The second annual Paws 5K brought out nearly 80 more participants this year to Dewey Beach as 250 turned out for the 5K run and 1-mile dogtrot. Matt Dunn of Trappe, Md., won his second in a row at the beach as he got it done in 17:31 to average 5:39 a clip.

	dan cook photo
	“Banks “ leads his owner Doug Motley during the Paws Race in Dewey.

“I did not know what to expect, so I just went out in 5:20 for the first mile and found myself with the lead. What a great cause,” said Dunn.

Ryan Pommerening was second in 17:42, while Mike Sewell grabbed third and another masters title in 18:14.

Kimberly Hickey ran a good time of 19:32 to win the female overall title, while Cathy Butler of York, Pa., was second in 20:32. Theresa Kauffman finished third in 20:47 and impressively won the masters at 48 years young.

“We were very pleased with our turnout this year,” said organizer Tara Gush. “We had about 80 more participants than last year. “We would like to really thank all of our local business sponsors for supporting the SPCA. The Starboard was a fantastic host for the second year in a row. None of this would be possible without the support of the community and all the runners and walkers that showed up for the race. We are excited to see the race continue to grow.”

According to Gush, the SPCA is up to an 85 percent save rate and the Sussex County SPCA is up to a 93 percent save rate. Always a positive note when talking SPCA.

Counting one by one
Many runners of my summer series have pre-race routines they go through which I love to hear about; many even race the same way each week and eat the same food or wear the same clothes to each race. Mary Beth Evans counts the runners she passes throughout the race and keeps track of it for her running log. In the longer ironman races and half and full marathons she tells me it helps motivate her and keep her mind in the race. With 400 meters to go at last week’s Paws 5K, MB caught and passed a special one - her husband Russ as she called out a number to his dislike. Racing to shoot around the final turn, MB had to give one number back as 10-year-old Strider Logan Shuttleworth sprinted by her to race to her own season best in 21:46. With her elementary teaching background, MB is proficient in adding and also subtracting.

Rehoboth Beach Marathon
The Rehoboth Beach Running Company Seashore Marathon will be held Dec. 11, which is a great weekend for Rehoboth Beach as the holiday tree will be lit and the visiting runners will be able to enjoy the events in town. I have received many phone calls in support of our event being the last one in the so-called marathon season which gives the Marine Corps, New York City and Philadelphia runners a back-up event in case they bonk in their scheduled event. Last year we shared the November weekend with Philadelphia, while this year we hope to host many Philadelphia runners.

Interested runners can sign up online at linmark.com, while interested sponsors can contact the Rehoboth Beach Running Company or myself and we will hook you up with our sponsor coordinator Amy Lindsey. Lindsey also PR-ed at the Paws 5K in 24:28, and after she grabs your sponsorship she’ll tell you about it.

Joann races to personal best
Joann Szczepkowski, 64, of Rehoboth Beach finished 38th at the Paws 5K and won the 60-64 age group. But here is the news: Joanne ran 23:16, which is a super fast time for her age group. How fast is Joanne, you ask? When researching the USATF ranking system it states that to be considered for national rankings you need a 23:10. Pretty close, I say! At the West Virginia State Championships last month the 60-64 age group was won at 33:19. At the Pennsylvania 5K Championships it was won in 23:45. At the New Jersey Championships it was a 31:07 that won it. The fastest time on a certified course in Delaware is a 23:20 by Deborah Compton. Records have to be achieved on a certified course, but not all organizations and nonprofits want to pay to have the course certified. Congratulations, Joanne.