Vanderwende: a relentless runner, working farmer

Out on the sports beat there is no nicer guy than the relentless runner and working farmer from Bridgeville, Breck Vanderwende. Last Saturday morning competing in the Strider 5K, a rested Breck went with race leader Larry Levy - masters runner from Reading, Pa. - through the first mile ata 5:15 pace.

“I usually run 5:25 but felt good so I stayed there,” Breck said.

“I was coming up on mile two and I couldn’t shake him and thought, holy cow, if he has a lot at the end he’s going to beat me,” Levy said.

Larry held on for first but Vanderwende ran 16:53 and was under 17 minutes for the first time since 1990 when he ran 16:58 in the Summer House 5K. Breck got home and instead of a warmdown run he used the daylight - a farmer thing - and went back to work. Breck’s wife, Pamela, is a fifth grade teacher and their children, Alanna, 7, and Aydan, 4, are a pair of talkers and as cute as anything, I can certainly attest to that.
Last Saturday birthday boy Breck walked into the house late. Pamela wrote to me: “Breck got in from work at about 8:45 p.m.  We spoke with him on the phone, but we hadn’t seen him all day.  So, we made him a special dinner with one of his faves, banana nut muffins, and as he walked in the door we played Copland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man.’ I took a picture of him holding his cupcake with a star candle in it and the kids sang ‘Happy running to you, happy running to you.’ We did it b/c of his 16:53 race.”  I’m guessing no PR, no cupcake. Actually Breck Boy doesn’t need a star candle on his cupcake to be in The Show.

Breck won his age group the next day at the Sunday northbeach 5K.

KING OF THE ROAD - Gene King runs all the local races and doesn’t hesitate to run back-to-back, which is a good effort for anyone. Gene generally wins the 65-69 age class and is pretty fluid for a big guy which tells me one thing - low mileage.

“I’ve only been running seriously the last three years since moving to Delaware,” King said. “This year I hope to run 40 races.”

King is a retired from a career in control systems engineering. Gene and Emma have been married 22 years. Gene comes from a sports background or recreational volleyball, tennis, basketball and softball. He is that guy rather than the ridden hard and put away wet and rusting organized sports guy like my multiple chronic injury laden limping self. Gene and Emma are from Pittsburgh - has anyone from the beach ever moved to Pittsburgh? - and are fans of Pitt, WVU, PSU and, of course, the Steelers.

SPORTS CHOICE - I have often written that school choice was more like sports choice and there are eligibility issues that affect athletes but not straight up academic marvels. So now there are transfer rules coming down to restrict the flow of athletes, some of whom chase more high-profile programs where they get more recognition on better teams with more top-shelf athletes and a coach in place with a record of success.
Hand a young lacrosse kid a stick and ball and watch them “twizzle and swivel” and roll and face dodge the family dog. Ask the kid not under the influence of proximity parents, “What do you love most about school” and they will say “lacrosse” and so where is the best place to play? Cape wins that contest every time - no offense to the hard work and accomplishments of other programs.

I know I’m a biased Cape enthusiast, but my perception with a new high school gym and turf stadium and solid coaching across the array of sports is that Cape is about to power surge and become a diversified, statewide powerhouse.

SNIPPETS - I am the papa of polar bears, but doesn’t the ocean ever warm up around this place? The contrast of blistering hot to freaking cold makes a July plunge worse than January. Late life can be depressing because of the disconnection with the future, so why would anyone decide for an isolation community of 55 and older? I would like to provide a service of taking those who can’t get there to the beach and walking them into crashing waves.

I saw home plate umpire Herbie Shorthose bend down and dust the dirt under the third base bag last Sunday in Georgetown, and when the bag went back on its underpinning Herbie jumped up and down making sure it was secured. Looked like a rugged athlete - I could see it - the genetic connection to George Shorthose - wide receiver out of Missouri of the 1985 Kansas City Chiefs.

The Cape weight room continues to enjoy big turnouts this summer and there is lots of enthusiasm for a successful 2008 football season.

How does anyone stay on a treadmill for more than 10 minutes? Talk about mindless.