More than 400 take part in Lucky Leprechaun 5K in Milton

A close race up top at last weekend’s 8th Lucky Leprechaun 5K saw overall male winner Enrique Escalante, 26, of Lincoln run 18:20 to edge out overall female winner Leah-Kate Lounsbury, 33, of Newark, who ran 18:21. More than 400 runners and walkers took part in the event, which kicked off a day of St. Patrick’s fun highlighted by the annual Milton parade. Michele Karsnitz, 35, of Milton also ran an impressive sub-20 race as she hit the line in 19:52 to win the 30-39 age group. Brooke Terhune, 12, of Milton ran 23:16 to average a 7:29 pace and win the 13-and-under age group. She is a sixth-grader at Mariner Middle School and put together a great cross country season last fall for coach Kenny Riedel. She is currently running spring track. She told me she has never run just a mile and is looking forward to seeing how fast she can run this spring. Another fine race was turned in by Jen Perry, 47, out of Millsboro as she finished in the top 10 female runners with a ninth-place overall finish in 23:23 and grabbed first in her 40-49 age group.

Overall results, age-group results, gender results and finish-line video can be found at seashorestriders.com.

COVID-19

Things are happening fast, and decisions are being made daily as the effects of the coronavirus are taking a toll on the U.S. and the road-racing scene. In the road-racing world, several charities, nonprofits and organizations are likely going to feel the effects due to the fact that many of them rely on these events to fund the great things they do all year.  My son Ben called last night to tell me the University of Delaware in Newark has moved up spring break, and students will finish the year taking all classes online. I personally think the UD administration would rather see students go on spring break (with their laptops) and not come back, transferring to working at home status. That would get thousands of students off campus.

The New York Road Runners Club recently made the decision to cancel the popular half marathon that attracts 25,000 runners to Manhattan. From the official statement: ”At New York Road Runners, the welfare of our running community is always top priority. Due to the rapidly developing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the NYC Half, scheduled for Sunday, March 15, and the accompanying Rising New York Road Runners youth event, have been canceled. We appreciate the support of New York City officials through this complicated decision-making process.  

“We know this is a challenging time for everyone, and the cancellation of the NYC Half is disappointing news to many, but the resources necessary to organize an event with 25,000 runners on the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan have become strained during this difficult period. Over the past week the NYRR team worked hard to adjust plans, implementing modifications and accommodations to alleviate crowding and facilitate social distancing. Unfortunately, it has become clear that we will be unable to proceed in the manner that our runners have come to expect at NYRR events, where the safety and security of our runners, volunteers, staff, partners, and spectators are our main concern.”

The NYRRC has created a virtual race for people to take part in in the absence of the real event. A virtual race is one that can be run at your convenience during a specified period of time. To participate in NYRR Volvo Virtual Racing Powered by Strava, create your free Strava account, sign up for a race, and run or walk the distance of the race on a course you select wherever you are. Contact the New York Road Runners Club for more information.

The Cherry Blossom Ten Miler set for Sunday, April 5, in Washington, D.C., is still scheduled as planned. From the official statement: “Organizers of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom are keeping a watchful eye on news about COVID-19. And our planning is full speed ahead for the Runner's Rite of Spring on April 5. We look forward to welcoming our 16,000 participants in the 10 mile, 2,000 in the 5K Run-Walk, and the 2,000 volunteers who will serve them to Washington, DC on Sunday, April 5, 2020.”

Another large event I’m keeping an eye on is the Boston Marathon. On March 9, officials issued this statement: “The Boston Athletic Association continues to meet and work closely with city and state officials to ensure a safe and successful Boston Marathon. We have been carefully monitoring updates related to coronavirus (COVID-19) and as local and national developments come to light have been planning under the guidance of health and municipal agencies. We will continue working with city and state officials, and we will closely follow updates from organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Public Health, and World Health Organization. The BAA will adhere to policies put forth by the federal, state, and local governments.

“The BAA will continue to monitor the situation closely. We encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with the World Health Organization’s suggested safety precautions including regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoiding close contact with anyone showing signs of illness.”