Mike Wardian wins Red White & Blue 5K in 16:39
An awesome weather day hung over the Rehoboth Beach Country Club July 4, with the still waters of Rehoboth Bay casting a blue tint over a vista too beautiful to be free.
But 317 runners solved the roundabout riddle - if I go right or left I still end up at the starting line - for a first-time race to benefit the Meals on Wheels program.
A Kiddie K served as an undercard followed by a beautiful rendition of the national anthem, and then it was on like a scramble start on the nearby links.
Ultra marathoner Mike Wardian, 42, with three 100-mile races completed in the last month, won his first race of three over the weekend, running 16:39 before reversing field to go back out to escort home many of his local friends.
“I like to race and run a lot, but I don’t worry about winning,” Wardian said.
Stephen Febish, 27, from Baltimore was second in 17:15, followed by Quin Pollock, 17, in 18:04; Andrew Jakubowitch, 38, in 18:09; and Evan Thomas, 16, in 18:21.
The women’s leaderboard was topped by 51-year-old Lisa Veneziano of Fenton, Mich., in 18:48. Lisa and her husband Jay Owens, 54, who ran 19:40, are relentless runners. “This is the only place to vacation where you can run three races over a three-day weekend and they’re all different and all close,” said Lisa, an Escalade-driving executive with General Motors.
Courtney Kitchen, 15, from West Chester, was the second woman in 20:09 followed by Alicia Millman in 20:20, Susan Dunn in 20:31 and Colleen Halfpenny in 21:04.
The first 13 runners broke 20 minutes, while the first 63 ran a sub eight-minute-per-mile pace.
Joann Szczepkowski, 70, ran 26:05, which is an age group state record, but the race appeared late on the docket and the inaugural course wasn’t certified. Joann also had a “no count” 5K state record in the Firecracker 5K July 2 as that course certification ran out. Good thing she is a retired teacher from a Quaker school and a pacifist.
The male 8 and under was won by Bennett Brumbley of Laurel in 24:59. Bennett just began running and has already broken 23 minutes.
Rick Poppleton, 63, of Dewey won his age group over three straight races, winning the Firecracker 5K in 20:23, the Outlet Liquors 5K in 21:06 and the Red, White & Blue in 20:51.
“I’m getting too old to run three in a row,” Rick said. “I need to take a rest.”
Races2Run has the Kelly Fritchman 5K at Irish Eyes in Lewes at 8 a.m., Saturday, July 9, and the Dewey Beach Liquors 5K at the Rudder Sunday, July 10, at 8 a.m.
