Freehold Area Running Club was founded in 1983 at Liberty Oak Park, Freehold, New Jersey. Paul Fitch was the first President. There were about 45 charter members and the first Summer Race Series was held at Monmouth Battlefield State Park in the Summer of 1983. Jim Casey and Jeanmarie Jacoby were the weekly winners that first season over the challenging 5K cross country course. The final race of the season featured the "staggered start" where each runner starts at a different time based on his or her best time of the season compared to the fastest time of the year. Theoretically, everyone should finish in a "dead heat." John Jennings, the Summer Series Race Director for the first three seasons said "This is the mission of the club to encourage everyone to run for fun as we are all winners