Sizable First State contingent heading to Cherry Blossom 10-miler

A group of 72 runners from Delaware will compete this weekend in the annual Cherry Blossom 10-miler in Washington, D.C. The Cherry Blossom 10-Mile run is an annual race founded in 1973, originally as a precursor training event for elite runners planning to compete in the Boston Marathon. It has evolved over the years into a local race for runners of all abilities and has become the must-do spring event on most runners’ bucket list. Here is a look at the downstate runners and those with ties to the beach races.

Dewey Beach - Joanne Woodruff; Felton - Jimmy Kroon; Frankford - Anita West-Werner, Margaret Heffernan; Greenwood - Elizabeth Gerritt; Harbeson - Mary Kessler; Lewes - Bill Holdsworth, Rose Furio, Jennifer Heffernan, Rafael Ruiz Gaviria, Susan Pender, Molly Sewell, Susan Burdick, Jeanine Yzaguirre, Mallory Metzner, Hiba Stancofski; Milford - Amanda Katsimbris; Milton - Jack Edwards; New Castle - Eugenija King; Ocean View - Amy Linzey, David Epstein; Rehoboth Beach - Marybeth Hutton, Cindy Redefer, Ava Cannon; Selbyville - Martin Rodriguez; South Bethany - Burke Wong.

Cherry Blossom Bits & Pieces - Last year’s winner averaged 4:35 on the male side and 5:14 on the female side. The first across the line receives $6,000 in prize money, while the prize purse is divided up for American and foreign runners. The purse is nearly $80K. There are 52 runners named Rodriguez in the 10-miler, but only one from Selbyville: Martin Rodriguez will do his last long-tempo run before Boston. D.C. runner Peter Tracey, known by many as the dinosaur of the Seashore Striders Racing Series, will again toe the line and will likely just walk to the start. One of the most talented families ever to race at the beach, the Fullers, are all competing and should be near the front of the race when results are posted. Speaking of being near the front, how about Seashore Striders racer Cindy Conant of Kensington, Md., who is one of the finest age-group runners in the country in the 60-64-year-old category.

Salisbury Marathon

The annual Salisbury Marathon will take off from the Salisbury City Park bandstand/zoo area and wind its way 26.2 miles through the city, Salisbury University and the countryside of Wicomico County before reentering the downtown area along the river for the downtown finish. As of Thursday evening, there were 930 athletes competing, with 400 in the half-marathon, 200 in the 5K and 330 in the full marathon. The race start is located at 521 S. Park Drive if you want to see it, with opening ceremonies at 6:50 a.m. The physically challenged start will be at 7 a.m., while the mass start for all marathon and half-marathon runners will be at 7:05 a.m. The 5K will take off from Main Street and St. Peters Street, with opening ceremonies at 7:20 a.m. The physically challenged start will be at 7:30 a.m., while the mass start for all 5K runners will be at 7:35 a.m. My friend Jason Chance is the race director, and if I were not in Federalsburg, Md., with my own 5K, I would be helping him out. Jason certified the Rehoboth Marathon and Half-Marathon for me last year, recently certified the Lucky Leprechaun 5K, and will certify the Masser 5-Miler next.

Olympic Trials T&F

The 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials for track & field will be held June 21-30, in Eugene, Ore., at historic Haywood Field, better known as “Tracktown USA.” The tickets went on sale March 28, and are reasonably priced starting at $25, which caught my eye until I tried to look for a place to stay. An average B&B was $400-$500 a night with hotels just a tad cheaper and most already sold out. It happens at all large events; owners raise their prices the week of the event 400-500%, and why? Because they can; they know visitors must stay somewhere. The same thing is happening in Lake Placid, N.Y., a week before the popular Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon that my son Jake has chosen as his first full ironman.

Delaware Invite

The Delaware Invite, a two-day track & field carnival, will be held Friday and Saturday, April 5 and 6, for high school athletes on Friday and college on Saturday, at UD’s Stuart & Suzanne Grant Stadium in Newark. The meet will attract 12 teams from the First State and 10-12 college teams from up and down the East Coast. It will feature a few events outside the Delaware high school norm, such as the 400m hurdles and the 2K steeplechase. The Cape boys will compete in the meet, while the Cape girls are not scheduled to go. Sussex Academy and Caesar Rodney, also from the Henlopen Conference, will compete. Friday’s meet will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the steeplechase, and Saturday’s meet will begin at 10 a.m. with recognition of the University of Delaware seniors.