Turkey Trot 5K draws big crowd at Sea Colony
The largest field since 2019 turned out for the 21st annual Turkey Trot 5K, as 270 runners and walkers toed the starting line Dec. 1, at the Sea Colony Fitness Center in Bethany Beach.
Coordinator Jen Neal hosts the event to raise funds for Special Olympics Delaware and Beebe Healthcare’s South Coastal Health Campus.
“We were very pleased with the turnout for such a cold morning,” she said. “And we are happy to continue to support Delaware Special Olympics and Beebe Healthcare.”
The race up front was a good one, with 32-year-old Silver Spring, Md. racer Shlomo Fishman getting the edge on 36-year-old Irwin, Pa. runner Joey Hawley, as Fishman hit the line in 16:15 to average 5:15 a mile, while Hawley was close behind in 16:21. Oliver Malkin, 16, of Bethany Beach grabbed the third position in a time of 18:00, while 45-year-old Mark Walchinsky of Alexandria, Va., finished fourth and won the masters division in 18:01. Rounding out the top five was 42-year-old Martin Rodriguez in 18:53.
On the female side, it was Melissa Wiley, 38, of Ocean City, Md., finishing sixth overall in 19:59 to win the title. Karen Cathell of Berlin, Md., finished second in 22:17, while Lily Flor of Bethany Beach finished third in 22:27. Becky Yep of Philadelphia finished fourth in 22:41, while Rachel Yep of Arlington, Va., rounded out the top five in 24:01.
Other notable finishes include Jen Ward of Millsboro chasing her hubby JR to the line, finishing just two seconds back in 25:10 and both capturing the 50-54-year-old age-group wins. Donald Cowie, 69, ran 27:31. Cowie ran 27:12 at the Rylie’s Smile 5K on Thanksgiving, 27:38 at the Turkey Trot 5K on Friday at Rehoboth Beach Country Club, and 26:47 at the Pumpkin Pie 5K on Saturday. Hey, Don, that’s four 5Ks in a row! Angie Everett, 10, ran 27:37 to win the 10-13 age group.
Speaking of a lot of races, Ashley Gray ran 31:44 at the Gobble Wobble 5K, 32:29 at the Rylie’s Smile 5K, 31:30 at the Pumpkin Pie 5K and 31:36 at the Turkey Trot 5K.
Pumpkin, anyone?
John O’Connor of Rehoboth Beach was first across the line in 16:39, as 524 runners and walkers followed behind at the Pumpkin Pie 5K held Nov. 30 at Grove Park in Rehoboth Beach. The closest behind him was Alexander Geiersbach, known in the Rehoboth lifeguard world as Xander. Xander of Middletown ran 17:15 for second overall and first in the 25-29 group, which won him a pumpkin pie. Xander has been a dominant force at the Dave Reynolds Swim/Run Biathlon over the past 10 years, and in the water, he is nearly unbeatable. O’Connor ran away from Xander this day, and all I have to say is that it was a good thing the course was not a pool.
Leps in North Carolina
It was a heck of a day at the Foot Locker South XC Regional Championships in Charlotte, N.C. Runners participated all the way from Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas. Ruby Leps crushed her run, finishing fifth overall and logging a new personal best in the 3K of 12:39, and her very talented Without Limits Triangle team took home the team gold in the 10-and-under competition. Dad Steven Leps ran in the masters division and broke 20 minutes for the first time, recording a race of 19:58. Next, the Leps duo will race in the AAU Nationals this Saturday in Charlotte.
Marathon mania
A total of 3,200 runners and triple the amount of spectators will pour into Rehoboth Beach this Saturday morning, making it look like a normal summer day in December. It is expected to be 29 degrees at the 7 a.m. start. The Seashore Marathon and Half Marathon takes off from the Bandstand and does a south country club loop before taking in the iconic Boardwalk and heading to Gordons Pond. At Gordons Pond, the marathon will add a 13.1-mile out-and-back loop through Cape Henlopen State Park past Herring Point and Fort Miles to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal before returning the same way. From Gordons Pond at 17.5 miles, the marathon will head back toward Rehoboth Beach to Henlopen Avenue and Grove Park. From Grove Park, runners will leave Rehoboth and head toward Lewes on the Junction & Breakwater Trail, turning around at Wolfe Neck Road and heading back toward Rehoboth. After going back through Grove Park to Henlopen Avenue, where they pass 26 miles, runners hit the final stretch to the finish, taking Gerar Street to Fourth Street, and ending at Fourth and Sussex. The half-marathon follows the same course with the exception of going to Lewes at Gordons Pond.
There are six viewing locations for the marathon and four for the half-marathon:
• Boardwalk and Rehoboth Avenue at 2.5 miles
• Gordons Pond at 4.5 miles and 17.5 miles
• Herring Point at 7.1 miles and 15.1 miles
• Fort Miles at 8.2 miles and 14 miles
• Grove Park at 19.6 miles and 25.7 miles
• Wolfe Neck at 23 miles.
