Garrett Ferguson wins Dewey Beach 5K second straight year in 16:41

Garrett Ferguson, 19, a distance runner for Marshall University, won the 22nd Dewey Beach Patrol 5K on  a sultry summer morning with a 16:36 clocking, holding off Joe Beveridge ,33, of Lancaster, Pa., who ran 16:41. 

It was the second year in a row Ferguson, from Keyser, West Va., won the race. 

“I was injured this spring,” Ferguson said. “This is my first test going out and racing hard, so I’m pretty satisfied with how I ran.” 

There were 196 runners in the race representing 15 states.

Mike Wardian, 50, won the male masters title in 17:08.  Wardian is an ultra distance running legend, and this early August, he will run the Appalachian Trail starting in Maine and ending in Georgia.

Lindsay Susi, 36, from Lincoln University, Pa. was the overall women ‘s winner in 18:56. 

Brittany Croll, 40, won the female masters in 23:36.

Bailey Ferguson, 15, sister of Garrett, won the 15-19 age group  in 20:35.  Cape hockey/lacrosse players Avery Miller (23:06), Lulu Rishko (28:58), and Addy Basile (28:58) also competed in that age group. 

The male 15-19 age group had 18 competitors, and Daniel Danilovitz from Moosic, Pa., produced the best time at 16:45. 

Several Cape Henlopen athletes and Dewey Beach Patrol athletes competed in that age group, with the best time turned in by Mikey Thompson in 22:02. 

Andrew Ferguson, 53, won the 50-54 male age group in 20:14. 

Local teacher and coach Jeff Jablon, 48, ran 30:27 in his very first 5K,  nearly achieving his goal of breaking 30 minutes. 

“If I had known I was that close, I could have run a little faster,” Jablon said afterward.

Melissa Wiley, 35, from Ocean City, Md., continued to dominate the 35-39 age group with a 21:09 clocking. 

Debra Isser, 69, of Milton, won the 65-69 age group in 24:08. Isser owns the 65-69 age-group state record of 23:00, set earlier in this 2024 season. 

The next races2run event at the beach is the Dewey Beach Liquors 5K set for Thursday, July 4, at the Rusty Rudder.