Athletes of the Week July 7
Ryan Bixler
An emerging 11th-grader at Cape, Ryan was a swimmer and played lacrosse last school year, and he looks the part of the beach athlete. Ryan teamed with Greg Boyce in the Dave Reynolds Biathlon relay July 2, and Bixler was out of the water in 10:46 for his half-mile swim, putting him about fourth overall. Then Boyce ran a 17:31 in the 5K, as the B&B team won the all-male relay. Bixler is a goalie in lacrosse and one of the players coach Mark D’Ambrogi says will step up and take ownership of the position to be the man. Ryan was a freestyler on the Cape swim team, specializing in the 400 free relay and open 500 freestyle.
Alexander Geiersbach
A rookie on the Rehoboth Beach Patrol and a graduate of St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Alexander has just finished his freshman year at Colby College in Maine. On July 1, Xander was first out of the ocean after a half-mile swim in 9:53 and held on during the 5K run, clocking a 19:48 to win the individual title at the 27th annual Dave Reynolds Swim/Run Biathlon in Rehoboth Beach. Kevin Danahy was 15 seconds behind. Geiersbach placed seventh in the 100-meter backstroke at the NESCAC championships last winter. “I’d like to focus on becoming a triathlete,” Alexander said.
Francisco Puac
A 31-year-old athlete, Francisco has played soccer for 15 years. He took up running a few months ago, joining his friend Moiber Rivera. Francisco trains less than 10 miles per week. He has run only seven races, beginning with a 10K over the Bay Bridge in Annapolis (58:16), then Dewey Revolution 4-Miler (27:04), Stop, Drop and Run 5K in Lewes (19:38), Justin’s Beach House 5K (18:47), Delaware Hospice 5K (18:21) and, most recently, Red White & Blue 5K (18:14). He, Rivera and friends plan to run the Rehoboth Marathon in December. “I would like to train with someone who already knows more and has experience,” Francisco said. Francisco has some serious talent and his story is just beginning.
Mike Wardian
Now a 43-year-old masters runner, an ultra-distance worldwide legend, the Alexandria, Va., resident has been racing at the beach since he was 31 years old. Mike won the Firecracker 5K in Rehoboth July 1 in 16:28; then in Dewey Beach July 2 at the Outlet Liquors, he ran 16:17, good for second behind 20-year-old Jeremy Hall in 16:08. Mike won the Lewes Dairy 5K July 3 in 16:20. In 2008, Mike won the U.S. National 100 km championship. He also won the National Marathon in Washington, D.C., in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Mike is running the Hard Rock 100-miler Friday, July 14, and the Kauai Marathon Sunday, Sept. 3. Mike played lacrosse for Michigan State back in his college days.
