Race for the Ribbon raises money for Cape students

The 12th annual Race for the Ribbon was held July 13 in Rehoboth Beach, attracting just under 300 runners and walkers. Since this event began in 2008, its purpose has been twofold – to commemorate Nancy Hendershot, who lost her battle with breast cancer, and to raise awareness and funds for those afflicted with this disease. A portion of the race proceeds will go to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society, and the majority of the funds raised will be donated to two local Cape Henlopen High School students, both at different stages of their own cancer fights.    

Jacky Olivas-Marin will be a junior at Cape and is thankfully at the latter stage of her journey. Miguel Robledo-Mendez, a sophomore, is currently undergoing treatments for leukemia at A.I. duPont. The event has raised more than $150,000 in its 12 years due to the hard work of organizer Stephanie Shuttleworth, and her family and team.

Local Francisco Puac of Georgetown grabbed the overall male championship in a time of 16:43, while the overall female championship went to Olivia Montini of Huntington Valley, Pa., in 21:12. Matt Dennish of York, Pa., was second in 17:06, while Martin Rodriguez of Selbyville was third in 17:36. Susan Dunn of Laurel was second among female runners in 21:29, while Kelly Tingle of Delmar was third in 21:35. Only 23 seconds separated the top three female runners.

Hydration

Hydration before an event is always a great idea regardless of the temperature, due to the fact that your body sweats and loses fluid during a run whether it’s 50 degrees or 98 degrees. Hydration several days out can play a huge factor in the body’s performance and whether it can fight off heat issues. Heat stroke can cause serious issues to a body that is not hydrated at all compared to a body that consumes water on a daily basis and stays well hydrated.

This Sunday, I will direct the 22nd annual Run for JJ 5K with a race start time of 7:30 a.m. With the heat close to 100 degrees and sky-high humidity, I can apply some things I have learned over the past 29 years as a race director. Adding water stops or hoses and sprays along the course would be one smart thing to do, and during the past few hot races I have passed out ice-cold wet rags in buckets of ice for the runners. I normally double the number of finish-line water bottles I plan to buy, along with possibly starting the race earlier, which I have done in the past. I have started races as early as 7 a.m., but this Sunday’s event is still scheduled for 7:30. I have shortened the distance in years past, going from a 10K to a 5K or a 5-miler, but in this case, it is already a 5K run. The positive thing for me Sunday is it is a tree-lined course with 80 percent shade, and possibly there will be a breeze off the ocean since we’re only a block away. In my years as a race director, I have postponed a few due to storms, lightning, wind and snow, but not for heat. My hope is that the runners will throw away their watches and GPS devices, hydrate several days before, adjust their pace much slower, and just run for the cause.

I thought I would share an informative piece from Runner’s World: “Even in relatively moderate summer conditions of 80 degrees (or more than 70 degrees with high humidity), it is easy to become progressively dehydrated. During a hard workout or race, when your metabolic rate and heat production are high, your core temperature can increase to a hazardous level.” Run smart. At the end of the day, it’s just a 5K run in our Sesame Street Village.

Jungle Jim’s 5K

The Jungle Jim’s 5K, one of the most popular races of the summer series, was held at the end of June with 320 registered participants taking part in the out-and-back course through the country club. This year the proceeds of $1,572 were donated to the Children’s Beach House in memory of Derrick Lingo, who passed away in October 2017 at the age of 53. Derrick will always be remembered.

Dam Mill 5K

The second-to-last event in the Seashore Striders Summer Series heads to Millsboro next week, and the proceeds of the Dam Mill 5K have been changed to support the Millsboro Fire Department. Organizer John Hall, father-in-law of Rehoboth icon Jamie Riddle of the Rehoboth Police Department, has taken over the event that will start at Cupola Park at 7:30 a.m., Saturday, July 27. The out-and-back course, nicknamed the “best little race in America,” is 35 years old. This year’s event will feature a celebration of the Hall of Fame, of which John Hall is a member. The Millsboro Fire Company, like many in Sussex County, is a nonprofit organization funded at the state and county levels, but it also relies heavily on fundraising events and donations from the residents it serves.

Register by going to seashorestriders.com. For more information, contact John Hall at 302-245-7476 or myself at 302-542-4536.