Aug. 11 race a reminder to call 811 before you dig
The inaugural Miss Utility of Delmarva 5K sponsored by the Mispillion Brewery Aug. 11 in Milford was informative and educational, and slightly confusing if you never knew the difference between dialing 911, 411 or 811, or never walked into a craft brewery and ordered a growler, howler or crowler.
The race was held 11th day of the eighth month to coincide with the 811 “call before you dig in the dirt” construction safety system.
The 5K race with just 107 runners, was won by 37-year-old veteran Patrick Boettcher, a former University of Delaware runner, in 18:01. He was joined on the leaderboard by Lance Kauffman in 20:07, Adam Jones in 20:17, Matt Sparacino in 20:43 and Christopher James in 20:52.
Mardiny Ung was the women’s winner in 22:37. She was followed by Maryann Thawley in 24:39, Karen Dawson in 25:33, Lesley Kroon in 26:06 and Nina Smeltzer in 27:08.
“Rubber Rex,” a Tyrannosaurus mascot, wearing a walker number, sprinted across the finish line, then went inside the brewery and growled for a howler.
Notes: Excavators and private citizens are encouraged to call 811 before digging in the ground. The appropriate local utility companies will be called, and a team will come out to assess the property free of charge and mark the location of buried lines, from gas and water to electric.
The next downstate Races2Run events are the fourth annual Arena’s Run the Goat Again 5K in Milford Friday, Aug. 17, at 6:45 p.m., and the fifth annual Breast Fest 5K Saturday, Aug. 18, on Bellevue Street in Dewey Beach.
