14 million people run at least one race a year

Big time little races - The Tommy 10K and Daffodil Dash 5K attracted 53 runners for the 5K and another 31 for the 10K distance April 14 at the ferry terminal. There was a Kiddie K and afterward a family-style party. The proceeds benefited the Sussex Consortium and Children’s Beach House programs. Then on Sunday morning, a cold front blew through, with winds so strong the migratory brown-bellied nuthatch was grounded. The Hustle 4 Hooch 5K attracted competitors in sweaters and bandanas, and those were the dogs. Small dogs prevailed, with Yorkies the most prevalent. The race is named after Hooch, a rescued Bull Mastiff, with proceeds going to Grass Roots Rescue. Race turnout was under 100 runners, and the race weekend left me scratching my head. Everybody loved Tommy Coveleski and loves Hooch and Grass Roots Rescue, so why are participation numbers so low? Runners show up just because, not for a cause. I once saw a young guy in Dewey drop his beer, leave the second-story porch, enter a 5K of 700 runners in progress while wearing long jeans, no shoes or shirt. He ran like 22 minutes, said, “That was fun,” and was back up on the porch with half a beer left. It’s just hard to figure what motivates people.

A marathon is mind over matter - If you don’t mind, it don’t matter. But if rainy days and Mondays always get you down, try running a marathon through the streets of Boston in a steady and sometimes wind-driven rainstorm. There was about 36,000 runners for the 122nd running of the prestigious race. About 40 percent are women. About 80 percent had to qualify to earn a bib number, and the other 20 percent are charity runners. I easily ran a qualifying time for Boston in 1977, but unfortunately I wasn’t 72 years old at that time, and my time of 3:38 for a 32-year-old was way over the 3:05 standard. Boston costs $155 for entry fee with estimates of $3,000 spent by each runner for a long weekend in Boston. About 14 million people ran at least one road race last year, according to Esquire magazine, with maybe a million running a marathon. “It’s a community movement that’s grown into a business,” said Larry DeGaris, sports marketing director at Indiana University. It’s also a network of physically and socially fit people who spend disposable income and leisure time challenging themselves and supporting their friends and everyone else connected to the race.

Shake it off - I left coaching and became sportswriter guy so I could walk away from losses. My own obsession with winning was crushing me, and I didn’t like the feeling. We all fight for perspective – “it’s only a game” – but sports can also be a lifestyle and losses are personal, like “You lost!” so deal with it, then move on to the next opportunity. I always thought the modern slogan, “Have fun out there” implants the idea that you might not. Saturday was big game day for Cape sports. Girls’ lacrosse beat Archmere, soccer beat Newark and softball beat Archmere. Baseball fell from the ranks of the undefeated, losing to Appoquinimink, while boys’ lacrosse lost to Salesianum. But there is no basking in the brine after a win like a whale shark in the Gulf Stream, and lamenting a loss serves no useful purpose. The next game is a new challenge. Sports are simply quirky and unforgiving.     

Snippets - Kellen Cannon is a fifth-year senior lacrosse player at Marymount University in Virginia. Kellen has 37 goals on the season and recently had a hat trick versus Wesley in a 17-3 conference win. Shelby Schirmer, another Sussex Tech graduate, was in the goal for Wesley. Austin MacElrevey, now a senior at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy ran a 15:29:33 in the 5,000 meters April 10 to qualify for the ECACs. MacElrevey also ran a 4:05 in the 1,500 meters. Cape girls’ soccer (4-1) will host Sussex Academy (3-0) Tuesday, April 17, at Champions Stadium. Varsity game time is 6:30 p.m. Champions Stadium is a great venue for soccer for the players and spectators; the game is just faster on the sprint turf pitch. The Sixers still look as good as any team in the Eastern Division. Dare to dream. It’s just fun having a dog in the fight. Go on now, git!