Milton Mile May 25 to kick off Memorial Day weekend
The first Milton Mile will kick off the Memorial Day weekend racing scene on Friday evening, May 25 at the Milton Wesleyan Church downtown at 411 Union St. The Milton Mile will be a series of seven one-mile races scheduled as follows: Race 1, Wees & Wheels, for parents and children in strollers as well as youngsters under age 12, will take off at 5:30 p.m. Bikes, roller blades, scooters and skateboards are allowed in this race only.
Race 2, Teen Championship for 13-19-year-olds, is slated for 5:50 p.m. with Race 3, Open Championship for runners 20 to 39, starting at 6:10 p.m. Race 4, the Masters Championship for ages 40 to 49, begins at 6:30 p.m. Race 5, Senior Masters Championship for ages 50 and over, starts at 6:50 p.m.
Race 6, Elite Female Championship for sub-six-minute milers, begins at 7:10 p.m, followed by the Elite Male Championship for sub-five-minute milers at 7:20 p.m.
Elite interested runners should contact me at tim@seashorestrider.com to register for the event. Special awards will go to the top three in many age groups with all Wees & Wheels participants receiving ribbons. The course record holder will receive a special trophy awarded to the fastest overall male and female runners.
There will be friends, family, food, fun and fellowship immediately following the event in the church parking lot. Registration is $20 from 4:30 p.m. until the start of each race with tech T-shirts guaranteed to all preregistered runners. Former distance star at Salisbury State and owner of Copy, Jim Sumstine, is the organizer, and his goal is to put the Milton Mile on the map and bring a quality road mile race back to the area. See you on the starting line.
DE-Feet Breast Cancer 5K
Now in its third year, the DE-Feet Breast Cancer 5K Run & Walk will be hosted by Tanger Outlets Sunday, May 20. The proceeds will benefit the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition. At this event for all ages, participants can choose to take part in a timed 5K run, a 5K walk or a 1-mile fun walk. The 5K run will begin at 8 a.m. while the 5K walk begins at 9 a.m. and the 1-mile walk at 9:15 am. All courses will use the Junction and Breakwater Trail of Cape Henlopen State Park.
Run or walk in honor or memory of someone in your life who has been impacted by breast cancer. Participants are invited to be creative with team names and attire - wear pink! All proceeds from the 2012 DE-Feet Breast Cancer 5K Run/Walk benefit DBCC’s programs that increase breast cancer awareness, promote the importance of early detection, provide access to mammograms, and provide support and resources to men and women in our local community who are newly diagnosed or facing a recurrence of breast cancer. Participants are encouraged to pick up their T-shirts on Saturday evening at Applebee’s on Route 1.
Emily Ritter races Last Chance
Emily Ritter, a graduate of Sussex Tech, closed out her freshman track season at Rider University May 14 at the Swarthmore Last Chance. Running the 1,500 meters, Ritter, the only freshman in her race, clocked a 4:47, which converts to a 5:05 mile.
Local track & field news
How about the Hornets of Delaware State at the recent IC4A Championships, where four heats and 24 Division I teams went after each other in the mile relay? Delaware State, which won the MEAC title in 3:08.52, made the final by winning the third heat in 3:09.24 and advanced as the second seed in the final behind George Mason’s 3:07.63. In the final, the Hornets rose to the occasion by winning the race in 3:07.14, while Mason was second in 3:09.85. Georgetown was third in 3:09.86, followed by Rutgers (3:10.62), Coppin State (3:11.43), Hampton (3:12.74), Army (3:12.84) and Temple (3:16.59). Duane Henry and Charlie Bell, two former opposing coaches of mine, have the Hornets rolling toward the NCAA championships to be held in a few weeks at Drake Stadium in Iowa.
Upcoming races
9 a.m., Saturday, May 19 - Diamondback Dash 5K, Indian River Inlet.
8 a.m., Sunday, May 20 - DE-Feet Breast Cancer 5K, Tanger Outlets, Rehoboth Beach.
5:30 p.m., Friday, May 25 - Milton Mile, Milton Wesleyan Church, Milton.
7:30 a.m., Sunday, May 27 - Masser 5-Miler, Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes.
