The popular 13th Lucky Leprechaun 5K will be this Sunday morning, March 8, at Irish Eyes in Milton, with the start scheduled for 11 a.m., and race-day registration and packet pickup at 9:30 a.m. Awards go to the overall and masters winners, and the top three in 10-year age groups. Runners are encouraged to come to Irish Eyes in Milton from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 7, to pick up their bib and T-shirt, then just show up at the start on Sunday. The loop course is USATF certified, and mostly fast and flat, with just a few inclines in the opening mile. Last year, the event had more than 600 participants, and as of this Wednesday, the event numbers were very similar. Proceeds will benefit the Milton Chamber of Commerce, Milton Fire Department and Cape Community Fund.
21st Tim Kennard 10 Miler
Several area runners headed to Salisbury, Md., last Sunday morning, as 456 turned out for the 21st annual Tim Kennard 10 Mile River Run & 5K Run/Walk. Timothy Kennard, 48 years old, and father of a 7-year-old son, passed away March 11, 2004, after a courageous battle against kidney cancer. The race was founded in his honor, with proceeds going, as Tim requested, to help children and animals. This year, the event supported three groups: TEAM 360 out of Salisbury, which helps people of different abilities train and participate in mainstream athletic events; Coalition of Caring, a fund for animal friends; and the Eastern Shore Running Club Scholarship Fund.
Tyler Muse, 32, of Salisbury, Md., won the featured 10-miler, averaging 5:27 per mile to cross the line in a time of 54:33, while 36-year-old Graham Peck of Lutherville Timonium, Md., finished second in 58:28. Ryan McMillan, 31, of Snow Hill, Md., finished third in a time of 1:00:58. Kathleen Zgorski, 25, of Reisterstown, Md., won the overall female title in a time of 1:04:04, good for fourth overall in the race. Maria Miller, a 44-year-old masters runner out of Tyaskin, Md., was second in 1:09:44, while 36-year-old Zuleyka Martinez of Wilmington finished third in a time of 1:10:45. In the masters division (40+), it was 42-year-old Sebastien Truchi of Salisbury grabbing the title in a time of 1:04:43, while 59-year-old Ann Fraker of Lutherville Timonium won the women’s title in 1:15:31. In the grand masters division (60+), local Rehoboth Beach runner Tim Young, 65, ran 1:19:29 to win on the men’s side, while Susan Green, 68, of Stockton, Md., won the women’s division in 1:34:18.
In the 5K event, 31-year-old James Heilman of Baltimore, Md., averaged 5:05 per mile to cross the line in a time of 15:48, while 48-year-old masters specialist Matt Sparacino of Harrington finished second in 18:04. John Ford, 34, of Phoenix, Md., finished third in a time of 18:14. Sherry Stick, 47, of Sykesville, Md., won the overall female title in a time of 20:21, good for seventh overall in the race. Melissa Wiley, a new 40-year-old masters runner out of Ocean City, Md., was second in 21:16, while 15-year-old Lindsay Ford of Salisbury finished third in a time of 22:42. In the masters division (40+), 66-year-old Greg Cauller of Wilmington grabbed the men’s title in a time of 21:36, while 41-year-old Keely Wells of Laurel won the women’s title in 23:41. In the grand masters division, it was Salisbury runner Christopher Brunett winning on the men’s side in 22:14, while Robbin Dunn, 60, of Farmington, Conn., won the women’s division in 28:33.
College highlights
Cape graduate and Ohio State jumper Bailey Fletcher finished 22nd in the pole vault with a new personal best of 16-feet-2-inches at the Big 10 Indoor Championships in Indiana. South Carolina distance ace Salma Elbadra ran 4:30.72 to win the SEC mile title, and the previous evening at the R.A. ‘Murray’ Fasken Indoor Track & Field facility in College Station, Texas, she anchored her Gamecocks to a win in the distance medley, running 4:27.10. The Gamecocks will turn their focus to the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championship in Fayetteville, Ark. This year’s indoor national championship meet will be held Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14. Junior Ryan Baker finished 10th in the 3,000 meters at the Patriot League Championships in Boston. Baker ran 8:20.19 for the 3K, which converts to a sub-9 two-mile pace.
Deb Isser wins age group
Local elite runner Deb Isser won her age group in the Medio Maraton San Blas in Puerto Rico, racing the half in a time of 2:12:35 and placing 1,886th out of 4,251 participants. Deb’s age-group win earned her a $300 prize. Local Israel Colon pulled up at mile 3 with a groin strain and ended his race, but he was able to cheer on and watch his friend and training partner finish her race. That is what the local running family is all about. Congrats to Deb and Izzy.
