until May 12.)
