A decorated track star chased a gator through the streets of Lewes

The 14th annual Bill Degnan 5K race attracted 110 runners last Sunday morning, June 28. Tim Bamforth and I shared the lead the entire race. We were of course riding in a gasoline-powered Gator. Tim looked back near the mile mark - he should have been watching the road - and asked, “Who is that guy?”

An older runner with flecks of gray in his hair was walking the dog on the field and showed no signs of falling back. Tommy Nohilly from Katonah, N.Y. ran a blistering 16:13 for the fastest time of the summer. I used my track experience and interview skills to go Lt. Colombo on Nohilly after the race.

“Nobody who is 43 rolls out of bed on a summer vacation, finds a race and runs 16:13,” I said to Tommy. The story unfolded. Tommy was the 1989 NCAA champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase - an absolutely insane race - as well as being a Penn Relays champion. He was on the United States national team in 1995 and 1997 in the steeplechase, and on the United States cross country team in 1999.

Nohilly was fourth in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic trials. In 1996 he lost out on an Olympic berth by a photo finish. Nohilly is married to former Florida high jumper Kim Elmer, a 5-foot-10 performer. Kim smiled while I interviewed her husband and never mentioned she was a high jumper. Tom trains preferring quality over quantity and does some biking and trail running with one torrid track workout a week.

Tom owns a 2:38 in the New York Marathon and ran a 4:01 indoor mile in 1989, capturing the SEC championship. Tommy Nohilly may have been the most decorated track guy ever to chase a gator through the streets of Lewes.

RUTH CLIFTON - Ruth is a Cape girl who graduated in 1976 and married her high school sweetheart, Donnie Clifton, just in case you are keeping a Clifton score card at home. Donnie now does “Farm First Consulting,” which is something like windshield farming except once in a while you have to get out of the truck and sit on the tailgate to talk with a client.

Now in the 45-49 age group, Ruth runs her 5Ks in the 23-minute range which means lots of trophies and bobble heads. Ruth’s maiden name is Flood and it’s her dad who once owned and still writes a column for the Dover Post. Her brother Jim “Flash” Flood ran on the Cape championship track teams of the early ‘70s for coach Tom Hickman. Ruth is the mother of seven children from ages 29 down to 17.

HEAVY BREATHING - I am off to ride the cardiac bike to nowhere at the Beebe stress test lab or whatever it is called. I don’t know because they won’t tell me. This is all a run up to hip replacement surgery as all medical specialists need to sign off on me. I just wish they would use water-soluble markers.

I flatly and fatly refused a cardiolite stress test, which is chemical exercise for your heart which sounded freaky to me like self-induced Java Junkie syndrome. I am a former track coach and I understand target heart rates and recovery time, but what baffles me slightly is maximum heart rate. I’m not interested in a heart beating 160 beats a minute and I always thought the more efficient the heart the less beats or in hip-hop speak, “I ain’t trying to beat no 160 times a minute, yo.”
I am telling everyone in the medical network that doctor-patient confidentiality only applies to them. I will take my camera and iPod to the stress test lab. Question: Beebe has valet parking and I was wondering how much to tip.

SAMBA SOCCER - The United States soccer team jumped Brazil 2-0, which was the halftime score, but the second half was just ridiculous as Brazil pummeled the goal and dominated the field finally winning 3-2.

The United States could have stolen that game but the difference in the number of talented players is immense.

SNIPPETS - The National League East is weak with the Phillies the only team over .500, but weak is good when you’re playing badly and going 3-7 over the last 10 games.

I hear that soften-the-schedule argument concerning high school football. Schedule people you can beat to build confidence. Now there’s a philosophy of life that will carry you a long way.

Vinnie Vasquez, a Cape track star and winner of a Bill Degnan Faith in Human Spirit scholarship, is pictured here with Mary Lippiatt prior to last Sunday’s race.

Deacon Dave McDowell brought Vinnie to the race before taking him to church. McDowell has intervened in Vinnie’s life because, like Bill Degnan, he believes in the human spirit and isn’t afraid to step out and help a kid.