Jules Woodall goes for 200th consecutive Ten Sisters race

Jules Woodall - Jules, 76, is a relentless runner, a tall guy and a nice guy. This Saturday, he will run the Rusty Rudder 5K as part of the Races2Run Ten Sisters Series. It will be the 200th consecutive series race for Jules. My nickname for pop-pop Jules is Poppa JuJu. Jules was part of a group of seven hall-of-fame runners, but if you missed a race, you were out. He is the sole survivor. You don’t have to be an Ivy League orthopaedic professor to know that running long distances on hard surfaces over 20 years is an insult to the skeletal system. But Jules is a skinny somebody and efficient. If he were a car, he'd be a cruiser or touring model, and definitely limited with onboard GPS because he just never gets lost.

Front-end loader - Cape football, under coach Chip Knapp, has to know the importance of coming out of the first five games with not only a winning record but also hopefully no worse than 4-1. The lineup for the first five games and 2024 records are: Saint Mark’s (3-7), William Penn (3-7), Lake Forest (6-4), Hodgson (5-5) and Appoquinimink (7-3). Cape was 5-5 last season but lost three of those games by a combined 12 points. Got to get off good is the mantra of all high school teams who only play 10 regular-season games. 

Royal box - I am home during the day, so I am able to watch the Wimbledon tennis tournament. The top players on the women's and men's sides are incredible athletes, and I find them gracious in victory and defeat, signing those giant balls on the way out and even posing for selfies. Anything doubles or mixed, I have no interest in watching; just like I’ve never watched a pickleball tournament in person or on television. But what’s with the dress-up, royal box and center-court tickets going for $10,000? 

Leather chair blues - I’m a light sleeper, except when watching baseball in a recliner; then I’m going to the land from down under. I woke up to see the Orioles had lost to the Mets 6-5, then switched to the Phillies game and woke up to discover they lost to the Giants 4-3. I did have a catnap dream that I was selected to the baseball all-star game but chose not to participate, arguing it would mess up my five-day rhythm in the starting rotation. Seriously, MLB is selling the all-star game too hard, suggesting fans are numb and dumb, but mostly we’re asleep. 

Jellyfish - The jellyfish are thick in the ocean and bays, which could disrupt upcoming lifeguard competitions and rookie tests. Locals will be happy to share home remedies for jellyfish stings and start rocking Jacques Cousteau theories about water temperatures and jellyfish migrations, but, honestly, most people don't know the difference between a sea nettle and Graig Nettles. 

Snippets - “Stay! Just a Little Bit Longer!” A No. 1 song in 1960 by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs. Ironically, it’s the shortest song ever to hit No. 1, at 1 minute and 37 seconds. It was later recorded by Jackson Browne. Grandson Mikey will head back to Mercer University in the fall for his senior year of lacrosse. He entertained no thoughts of leaving. But down through high school, many athletes do not stay but later wish they had. The grass is always greener if you ain’t got no grass in the first place. Rob Medd received a heart transplant June 30, 2006, 19 years ago. I came across some photos I think might be from a 10-year anniversary party in Rob's driveway. Rob is a spirit animal for us all; he’s just always enthusiastically in the world. Go on now, git!