Local Holly Smith wins big at Colonial Half-Marathon

Rehoboth Beach's Holly Smith, formerly Holly Wilson, a standout prep runner from Lake Forest High School in Felton, recently captured what may be one of the biggest wins of her running career. Smith, 27, won the Anheuser-Busch Colonial Half-Marathon in Williamsburg, Va., last weekend, finishing 61st overall in 1:29:55.

Just three places and only seven seconds back was Arlington’s Gabrielle Names in 1:30:02 in a close second place. There were 757 finishers in the 33rd annual event. It was the first half-marathon win for Smith, who ran last year’s Boston Marathon in 3:28.

Smith will compete in the Boston Marathon again this year in April with a goal of 3:05 in her sights.

“I know what Boston is like now, and I know the course and the hills, so I am really looking forward to racing well,” said Smith, who trains under my buddy Kevin Danahy of Tri-Coach. Smith, who logged 80-plus miles per week in her base stage, has leveled off to about 60 miles per week.

Smith has run four marathons and has a personal best of 3:24 from the 2008 Rehoboth Marathon, which was her first try at the 26.2-mile distance.

Lynn Knothe of Wilmington finished sixth overall in 1:34:07, while Lance Fargo of Ocean View was ninth in the 5K in 20:13. Greg Cauller of York, Pa., a frequent racer in Rehoboth Beach, was first in the 50-54 age group in 1:21:20 in the half-marathon.

Mud Run Fun Update
Sixty-seven team members are registered for the April Quest Fitness Mud Run in male, female and coed divisions, and it will be closed at 300 team participants.

This year’s race will also feature a competitive male and female individual division with awards to the top three in each age category as well as a mini-mudder 12 & under division in which we already have five brave youngsters entered.

The distance of the event is approximately 3.49 miles with plenty of challenges to keep you awake throughout the fun course. Start looking for the old running shoes now – a pair that you may not need to take home!

Seashore Classic Half-Marathon scheduled for April
The Third Annual Seashore Classic, a half-marathon event, and a 5K run featuring a relay division will be held at 8 a.m., Sunday, April 15, starting and finishing from Irish Eyes in Lewes.

The course will travel toward Cape Henlopen State Park and loop the park before returning to Lewes and taking in Cedar Avenue before making its way back to the Irish Eyes location. Preregistration packet pickup will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday, April 14, at Irish Eyes. Proceeds from this event will benefit local charities. For more information, visit www.seashorestriders.com.

Track & field is here for Beacon, Mariner and Cape High
Gilbert Maull and I will again lead the Beacon track & field team; we currently have 96 athletes signed up to participate in the program.

After week one, many find out that track & field is a sport where one must run, jump, throw or sprint and not just a sport that lets an athlete hide on the bench or behind a starter.

The great thing about this sport is that everyone participates, and although it is a team sport, it is also very much you against the watch or you against the tape measure when practicing and competing. As a coach, I try to base the success of the program on how much the athletes improve from the beginning to the end of the season.

If I can get athletes in the correct events where they can improve and be successful, then the wins will take care of themselves.

On the other side of the district, former Cape standout throwing ace Julie Jackson will move from assistant to head coach to lead the Mariner program.

George Pepper will guide the Cape girls' program - already more than enough signed up - and he will have them as contenders as he has done so many times before. Matt Lindell will replace Charlie Pollard to lead the boys' team as Pollard will fly west to work with the jumpers at Sussex Tech High School under head coach Lou Nicoletti.

The Cape middle school tracksters have more home meets this season; it should be fun for the community to watch the up-and-coming stars in the Cape district on the beautiful blue home 400-meter oval.

Upcoming Races
Saturday, March 10, at 6 p.m. - 1st Shadow Series 5K/10K, Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes.
Saturday, March 17, at 10 a.m. - 5th St. Patrick’s Day 5K, Denton, Md.
Sunday, March 18, at 9 a.m. - 7th Shamrock Shuffle 15K/5K, Junction and Breakwater Trail, Rehoboth Beach.