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30th Father’s Day 5K goes virtual

Some grandparents ran as teens on learners permits
June 23, 2020

The 30th annual Father’s Day 5K was run as a virtual race June 20-21, which qualifies as weird in so many ways, from no group start on Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth to no socializing under the gazebo on the Boardwalk. 

A conservative estimate would show 10,000 Father’s Day race finishers over the last 30 years.

“The Father's Day 5K has always been one of the most popular races in the summer,” said Seashore Striders Race Director Tim Bamforth.

A generation easily turns over every 20 years. There are runners from the early days of the Father’s Day 5K that ran as unmarried childless striders without a driver’s license who are now young grandparents.

“We are captives on the carousel of time,” sang Joni Mitchell. The irony, which is lost on no one, is that the merry-go-round at Funland is currently sheltered in place, locked in park.   

Relentless runner Mike Sewell, who ran the virtual Father’s Day 5K June 20, posted, “This morning I ran the Father’s Day Virtual 5K. Missed seeing many of the runners on Wilmington Avenue this year; 70 degrees at start with 80 percent humidity and sunny. Improved on last week’s time by 20 seconds, running 18:07, national-caliber for AG, making it two-for-two since turning 51.”

 

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