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Running

One hundred thirty brave runners and walkers sashay past storm

August 31, 2012

I stood at the center of Baltimore Avenue at 4 a.m., Aug. 26, as a hard rain was dumping buckets. Loud thunder and bright lightning lit up the sky, and I said to myself, “There is no way we are having this race.” The annual Sundance 5K Run, Walk or Sashay was to go off at 7:30 a.m. with an expected 300 participants. I spoke to Rehoboth police, WBOC, WGMD, and carefully watched a rain band on my iPhone moving slowly north by Rehoboth Beach. At 5 a.m., it did not look like easing up, so CAMP Rehoboth and I began to move into Plan B:  postpone, delay, move or cancel. The thing about Striders races is that many runners drive several hours to get to the race, and it is tough to cancel an event. I decided to call my secret weatherman, Fredman, for some advice. “Fredman, it’s your boy, what are you doing?” “Tim, what do most normal people do at 5:05 in the morning? I was sleeping - now go move your event, race director boy!”

At 6:40 a.m. the rain let up. The east side of the sky was getting bright while the west side was still getting hammered with the storm.

I disappeared with my workers and we set the course up in 20 minutes - water stops, timing and finish chutes - and we were ready to go starting at 7:36 a.m. By the finish, the sun was out as former local Dave Luscan, 40, now of Richmond, Va., captured the overall male title in 17:48 in one of the weirdest race mornings I have had in 22 years. Rehoboth Beach Running Company’s Mary Beth Evans, 46, won the overall female title in 21:50. Chris McGarrigal of Virginia was second overall in 17:52, while defending champion Brandt Chi of Rehoboth Beach was third in 18:42. Mike Sewell of Camden won the male masters in 18:45. Donna Gigliotti of Middletown was the second female in 22:23, followed by Meryl Ludwig of Mt. Airy, Pa., in 22:28. Janet McCracken of Middletown won the female masters in 22:28.

The morning turned out to be beautiful running weather, and the reduced crowd enjoyed a great post-race party with more than enough food and drinks to go around. You never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at the Cape Region, how close it will come or whether you'll be lucky enough to dodge it. We were very lucky last weekend.

Ed Dean 4-Miler

As the rain began at the start of the Ed Dean 4-Miler, a field of 80 set out for a scenic trail run in the Fresh Pond area off Fred Hudson Road in Ocean View. It was the first time the event utilized some of the new trails featuring packed cinders and bridges. Christopher Stanley of Fruitland, Md., won the male championship in 25:29, while Bobby Hutton was second in 26:17, also winning the male masters. Patrick Frampus rounded out the top three finishers in 26:27. On the female side, Wendy Rogers of Annapolis, Md., ran 28:43, while Mardiny Ung, second female finisher, won the female masters.  Lilly MacKenzie ran 33:30 to round out the top three.  Magnolia’s hosted a great post-race breakfast for the runners to celebrate their finish.

Upcoming races

• 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 31 - 1st Shadow Series Blue Moon 5K/10K, Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes.

• 7:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 1 - 22nd Last Blast Prediction 5K, Grove Park, Rehoboth Beach.

• 8 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 8 - 36th Gary P. Lister Bottle & Cork 10-Miler/5K, Dewey Beach.

• 9 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 9 - 3rd Treat the Beat 5K Walk, Blockhouse Pond, Lewes.

• 8:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 16, Cannonball 5K Run & Trenny Elliott Memorial Walk, Lewes Historical Complex, Lewes.

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