Striders to wrap up CV19 Team Challenge May 24

The Seashore Striders will cross the finish line this weekend in the May CV19 Team Challenge and will kick off the 30th annual Seashore Striders Summer Racing Series with the 27th Masser 5 Miler as a virtual race. The Seashore Striders Summer Series will at least begin virtually, with live races possibly in August, but that will all depend on many factors as the state rolls out the reopening phases. The issue is still going to be with large groups gathering at the race site, which is normal when it comes to registration, the starting line, and the awards ceremony. I was on a call with a race director out of Washington state that I met through the RRCA, and he said the new guidelines being worked on will remove the social aspect of a road race until we have a vaccine and can get back to normal. In my opinion, I feel it is safe to say that 70-80% of participants in our local road races are attending for the social aspect and to support the cause. If there is only online registration, park & walk to starting line, going off in 10-minute windows while social distancing, serve-yourself water stops, cross the finish, grab your bottle of water, and head to the car, will folks still attend? Results will be posted online with a Zoom awards ceremony and awards delivered. I am not saying that I am totally correct with this new format, but I bet I’m getting close.

CV-19 Team Challenge
The CV19 Team Challenge will wrap up this Sunday, May 24, with the final requirement being a 5-mile run or walk anywhere participants live. Currently, we have 241 participants from 21 states and one runner in Germany taking part in the challenge. The challenge has raised almost $6,000 for five nonprofits, totaling almost $17,000 since April 1. A total of 80 teams divided up six different run/walk distances over 19 days and completed the challenges, sending in a photo of their watch or measuring program along with a selfie photo at the finish. The team challenge event had male, female, coed and K9 divisions and the coolest part of the challenge were the two extra requirements besides the running and walking. Each team member had to make a donation to one of the five nonprofits and complete a volunteer or giving back piece such as donating blood, making a mask or dropping off canned goods to the Striders collection box, which has filled the rear of the Striders trailer. There have been so many acts of kindness from teams during this challenging time that it has been a rewarding experience to see everyone in action in such a positive way.

The challenge will finish this Sunday with participants completing a five-miler on their own, or several will take part in the popular 27th annual Masser 5 Miler that will be held virtually from 6 a.m. to noon.

Finish chute - Congratulations to Cape senior Olivia Brozefsky, who was featured in the Delaware State News as Athlete of the Week. Andy Walter of the State News called me last week, and it was good to catch up with him; he has been covering cross country and track & field for the state for many years and always does a nice job. Olivia, who was coming off a second-place finish at the Delaware State Indoor Championships in the pole vault, was out to defend her Henlopen Conference title this spring before the rug was pulled from under the team in early March. Olivia was notified last week by Grove Club’s Margaret Colvin that she is the winner of the annual Grove Club Scholarship, a $500 award presented to a Cape senior athlete. The 2020 Go Fast Youth & Elite Running Camp, scheduled for June 16-18, will been postponed until a later date this summer. “We are looking at new dates in late July to mid-August pending numerous factors associated with COVID-19,” said director Derek Shockro. “Our goal is to hold a safe and fun camp for everyone involved, and the original date for camp doesn't allow this to happen.” Look for the Seashore Striders & Go Fast to again host the RRCA Level 1 Coaching Certification class in late June or July led by Seashore Striders alumnus Brent Ayer. Ayer was one of the all-time fastest master runners to ever compete in the summer series, dominating three straight age groups for 15 years. He was also the first to bring colorful tights into the limelight. Brent left the scene before tutus became popular and Jack V took over. Triathlete Jake Bamforth, training hard in Florida, recently threw down a 121-mile bike ride, averaging 21.9 mph, and is prepping to move to Fort Collins, Colo., to continue his public health career in a master’s program from Colorado State University – and of course train with the big dogs. Speaking of a master’s program, I recently enrolled with Concordia University for a second master’s and more importantly, 15 more credits on the state pay scale, this time in Coaching & Exercise Science. The first master’s I earned in 2016 was in Coaching & Athletic Administration. Over & out!