The 15th annual Race into the New Year 5K Dec. 31 at noon on the Rehoboth Boardwalk was the coldest race of the calendar year.
A total of 132 runners took the Arctic wind head-on for the first half of a race against a frozen face before turning around at Gordons Pond to have their medulla oblongatas pelted with polar winds.
Jeff Young from Bryn Mawr, Pa., emerged as the overall winner in 17:02. He was followed by Joey Andrisani in 17:20, Martin Rodriguez in 18:38, Matt Dunn in 18:55 and Paul Montini in 19:53.
Cindy Conant was the overall women’s winner in 20:03. She was followed by Amy Dischler in 21:14, Olivia Montini in 22:03, Lisa Jalot in 22:22 and Jackie Quigley in 22:46.
Special mentions go to Jamie Wollard (46:59) who ran with her granddaughter Amanda Wollard (41:29), and to Doc Masser who served as a guide dog to his foster step cousin twice removed Richard Tikiob in 50:29.
The next local race sponsored by the Seashore Striders is the 12th annual Shamrock Shuffle 5K and 15K set for Sunday, March 18, on the Junction & Breakwater Trail, commencing at Tanger Outlets on the east side of Route 1.