Masser 5 Miler kicks off 21st annual Striders Racing Series

Dr. Lee Masser is the Doctor of Road Racing, showing up to nearly 100 races a year for the past 20 years decked out in his orange shorts, usually with no shirt regardless of the weather. When people talk of the annual Seashore Striders Racing Series attracting hundreds of runners to the starting line each summer, they don’t get two sentences out without mentioning Doc Masser.  Twenty years ago we started the Masser 5 Miler at Cape Henlopen High School, and today it continues to be one of the favorite events of the year. This weekend’s race will be the third Seashore Striders event of the busy weekend as we begin with the Milton Mile at 5:30 p.m., Friday, May 23, followed by the JWJ 5K at 7:30 a.m., Saturday, May 24, in Bethany Beach and the Masser Sunday, May 25. Many people come to the Masser to support the youth program of the Seashore Striders, while more come to support Doc Masser and celebrate what he has done for the sport of running.

The event will open with race-day registration beginning at 6:30 a.m., followed by the start at 7:30 a.m. The loop course will circle the school before making its way to Gills Neck Road, Rodaline Avenue and Kings Highway taking the field back to the school. Tech T-shirts, five-year age groups from 9 & under to 80 & over, and a state championship for Clydesdale & Filly runners will highlight the morning.

To qualify for the Striders Summer Racing Series, one has to complete one of the two five-mile events and five of the 11 five-kilometer events throughout the summer. The Masser becomes the most popular event of the summer because it is so much cooler than the second five-miler held in late July.

Masser course record holders

Throughout the last 20 years, the Seashore Striders and Doc Masser have kept track of the course records in each age group in the event. The set of records is very impressive as the event has attracted some of the finest runners on the East Coast with times that are now very tough to beat. Here is a look: 9 & U: Evan Mock 37:01,1997 & Bethany Pavlik 40:10, 1996; 10-13: Jake Bamforth 32:40, 2010 & Emily Forrey 31:18, 2006; 14-19: Donovan Anderson 27:26, 1996 & Avery Cunningham 33:14, 2013; 20-24: Matthew Demlein 25:54, 1999 & Cindy Price 33:27, 1996; 25-29: Michael Wardian 26:53, 2001 & Vicki Boyer 30:25, 1998; 30-34: Mike Monagle 25:51, 2004 & Kim Kruse-Langer 33:17, 1996; 35-39: Greg Cauller 26:15, 1997 & Bettina Haskell 32:43, 1996; 40-44: Mark Amway 26:54, 2005 & Cindy Conant 32:27, 2005; 45-49: Joe Link 28:15, 1997 & Cindy Conant 32:42, 2008; 50-54: Reuben Beauchamp 28:23, 1998 & Cindy Conant 31:53, 2013; 55-59: Reuben Beauchamp 29:40, 2002 & Kathy Wool 39:54, 2010; 60-64: Francisco Sanches 33:56, 2002 & Priscila Prunella 38:59, 2004; 65-69: Tim Abbott 37:42, 2013 & Joann Szczepkowski 40:58, 2013; 70-74: Mike Bertolini 39:14, 1996 & Sharon Wright 53:58, 2013; 75-79: Jack Huxtable 41:58, 2013 & Jamie Wollard 1:08:47, 2013; 80 & O: Edward Green 1:02:53, 2013.

Meet of Champs

On May 21 in Dover I watched the Delaware Meet of Champions in the rain with my assistant coach Gilbert Maull as we enjoyed plenty of impressive performances, many from hardworking downstate runners. Highlights start with a two-three finish in the 3,200 meters by Cape’s Austin MacElrevey and Tech’s Sam Hete as both talented runners turned in personal bests with Austin at 9:43 and Sam at 9:47. Sam’s 9:47 breaks the school record of 9:54 held by Dave Ricksicker, while Austin moved into the No. 2 position at Cape behind Lance White. Keeping it in the family, how about a tough race turned in by Maddy MacElrevey in a hot 800 meters as she ran a personal best of 2:23 and looked tough the whole way? Cape graduate Kai Maull and his St. Georges team won the 400- and 800-meter relays, and the 200 meters to lead the sprint events.  Cape's Sam Young won the pole vault in an impressive 13-feet-6-inches in the slippery rain. Maurice Mills won the long jump going over 23 feet. DeJante “Pocket Rocket” Mackey, just a freshman, finished third in the 300 hurdles in a personal best time of 46.4 to become the fastest freshman ever at Cape in that event. The weather was dim, but the performances were bright!

Wild Goose Chase

The second annual Wild Goose Chase 5K Run was held at Trap Pond State Park March 18 overlooking the pond surrounded by miles of beautiful trails through the woods. A field of 150 turned out for the event in support of Christopher E. “Goose” Kay of Lewes, who passed away May 17, 2012. A large following turned out to show their support to the family and to Goose.

Christopher Stanley of Fruitland, Md., captured the male overall title in 19:35, while Susan Dunn of Laurel won the overall female title in 22:09. Scott Workman won the male masters in 20:22, while Monique Bamforth won the female masters in 24:39.

Upcoming races

Third Milton Mile, 5:30 p.m., Friday, May 23, Water’s Edge Church, Milton.

JWJ 5K Run & 2 Mile Walk, 7:30 a.m.; Saturday, May 24, Bethany Beach Boardwalk.

21st Masser 5 Miler, 7:30 a.m., Sunday, May 25, Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes.

12th Highway One Pictures 5K at the Rusty Rudder, 8 a.m., Monday, May 26, Dewey Beach, races2run.com.

First Dunbar Dash 5K, 5:30 p.m., Friday, May 30, Dunbar Elementary School, Laurel.

Fourth Habitat for Humanity 5K Run, 7:30 a.m., Saturday, May 31, Irish Eyes, Lewes.

Fourth Rehoboth 5K Run, 7:30 a.m., Sunday, June 1, Wilmington Ave. & Boardwalk, Rehoboth.