Boyd brothers cruise to finish in Wrightsville race
Aric and Jeremy Boyd, Cape graduates with Lewes ties, completed the Wrightsville Beach Half Marathon March 19, crossing the finish line together in a time of 1:49:49. Back in the day, Aric competed as a long sprinter on my track team at Cape, while Jeremy was my night recreation director for the City of Rehoboth Beach and did some race directing with me and the Seashore Striders. The race marked the first time either had completed the 13.1-mile distance, and the brothers impressively saved their best miles for the end as they cruised the final three miles at a 7:30 pace. The other interesting side note to the story was that Aric’s girlfriend Jesska finished in 2:11:52; while Susan, Jeremy’s wife, finished in 2:13:11. Susan’s run was a bit more impressive than hubby Jerm’s, since she gave birth to baby girl Hayden less than six months ago. Congratulations from the Cape Region to Aric, Jeremy, Jesska, Susan, and thanks to proud mom Gail Stenger for keeping me in the loop.
Cape track and field
The Vikings kicked off the season Thursday, March 24, at Legends Stadium against Lake Forest and St. Thomas More. George Pepper is leading the girls’ team, while Charlie Pollard heads the boys as they launch the dual-meet season. Several athletes should rise quickly to the top of the conference as Hannah Pepper, Ali Coning, Shanel Dickens, Paris White and Dre Miller are looking tough already. Dickens recorded times of 59.56 and 2:14.92 in the 400 and 800 meters, respectively, while Pepper is coming off a winter season in which she jumped more than 35 feet in the triple jump, topped 15 feet in the long jump, and has already exceeded 5 feet in the high jump. White and Miller have both gone 6-1 in the high jump already this outdoor season. Come out and support the Vikings of Cape track and field.
Middle school minute
A day of thunderstorms that never materialized pushed the Beacon Middle School meet against Phillis Wheatley from March 23 to Friday, March 25, with the competition starting at 3:30 p.m. at Legends Stadium in Lewes. The Mariner Middle School team will travel to Seaford Middle Friday, March 25, for an away competition.
April Fools’ Day adventure run
The 17th Annual April Fools’ Prediction Run will greet runners at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 2, at the Cape Henlopen State Park fishing pier. Register by visiting seashorestriders.com or sign up on race day beginning at 9 a.m. The April Fools’ Run will show participants all the different surfaces the park has to offer over a three- to five-mile distance. After finishing, runners will have an opportunity to guess the distance as well as take part in the annual jellybean guess.
Runners should use this race as a tune-up for the April 16 Seashore Striders-Quest Fitness Downstate Delaware Mud Run that has attracted interest in the Milton area - minus too much mud, of course. See you at the fools’ run!
Shorebirds host 5K for Jen’s Gems
Sunday, April 10, will mark the first Sherman’s Stampede 5K Run & 5K Walk beginning at 10 a.m. outside the Delmarva Shorebirds Stadium in Salisbury, Md. Based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Jen’s Gems is a marathon training team that raises funds and awareness for Maryland’s Ronald McDonald House by participating in local races and community events.
The Ronald McDonald House is a nonprofit, direct-services organization that provides housing, meals and other necessary support services year-round, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Baltimore house accommodates 37 families of critically ill children who are patients at one of six local major hospitals.
In 2007, more than 1,000 families were helped by this facility, many of them from Maryland's Eastern Shore, where Jen's Gems originated.
The Ronald McDonald House organization currently has 275 houses around the world, of which 175 are located in the United States. Many lives have been touched by the uplifting and compassionate care received at the Ronald McDonald House across the United States.
Jen's Gems began as a group of seven women who aspired to take their health and physical fitness to another level. After hearing about coach Jen Benson's experience running marathons and half-marathons at Walt Disney World, the seven women accepted the challenge to join her and train for the 2008 Walt Disney World Half Marathon. In summer 2007, Benson donated her time to coach these "gems" in preparation for the event. In January 2008, they traveled to Florida, where they ran and/or walked the 13.1 miles.
In addition to the half-marathon, Benson also completed Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge by running the full marathon (26.2 miles) the next day. Visit seashorestriders.com to register.
