Running

Benbow leads 167 in rain-soaked Dam Mill 5K

Tim Bamforth

August 8, 2014

Seashore Striders volunteers Joey Kwit and Roxy Castillo happily display their Dam Mill Hall of Fame plaque at a ceremony Aug. 2. The two travel weekly from New York City to volunteer at and participate in Striders events. SOURCE SUBMITTED

Enos Benbow pulled recent Sussex Tech graduate Sonny Landis to his best time of the summer, 17:00.1, while Benbow hit the line in 16:59.0 at the 31st Annual Dam Mill 5K Run in Millsboro Aug. 2. Rich Jones won the masters with an eighth-place finish in a time of 18:50.6.

Debbie Conner of Dunbar, Pa., won the female title in a time of 20:45.3, while local Helen Morrow was second in 21:44.8. Mardiny Ung won the female masters race in a time of 22:06.3.

Here is a look at the age-group winners, female and male: 9 & U - Lainey Shockro, 24:04, & Luke Burton, 23:06; 10-13 - Emma Barthelmess, 22:28, & John Best, 22:21; 14-19 - Lane Landis, 25:42, & Logan Dunn, 17:42; 20-24 - Steven Eshelman, 17:40; 25-29 - Elizabeth Gerritt, 29:45; 30-34 - Jennifer Trojan, 22:14, & Martin Rodriguez, 18:32; 35-39 - Susan Dunn, 22:51, & Peter Radford, 19:10; 40-44 - Tina Foskey, 26:36, & Mick Donnelly, 19:29; 45-49 - Pamela Welton, 27:24, & Paul Montini, 18:51; 50-54 - Karen Johnson, 23:07, & James Landis, 19:43; 55-59 - Jill Extract, 26:46, & Ed Jordan, 19:06; 60-64 - Dee Carmean, 45:13, & Jack Vassalotti, 26:36; 65-69 - Georgette O’Cone, 30:13, & Lloyd Trego, 22:23; 70-74 - Gene King, 26:09; 75-79 - Jack Noel, 29:49; 80 & O - John Button 31:58.

Roxy & Joey enter Dam Mill Hall of Fame

Roxy Castillo and Joey Kwit of New York City are two of the top volunteers for the Seashore Striders Series and could race in 10 races a weekend in the city or choose at least 20 others from New York to Philadelphia. Instead, they dedicate themselves to the downstate Delaware races and they are on the Seashore Striders starting line week after week. Not only do they race, they work every aspect of the event from registration to announcements, awards, refreshments and more. During the week, Roxy spends time updating, adding, and deleting information on the Striders website and Facebook page, while Joey is on the phone with sponsors and supporters assisting with the logistics for the next event. On Friday the pair fight through the New York traffic, get on the turnpike by 6 or 7 and arrive in Rehoboth Beach close to midnight. Early Monday morning, they head north and are on the subway heading to work by 9 a.m. A hectic schedule, dedication, determination, and desire, and a great couple. Congratulations!

Striders Series attracts Jacks-of-all-trades

A few years ago I wrote a piece about two of my favorite Jacks, Jack Huxtable and Jack Noel. Huxtable and Noel, a magician in his non-running life, still race with the Striders and still finish on top of their age groups during most weekend races. Another popular Jack, Jack Vassalotti of Lewes, won his age group at last week’s Dam Mill 5K in Millsboro with a time of 26:36, averaging 8:35 a mile. “This is the first age-group championship that I ever won in the series,” he said. Vassalotti can be seen walking the streets of Rehoboth Beach daily, and last year he even walked across Sussex County for charity. It is not unusual for him to be dressed like a pumpkin at Sea Witch or dressed as a leprechaun at the Shamrock Shuffle. Jack was so delighted with his age-group championship last weekend, he will likely celebrate with a tutu at the upcoming Sundance 5K & Sashay in Rehoboth Beach.

Blast from the past

This week I heard from longtime Striders racer Paul Dawson, formerly out of Salisbury and living in South Carolina. Paul won more races than anyone on the starting line in the '90s and was so consistent you could watch his effortless stride race to the finish in nearly the same time every week. Paul works at Clemson University in the Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences Department and is either a professor or works in the school cafeteria. Paul hopes to return to the area for a race or two very soon, and it will be a great reunion when it happens.

Upcoming races

8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 9, 6th SPCA Race for the Paws 5K Run, The Starboard, Dewey Beach. www.seashorestriders.com.

8 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 10, 5th Free to Breathe Lung Cancer 5K & 1 mile walk, Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes. www.seashorestriders.com.

8:10 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 10, 3rd Dewey Beach Buddy Run & Pancake Breakfast, Dewey Beach. www.races2run.com.

8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 16, Inaugural BreastFest 5K, The Bottle & Cork, Dewey Beach. www.races2run.com.

8:15 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 17, 6th Greene Turtle 5K & 10K for MS, Greene Turtle, Lewes. www.races2run.com.