Let Me Run program tackles Run With Santa 5K
The 19th annual Run With Santa 5K was held last weekend at the Hawk Watch of Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes. It was the final run for the Let Me Run program of Sussex County, with 80 boys and coaches turning out for the event. There were more Santa and holiday costumes than a Halloween parade on Rehoboth Avenue. The Certified Running Nutz, per Roxy Castillo and Noodles Kwit, served up hot cider, hot chocolate and hot chili, while Surf Bagel supplied the bagels.
Young 14-year-old Quade Cummings of Milford, who’s raced with the Seashore Striders since he was in the 9U age group, pulled away from Fred Thomas eighth-grade standout Jude Peacock, 13, of Lewes in the final mile to take the win in a time of 18:39. Peacock was second in 20:06. Ryder Uszenski, 13, of Rehoboth Beach ran 20:24 for the third spot, while local Mike Sewell of Lewes was fourth in 20:33 to take the male masters title. The top three male finishers had a combined age of just 40 years old. Mike Gallagher of McLean, Va., finished fifth in 21:42.
Wrapping up the overall top 10 finishers was Jamie Hicks of Milford, who won the overall female title in a time of 23:13. Meryl Ludwig of Rehoboth Beach ran 24:19 to grab second and capture the female masters title, while Lori Holdsworth of Lewes ran 25:20 for third place. Liz Gerritt of Greenwood turned in a 26:03 for fourth place, while Tabitha Palkewicz of Fruitland, Md., ran 26:04 for fifth.
A large group made up the two largest age groups, as 20 boys were in the 9U group and 44 in the 10-13 group. Liam Forest of Camden-Wyoming won the 9U age group on the boys’ side in a time of 23:29, while Peacock won the 10-13 age group in 20:06. Fiona Dunne, 7, of Lewes, won the girls’ 9U age group in 32:06, while Harper Kasey of Bear won the 10-13 age group in 28:52.
A shoutout to a tough Jules Woodall, who got tangled up right off the start with some zigging-zagging young boys, and faster than a Philly pretzel being made, he went down for the pavement roll. Jules came back to the start and I checked him out. Luckily, he only had some road burn and bruising. “I’m going to walk it,” said Jules, and he was off. By the finish, he was jogging. Then, an hour later under an X-ray machine at the Beebe walk-in, it was revealed he had broken two ribs. Jules is on the mend and likely will tackle two more races by the end of the year. Get well, buddy!
Indoor oval
The Cape girls competed at the Alvernia Invitational last weekend and will head to Ocean Breeze, N.Y., Saturday, Jan. 4, for the Ocean Breeze Invite. The Cape boys competed last week at the Virginia Beach High School Opener and will head to Alvernia University for the Golden Wolves Challenge Sunday, Jan. 5. Cape has a large program with more than 100 athletes out this season going two different directions to compete with the best on the East Coast. Sussex Academy, with 90 athletes out for the season under coaches Jay Diaz, Charlie Pollard and Paige Haley, recently competed at Tower Hill and will head to Franklin & Marshall Saturday, Dec. 28.
