With a pie wedge hat on his head, Jack Vassalotti returns to racing
“What’s in your closet?” Regular runner Jack Vassalotti ran the 13th Huffin’ for Pumpkin Pie 5K Nov. 26 with a pumpkin pie wedge hat on his head. It was Jack’s first running race since hip replacement surgery, and he ran with his daughter Laura. As they rounded the bend onto Henlopen Avenue, it was indeed a happy Thanksgiving weekend, as friends exclaimed, “Whoop! There he is!”
A total of 355 runners circled the course, with Colten Morris, 21, the overall winner in 16:22. Olivia Montini, 18, a Swarthmore freshman, was the first woman in 19:20.
A Ruff crowd from Arlington, Va., closed out the race in 62 minutes. Lisa Ruff, Martha Ruff, Samantha Ruff and Gary Ruff finished happily and posed for a photo under the Seashore Striders blow-up arch.
Joe Andrisani, 40, newly aged into the masters division, was second overall and first masters runner in 17:19. Kristen Gray, 49, of Westborough, Mass., was first in the women's masters race in 22:19.
There were several inspirational performances on the top end of the age groups, including a pair of 84-year-old women, as Edith Donahue of Towson, Md. (52:46) held off Jamie Wollard of Bethesda, Md. (55:47). Jamie could’ve been faster if she had stopped wishing everyone “Happy holidays.”
Age-group phenom Mary Kessler, 73, from the running mecca of Harbeson, ran 25:50. The 5K state record in the 70-74 age group is 25:09, set by Diane Kukich in 2022.
Liz Guida, 56, ran well to capture the 55-59 age-group title in 26:01, followed by Rose Furio, 58, new to the sport of running, in 27:41, and Maria Warner, 58, in 28:50.
Brittany Croll, 38, won the 35-39 division in 23:02. The 30-34 contest was won by a pair of the Oliphant triplets – Kelsey in 22:42 and Alexis in 23:37. The third triplet sometimes runs, but not often.
Jordan Reed, 19, of State College, Pa., won the 14-19 age group in 20:18. Mekenna Blades, 13, of Millsboro dusted the 10-13 age group in 22:11.
Tim Young, 62, who lives 100 meters from the finish line, won the 60-64 age group in 23:28. Darin Slade, 56, of Rehoboth Beach won the 55-59 age group in 22:36.
Sean Snyder, 26, of Ocean View, was fourth overall and won the 25-29 group in 18:40.
The 14-19 age group produced tight results with Riley Stazzone, 14, running 20:18, Mason Marrone, 16, in 20:30 and Ryan Moody, 12, in 20:56.
Saturday, Dec. 3, brings the 15th annual Seashore Marathon and Half Marathon. Both races start at 7 a.m. on Rehoboth Avenue at the Boardwalk.
