Striders place five in top 10 at national championships

At the Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championships held Nov. 19, in Huntington, W.Va., the Seashore Striders of Lewes placed five of their athletes in the top 10 overall in their respective races, the best performance the team has posted since 1990. This was the 22nd straight National Championship that the Striders took part in, dating back to their first one in Portland, Ore., with two athletes.

Sixth-grader Logan Shuttleworth and fourth-grader Blake Hundley led the way as they each placed third in their race on a 3,000-meter course that was dominated by hills and mud. Shuttleworth, an 11-year-old student at Beacon Middle School, ran the course in 12:08 in the midget girls’ division, while Hundley, a student at Lord Baltimore in Bethany Beach, breezed through in 11:40 in the bantam boys’ division.

Teammate Ben Bamforth, 12, also running in the midget division, ran conservatively during the hilly first mile, while racing to a negative split in the downhill second mile to place seventh in a time of 10:50 over 3,000 meters, just 19 seconds off his regional time. First-year runner Sam Hete finished fifth in the youth division among 14-year-olds, racing the 4,000-meter course in 14:01, which converts to a tough 17:31 5K performance, while Jake Bamforth was ninth in the same race in 14:21.

Also being honored at the awards ceremony for youth all-American status, which means they finished in the top 25 overall, were Elias Harmon, who placed 19th in the youth division in 14:49, and Lindsay Rambo, who was 23rd in the bantam girls’ division in 14:38.

Daniel Brown ran a super race to place 27th as a 10-year-old in a time of 12:53, while Alia Marshall recovered from a fall on the hills to place 37th in 13:53 in the midget girls’ race. First-year Elizabeth DePrince was 72nd overall in 15:27, while brother Seth DePrince was 60th in the youth boys’ race in 17:50. Ricky Brokaw, 13, was 61st in 17:55 and Lohgan Kline, 13, was 66th in 18:52, both in the youth division. Sarah Rambo, 13, placed 50th in 18:40, only 21 seconds slower than her regional time, while Grace Brokaw, 13, was 54th in 18:47 in the youth girls’ division.

The Striders ran one team as the youth boys placed eighth overall with 222 points in the competition.

The 4th annual Seashore Marathon will be in Rehoboth Beach Saturday, Dec. 10, for the 26.2-mile journey through the Cape area. The Rehoboth Beach Running Company will team with the Seashore Striders. Runners will also have the option of competing in the half-marathon race, which will begin at the same time as the marathon. The latest update had a total of 652 in the half and 640 in the marathon for 1,292 total participants. Volunteers and water stop groups are still needed, so be a part of a great local event and give the Seashore Striders a call at 302-644-8952.

Runners will leave the Rehoboth Bandstand at 7 a.m. and run five miles in Rehoboth, North Shores and Gordons Pond, then out Columbia Avenue, past The Grove Park, and onto the Junction & Breakwater Trail toward Lewes.

Runners in the half-marathon will turn around after reaching the Hawkseye development, while the marathon will continue into Lewes on Gills Neck Road. Crossing the drawbridge at Savannah Road will lead runners to Cape Henlopen Drive and Cape Henlopen State Park for four miles of challenging bike trail. Runners will return the same way back to Rehoboth Beach and finish in front of the Rehoboth Beach Running Company.

Good cheering locations include The Grove Park, Wolfe Neck Road behind Wawa at Midway, Lewes Beach near the Dairy Queen, and at Fort Miles in the state park (entrance fees in effect).

Race organizers ask spectators to stay off Gills Neck Road from 8 to 11:30 a.m. in Lewes for safety reasons.

Congratulations to Kevin Danahy of Rehoboth Beach, who placed 40th at the recent Philadelphia Marathon among over 10,000 finishers, running one of Delaware’s all-time best times of 2:38:50 for sixth in the 35-39 age group. Brian Walters of Lewes ran 3:52:43, while Melody Diaz of Lewes ran 3:58:49. Striders mom Jen Rambo of Lewes ran 4:38:05, while Jay Diaz of Lewes ran 5:11:51. Rehoboth Beach triathlete Brandt Chi competed in the Ironman Arizona, turning in an impressive 12:18 time. Send all race results to tim@seashorestriders.com.

Upcoming races
• Saturday, Nov. 26 - 2nd Huffin’ for Pumpkin Pie 5K, The Grove Park, Rehoboth, 9 a.m.

• Sunday, Nov. 27 - 9th Sea Colony Turkey Trot 5K, Sea Colony Fitness Center, Bethany Beach, 9 a.m. Contact the Seashore Striders at 302-644-8952 for more information.