Striders qualify 22 for national championship
The Seashore Strider Youth Cross Country Team traveled north to Belmont Plateau in Philadelphia, Pa., Nov. 10 to compete in the East Regional Championships held on the historic cross country course that features parachute hill going up and suicide hill coming down. Sixth-grader Blake Hundley and third-grader Luke Burton each captured individual titles as Burton won the Primary 8 & Under event, racing 2,000 meters in 8:07, while Hundley won the Midget 11-12 division, racing 3,000 meters in 10:51.
“Our team competed well today against a lot of kids that race and train on this course every week,” said coach Dan MacElrevey. “For our kids to race as fast as they did on two-three days of training per week is quite impressive.”
The Striders had a few other top five highlights. In the girls' Primary 8 & Under division, the Striders grabbed second and third overall on the 2K course with Lainey Shockro 9:10, and Devin Hundley 9:18.
Eighth-grader Logan Shuttleworth finished seventh on the 4K course in 17:21 in her final regional championship as she was the lone Strider to tackle the well-known hills in the woods of Belmont.
The Striders will leave Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 20 and 21, for Saturday’s national championships in Louisville, Ky.
Seashore Marathon update
Record numbers are signed up for the Dec. 7 Seashore Marathon, which starts at 7 a.m. from the Rehoboth Bandstand. As of Nov. 13, the count was 830 in the full marathon and 1,205 in the half-marathon for a new record total of 2,035 for the event.
The history: In 2008, we hosted the first annual in late November with a surprise turnout of 433 in the marathon braving a cold morning with snow and ice falling overnight. In 2009, we attracted 511 to the event that was again held in late November. In 2010, both organizers had a conflict with the date, so we moved it to early December, and it proved to be a great decision as 959 finishers crossed the line. The Rehoboth Marathon is now basically the last in the fall season, giving runners a chance to come back and redeem themselves from an earlier race in the fall that did not go so well. In 2011, we again set a record by having 1,304 cross the line on Rehoboth Avenue, while the all-time high was in 2012 as 1,685 participated in the event. Last year and this year alike, we have picked up many runners who competed in the Marine Corps and New York City marathons. Last year, the marathon increased by nearly 200 runners to go along with the popular half-marathon distance that will start at the same time. Moving the event to early December proved to be a good decision, and the weather becomes our only concern.
Course Preview: The runners will leave the Rehoboth Bandstand at 7 a.m. and run five miles through North Shores and into a turnaround at Gordons Pond before making their way out of Rehoboth by way of Columbia Avenue, Grove Park, the Junction & Breakwater Trail and a trip to Lewes. Runners in the half-marathon will turn around after reaching the Hawkseye Development, while the marathon will continue north into Lewes by way of Gills Neck Road. Runners will cross the drawbridge at Savannah Road and follow Henlopen Drive into beautiful Cape Henlopen State Park for four miles of bike trail. While inside the park, runners will pass two lookout towers, go through Fort Miles, climb the great dune lookout, take in the point of the park before exiting and heading toward Lewes Beach. Runners will return by the same route back to Rehoboth Beach, and once they hit Rehoboth Avenue it is a straight half-mile shot to the finish on Lake Avenue directly behind the Rehoboth Beach Running Company.
Viewing/cheering locations include Grove Park at the five-mile point for early and late action. Plenty of parking on site. The Wolfe Neck Road better known as the Wawa road off Route One north will be another prime location at mile 8 and mile 23. There is also plenty of parking here with a restroom on site.
Lewes Beach parking lot gives a view of runners at the 11.5-mile land 19-mile marks. Cape Henlopen State Park at Fort Miles is deep in the state park at 14.5 miles and a bit of a hilly section; runners will pass the bathhouse at the 15.5-mile mark. Park entrance fees will be in effect.
Race note: The Seashore race organizers ask spectators and family members to stay off Gills Neck Road from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Lewes because of traffic and safety issues on the shoulder of the road.
The marathon will offer 10 volunteer groups doing 18 water stops.
Upcoming races
8 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 17, 3rd Colonel’s Challenge 5K & 12K, Preston, Md.
9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 30, 4th Huffin’ for Pumpkin Pie 5K, Grove Park, Rehoboth Beach.
9 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 1, 11th Sea Colony Turkey Trot 5K, Freeman Fitness Center, Bethany Beach.
7 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 7, 6th Rehoboth Beach Marathon & Half Marathon, Rehoboth Beach Running Company, Rehoboth Beach.
