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The Cork race is a rite of passage for Delaware runners

Dave Frederick
September 15, 2015
Chris McCabe of Lancaster, Pa., burned up the 10-mile course with a top finish of 58:38.4. BY DAN COOK
Martin Rodriguez of Selbyville placed third in the 10 miler with a time of 1:02:30.9. BY DAN COOK
Steve Koch, right, from Reading, Pa., waits for the right moment to pass John Costello of Middletown to win the Bottle & Cork 5K with a time of 18:28.2. BY DAN COOK
Shannon Pyles of Baltimore was the top 5K women's finisher with a time of 19:40.2. BY DAN COOK
Jackie Marchese of Arlington, Va., finished fifth overall in the 5K with a time of 19:43.3. BY DAN COOK
Lou Piffer of Frankford finished seventh overall in the 5K with a time of 20:32.8. BY DAN COOK
Leslie Wright of Delmar, Md., finished ninth overall in the 5K with a time of 1:39.62. BY DAN COOK
Beth Heinlein from Allison Park, Pa., finished 10th overall in the 5K with a time of 21:46.8. BY DAN COOK
Elizabeth Swierzbinski of Wilmington finished as the top female in the 10 miler with a time of 1:04:11.6. BY DAN COOK
Jeff Young of Wayne, Pa., finished second overall in the 10 miler with a time of 1:02:17.8. BY DAN COOK
Michelle Ankenbrand of Wilmington is happy to be on the last quarter mile of the 5K. She finished with a time of 23:21.6. BY DAN COOK

The 39th running of The Cork 10-miler, which used to be a 13-miler, attracted 306 runners Sept. 12 in Dewey Beach. If you are/were a local runner during the last 40 years, then you ran The Cork, a rite of passage for runners who always dreamed of going faster and farther, never dreaming that older and slower await us all at the destination station of sore feet and bone-on-bone ball joints.

The top six runners were all under 40 years old, led by Chris McCabe, 25, 58:38; Jeff Young, 24, 1:02:17; and Martin Rodriguez, 33, 1:02:30.

Elizabeth Swierzbinski, 28, was the top woman and fourth overall in a time of 1:04:11. Kate Walker, 36, 1:09:25 was second.

Those masters runners “still stroking and no joking” were Brandt Chi, 50, 1:05:59 and Denise Knickman, 47, 1:11:19.

Len Lesham was in a class by himself, winning his age group in 2:41:14.

Joann Szczepkowski, 69, holder of all eight age-group state records for 65-69, won her age group in 1:33:49 followed by Barbara Curtis, 66, 1:39:11.

The 5K race was won by Steve Koch, 54 in 18:28. Steve is from Shillington, Pa., home of author John Updike who wrote "Rabbit Run" if you’re looking for a cosmic connection.

Shannon Pyles, 29, was the overall women’s winner in 19:40.

The three “still running” members of the Seven Sisters Hall of Fame survived the 10 miler: Jerry Denney, 59, 1:34:13; Jerry McNesby, 62, 2:02:52 and Jules Woodall, 67, 1:38:54.

The next Races2Run events are the Ronald McDonald House 5K at Irish Eyes at  8:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 19, and the Zombie 5K Run at Mispillion Brewery Saturday, Sept. 19. The zombie run starts at 11:30 a.m. for those psychos who plan to run both races.

 

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