Striders run through December with events to keep them moving night and day

The Seashore Striders are rebounding from their largest event in 22 years, the Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon and Half Marathon, which hosted just under 1,700 finishers and another couple thousand spectators in the Nation's Summer Capital during a December off weekend. The event brought much revenue to Lewes and Rehoboth by filling restaurants, hotels and outlet centers throughout the weekend as well as showcasing the beautiful trails, beaches, and state parks of coastal Delaware.

Following the presentation of the flags by the Cape JROTC and a great presentation of "The Star Spangled Banner" by Shields teacher Kim Hall that would make Simon Fuller smile, runners lined up around the Bandstand for a trip down Rehoboth Avenue to kick off the race. I led the race on a scooter courtesy of my friend George at All Wheels. I was amazed at all the support the community gave the event, from water stops to medical staff to safety on the course. Sussex County personnel did an outstanding job. Congratulations to all the runners who crossed the finish line in both events. We hope to see you again in 2013. Results of the event can be found at www.lin-mark.com.

Snowball 5K

The seventh annual Snowball 5K and 1-Mile Walk will take place this Sunday, Dec. 16, from the Cape Henlopen State Park fishing pier beginning at 10 a.m. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. The first 100 participants to register will receive a custom-knit snowball hat, while later registrants will have a choice of tech T-shirts from previous events. Participants are also encouraged to bring canned goods, as they will be donated to the Sussex County Needy Family Fund following the event. The out & back course takes runners to the top of the lookout before returning to the fishing pier for the finish. Awards will be presented to the overall and masters winners, and tree ornaments will be presented to the top three finishers in 10-year age groups. Dress warmly, and we’ll see you on the starting line!

The Day After 5K

The fourth and final event of the new Shadow Series, the Day After 5K, will be held at 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 22, at the Biden Center in Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes. Some predict the world will end Dec. 21, 2012. Runners are optimists, so we've scheduled this 5K for the day after. (If the world does end, your entry fee will be refunded.) Organizer Dan MacElrevey is encouraging the use of head lamps and flashlights, although the course will be marked with cones and blinking red lights. “The combination of a nice tech tee, beautiful trails in the park, racing under the moon, and great refreshments has made the series a popular, different and unique event throughout the year,” said MacElrevey. “I want to thank everyone who participated in any of the Shadow Series events as well as our sponsors who supported the series.” Runners are encouraged to preregister at www.seashorestriders.com, or they can register on race day beginning at 4 p.m. T-shirts will not be guaranteed on race day.

Race into the New Year 5K

The Race into the New Year 5K, hosted at the Rehoboth Beach Running Company, will be held beginning at noon, Monday, Dec. 31, at Rehoboth and Lake avenues. Parking will be on Rehoboth Avenue. Registration will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Running Company. Catcher’s Restaurant will provide pancakes to all participants during the post-race party, while Giant will provide the fruit. For more information, contact the Seashore Striders at tim@seashorestrider.com or visit www.seashorestriders.com.

Cape girls win at Snow Hill

Congratulations to the Vikings girls, who scored 71 points to capture the team title Dec. 12 at the Snow Hill Indoor Track & Field Invite. The Cape boys were third with 62 points behind champion Caesar Rodney and second-place Stephen Decatur. Individually shining for the boys was the 3,200-meter relay team, which grabbed first place in 8:54.7, while Jeremiah Cohen won the high jump in 6-feet-4-inches. Cape also won the 800-meter relay on the girls' side in 1:54.3, while Amanda Hurst won the 55 low hurdles in 9.42.