Lightning 5K (2003)

It started as an idea from his commanding officer and like any physically fit military man Tom Cusimano ran with it. The result has been one of the most popular and socially conscious races in Central New Jersey, the Lightning 5K and 1 Mile Fun run which commences for the 14th time on Sunday September 7 at 9 am at the Kilmer US Army Reserve Center in Edison.

Cusimano a long time Westfield resident and one of the top area runners retired from his 78th division Army reserve unit in 2001 after a long and distinguished military career but has not been able to separate himself from the race he calls “The most gratifying thing I’ve ever done in my military career”.

The proceeds from the race help to defray costs for the annual 78th Division Handicapped Children’s Holiday party which has taken place for 35 years. This year’s race will highlight two of the party’s long time participants George Prenderville and Rich Otten. Prenderville will the honorary race starter. Otten started the party and is the father of Dan Otten. who tragically passed away last March.

With Cusimano now working full time in the pharaceutical industry much of the race planning has been handed off to two 78th division officers, Dennis Rears and Bernard McCauley.

“It’s great having two avid runners with race direction experience”, said Cusimano.

“I also must mention LTC Richard Miller who is my day to day right hand man. Not much running experience but a terrific administrator and officer “, added Cusimano.

Rears is a long time member of the Morris County Striders who organizes the successful Morris County Striders summer series and numerous races which until September 2001 were held at Picatinny Arsenal .

Mc Cauley is one of the most active New Jersey runners, competing in an astounding 150 plus races a year which usually includes three marathons, no small fete for someone who at 6 foot 1 230 pounds. looks more like an NFL Linebacker than a runner.

Don Hessemer of Fanwood, who worked together with Cusimano for several years has been an entrant in the race for the last eight years. “It’s a real nice race put on for a great cause”, said Hessemer.

“Tom Cusimano is a genuine American hero, someone we all look up to”. Besides his distinguished military and running career, Cusimano was a national caliber athlete in the modern pentathlon, a grueling comi8nation of running, swimming,shooting,fencing and equestrian.

The race venue gets its name from Joyce Kilmer, a talented New jersey poet who was killed in World War I. During the first two world wars, troops were mobilized from the center but currently it is used more as an army reserve training center.

Ironically enough the race in 2001 was run on September 9, two days before tragic events would result in considerably enhanced security for the site causing a change to the course last year.


Asked when the race starts Cusimano replied “0900 hours” before catcvhing himself and saying 9 o’clock. it’s like the saying goes..”Once a military man always a military man.”

A race application can be printed from the web site www.compuscore.com. For more information, call LTC Richard Miller 1-800-575-9073 ext: 1833 or Mr. Karl Chigas 732-867-2046. To learn a great deal about the race and its history, go to the web site
http://www.runningpage.com/Edison5K.