Masser 5-Miler kicks off Seashore Striders Summer Racing Series
The Masser 5-Miler will kick off the Seashore Striders Summer Racing Series this Sunday at Cape Henlopen High School, beginning at 7:30 a.m. Hundreds of runners along the East Coast flock to the beach area to enjoy the weather and the ocean, and take in a road race while they are visiting. The Masser event, named after one of the series founders, Dr. Lee Masser, will take runners on a journey through Lewes. Awards will be presented to the overall male and female champions, runner-up male and female, top masters finishers, and the top three in age groups from 9 and under to to 80 and over. There will be clydesdale and filly separate age groups as well in the event.
Race-day registration will be held from 6 to 7:20 a.m. for a cost of $25.
Justin’s Beach House 5K
The JWJ 5K will be held this Saturday at 7:30 a.m. in downtown Bethany Beach, as more than 1,000 runners and walkers are expected to toe the starting line. Race-day registration will begin at 6 a.m. with the post-race party to be held on the boardwalk at Bethany Beach. For more information on the event, go to jbh5k.com.
Track bits and pieces
I rode up to the Delaware Meet of Champions with friends and track and field geeks Gilbert Maull and Lou Nicoletti. We shared track stories from back in the day - most of them I assume were halfway true. Gilbert talked about almost beating the great Dover sprinter Mike Meade in a hot 1978 100 meters after Meade fell out of the blocks, while Nicoletti is full of distance stories and wrestling matches at track meets dating back to his championship days at Delcastle Tech.
Senior Sam Hete, junior Roxy Ramirez and sophomore Ben Bamforth ran the 1,600 meters against some tough upstate competition. All three were a bit off what they wanted to race, but it is what it is on this given day. Hete ran 4:29, Ramirez ran 5:21 and Bamforth ran 4:39 in the metric mile.
The top mile time of the day was 4:13 by Charter's Kieran Tuntivate, as he cruised through the halfway point in the 2:05 range. The speed this runner has at the conclusion of the distance races is deadly and comparable to the late Danny Harmon, who was known for his finishing speed. The 800 meters was a showdown between Newark’s Jarod Wilson and Tatnall's Ben Boswell, as the pair took it out in a modest 56 split before Wilson powered down the final straight to hold off Boswell, running an impressive 1:52.
What turned into one of the best races of the night was the 3,200-meter run, where the brothers duo of Steve and Joey Garrett pushed the pace with the Charter duo of Kevin Murray and Kieran Tuntivate as they hit 4:35 at the mile. With two to go, it was Steve Garrett and Tuntivate unleashing a fierce battle to the finish. With 300 meters to go, it looked as if Tuntivate was pulling away, but with 150 to go Garrett switched gears again and went after him one last time. The crowd was on its feet as Tuntivate was able to hold off Garrett with a 59-second closing 400-meter split, hitting the line in 9:11. In my 30 years of watching high school track & field, it was easily the best battle I have watched.
The Cape girls ran 51.7 in the 400-meter relay with one botched handoff to close out the season, while Sam Young won the pole vault at 15 feet. Andy Brzoska was second in the discus competition. Beacon Middle record holder Zoe Scott, now at Caesar Rodney, won the high jump at 5 feet and was third in the triple jump.
Upcoming races
Saturday, May 23, Justin’s Beach House 5K Run & 2-Mile Walk, Bethany Beach, 7:30 a.m., jbh5k.com
Sunday, May 24, 22nd Masser 5-Miler, Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes, 7:30 a.m., seashorestriders.com
Monday, May 25, 13th Highway One Pictures 5K, Dewey Beach, 8 a.m., races2run.com.
