Bill Degnan 5K completes 25th year
The 25th annual Bill Degnan 5K July 17 attracted a field of 130 athletes to the campus of Cape Henlopen High School.
Charles Berdahl, 32, of Gorman, Maine, sat on the shoulder of Dylan Smiley for most of the race before jumping to the front with 180 meters to go to win in 16:15. Smiley clocked in at 16:20.
“I’m training for distance, not speed,” Smiley said after the race. “Today’s race gives me 80 total miles for the week.”
Berdahl, who ran collegiately at Bowdoin College in Maine, said, “I took about 10 years off from running right after college, and I’m running the same times I did back then. I actually feel much stronger right now. I certainly can’t be accused of overdoing it. “
Rounding out the top 10 were Joey Andrisani in 18:25, Ryan Baker in 19:12, Caleb Bradley in 19:14, Jason Baker in 19:27, Mike Sewell (masters champ) in 19:34, John Costello in 20:17, Jacob Landry in 20:37 and Simon Nimmo in 21:05.
Ryan Baker paced his young brother Jason, an incoming Cape freshman. Jason’s goal was to break 20 minutes for the first time.
Sarah Richards, 37, was the overall women’s winner in 21:22. Susan Dunn, 45, won the women’s masters race in 23:03. Other women breaking 25 minutes were Brittany Croll in 23:43, Margaret Colvin in 23:58, Kaelin O’Donnell in 24:03, Tia Jarvis in 24:28 and Sarah Beebe in 24:31.
The next Seashore Striders race is the Dam Mill 5K in Millsboro Saturday, July 23.
Notables: John Costello, 61, of Milton ran 20:17 to win his age group over Tim Young in 22:49. Rick Poppleton, 69, won his age group in 22:53. Mary Kessler, 73, of Harbeson ran her 5K in 26:44. Woody Disharoon, 73, won his age group in 28:15. Ja’on Harris and Tia Jarvis were on hand and announced as the winners of the Bill Degnan Faith in Human Spirit Scholarships. Both student-athletes will be attending Delaware State University. Jamie Hill Loucks, winner of the inaugural Bill Degnan Scholarship in 1996, attended and walked the 5K with coach George Pepper.
