Smiles and tears at Rylie’s Dog Days of Summer 5K

Rylie’s Dog Days of Summer 5K on Labor Day morning, with American Legion Post 17 in Lewes as a staging area, benefited the Rylie’s Smile Foundation and was appropriately won by relentlessly positive Rick Poppleton, 61, who would gladly have fallen back to second if someone was in front of him to encourage, push and annoy. “Come on, guy! Come on, guy!”

Runners totaling 101 toed the line; the rest of the sleepy seaside village missed the early morning inspiration delivered by Rylie, a fifth-grader with her own foundation to help kids with life-threatening illnesses by giving them an iPod Touch. And appropriately it was simple and touching.     

Rick’s time of 20:43 was just ahead of Nicole Ritchie, 29, from Philly in 21:12.

John Blackford, 39, was third in 21:57, with Wendy Rogers behind him in 22:34.

Finn McBride, 13, from Frankford was fifth in 23:11, while Katie Kuhlman, 11, ran a very fast 23:59 for eighth place.

Tony Zigman, Cape’s all-time four-sport athlete in his 50th year, was a pretty slow 1:04, but upon closer inspection, his 7-year-old-daughter Izzy was sitting on his neck hugging his head for 5 kilometers - real guys don’t push jogging strollers.  

Rylie is entering fifth grade at Rehoboth Elementary School. Her medical history could be a two-part episode of “House.” She has endured operations and changed diagnoses, her illness exotic like her personality.

Thanks to efforts of Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf and Sen. Ernie Lopez, Gov. Jack Markell came to Rehoboth Elementary Sept. 7 to sign a bill permitting medical marijuana in oil form to be administered on school grounds in the nurse's office.

The Legionnaires under their cool pavilion provided custom-made breakfast sandwiches after the race.

Rylie’s Smile Foundation inspires and makes all people happy that they are sharing the planet with her and each other.