Striders crown four champions at Brandywine Creek Invitational
The Seashore Striders put together their best performance in 25 years at Brandywine Creek as 25 athletes competed in the Wilmington CYO League of Runners event.
Weather upstate was the same as downstate; the 1.1- and 2.25-mile courses were muddy and slippery, and got worse with every race. Luke Burton, a Shields fourth-grader, ran 6:18 for a hilly 1.1 miles to win the third- and fourth-grade division. Burton, a top 10 finisher last season at the nationals, was edged by two sixth-graders and took 40 seconds off his time from last season with a new personal best. Brexton Carter, in his first year, was second in 6:40 in the same race. Lainey Shockro won the third- and fourth-grade race with a big kick to the finish in 7:25, while Katie Kuhlman was second in 7:52. Deven Hundley was fourth in 7:56.
In the varsity girls' race, sixth-grader Emma Barthelmess ran one of the smartest races I have seen, taking the lead halfway through the course and running the final half mile strong and all alone. Emma hit the line in 16:24 in a race many coaches feel is the hardest in the area for that distance. Lindsay Rambo ran 17:05 to finish very well in second, while Lindsey Guida was fourth in 18:06.
The fastest race of the day was the varsity boys' event, where Andrew Aliva raced to a new course record in 13:09, while Strider Blake Hundley was second in 13:20. Allaire Burton finished off the day by winning the half-mile mighty mites as she was escorted to the finish by 10 CYO 12-year-olds.
The team will travel to Howard County Centennial High School Sunday, Oct. 19, for the Howard County Invitational.
Maine Marathon
Linda Schwartz-Chi of Rehoboth Beach competed recently in the Maine Marathon and considering how much Chi loves the hills, she turned in a time of 4:02:59 that satisfied her. She said, “I'm OK with 4:02:59! The race was harder than Boston, but on a beautiful course!” The post-race celebration included hubby Brandt, local brews and several lobster rolls. Congratulations, Linda.
Seashore Marathon & Half Marathon
The annual Seashore Marathon and Half Marathon is just seven weeks out; it will start at 7 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, from the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand. The Rehoboth Beach Running Company and the Seashore Striders produce the event that will host over 2,500 runners in the Cape area for one of the most scenic 13.1- and 26.2-mile courses around, showcasing Cape Henlopen State Park, Rehoboth Beach, and Lewes. The event has a major impact financially on the hotels, restaurants, and businesses in the area during a slow time of the year. Registration is still open for both events through Lin-Mark.com, or contact the Rehoboth Beach Running Company. Groups that are interested in producing a water stop for the event can contact me at tim@seashorestrider.com as soon as possible.
Cape cross country
Cape dropped two meets Oct. 15 as Dover easily beat the Vikings by a 23-38 score, and Smyrna won 22-35 at Schutte Park in Dover. Smyrna’s Adam Bailey won the race in 17:44, while Sean Saxton led Dover in third in 18:01. Sam Nye led the Vikings with a fourth-place finish in 18:03, while Ryan Wilson finished fifth in a time of 18:17. On the girls' side, the Cape girls dominated the Dover meet by a 21-34 margin, while the Vikings lost to Smyrna by a score of 23-33. Naomi Bowser of Smyrna won the race in 21:23, while Maddy MacElrevey led the Vikings with a time of 22:29. Keren Rams finished sixth for Cape in 23:14, and Grace Brokaw was eighth in 23:36. Sarah Dziak was 10th in 23:56, while Sarah Rambo was 13th in 24:58. The Vikings will skip the Bellevue Invite this Friday for Homecoming weekend.
Raven 5K
Seashore Strider Enos Benbow directed the Raven 5K Oct. 11 in Georgetown as a small field of 50 participants braved the weather and spent a few hours supporting the team in the rain. Special thanks to the following sponsors for making a contribution to the event: Carlton’s of Rehoboth Beach, David Landis & Family, Coach Lou Nicoletti, The Davidson Family, The Wharton Family, The Ramirez Family, Seashore Striders Event Production Inc., and the Caldwell Family. Martin Rodriguez of Selbyville won the overall title in 19:51, while Helen Morrow won the female title in 24:06.
Sea Witch Fall 5K Classic
The Sea Witch Fall 5K Classic set for Sunday, Oct. 26, will attract ghosts, goblins, witches and pumpkins for a race through Rehoboth beginning at 9 a.m. Awards will be presented to the top three finishers in each of the 14 age divisions as well as the overall, masters, and Clyde & Filly groups. The Seashore Striders Youth Cross Country Team in conjunction with the race will produce a bake sale. Only 300 T-shirts will be ordered, so register early at www.seashorestriders.com and arrive early as parking will be on Rehoboth Avenue. See you at the Sea Witch.
