Mike Fee, 24, of Richboro, Pa., (center) was offered $300 from a group of old high school and college friends if he could finish the race. He was joined by friends and fellow runners Anna Schultz, 23, of Montgomeryville, Pa., and Rob Watts, 23, of Newtown, Pa.
By Donald Wittkowski
For most beachgoers, the most exerting thing they do all day is to reach for a cool drink, rub on some sunscreen and flip the pages of their paperback novel.
But for 1,080 people Saturday in Sea Isle City, a day at the beach was a test of strength and endurance during a 10-mile run in steamy heat and humidity.
"It's a crucible," was how 60-year-old runner Fran Day, a Sea Isle summer resident, described the challenging course that includes nearly 8 miles on the beach and the rest on the pavement of the oceanfront Promenade.
Now in its 46th year, the Capt. Bill Gallagher 10 Mile Island Run has grown from a tiny race that originally allowed only Sea Isle's lifeguards to compete in it to one of the Jersey Shore's top draws for the running community.
"Where else can you run along the ocean like this?" said 72-year-old Bill Gallagher, who was captain of the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol when the race began in 1970 and had it named in his honor.
Paul Matuszak, 30, of Philadelphia, won the race for the second straight year, finishing Saturday in 57 minutes and 57 seconds.
While many of the runners struggled with temperatures in the 80s and high humidity Saturday, Paul Matuszak of Philadelphia dominated the field to finish in 57 minutes and 57 seconds, giving him the win for the second straight year.
Matuszak, 30, a member of the Philadelphia Runners Club, took a cool dip in the ocean almost immediately after crossing the finish line at the 44th Street beach with no other runner near him.
Matuszak said he took advantage of a headwind midway through the race to separate himself from the rest of the pack and cruise to victory.
"I'm a really good wind runner," he said. "My plan was to build my lead when I hit the wind and then pull away all by myself to win it."
Matuszak has competed in the beach race for 11 years, finishing second in 2014 and taking first last year with a time of 56:20. His win Saturday came just nine weeks after the birth of his son, Paul, giving him one more reason to celebrate this summer.
The next closest runner Saturday was nearly a full 2 minutes behind Matuszak. Francis Ferruzzi, 21, of Willow Grove, Pa., finished second in 59:48, while Brad Heuer, 20, of Richmond, Va., took third in 59:49.
On the women's side, Frances Loeb, 23, of Wynnewood, Pa., breezed to an easy win with a time of 1:06:16. Maura Henderson, 20, of Narbeth, Pa., finished second in 1:10:11.
Mike Fee, 24, of Richboro, Pa., (center) was offered $300 from a group of old high school and college friends if he could finish the race. He was joined by friends and fellow runners Anna Schultz, 23, of Montgomeryville, Pa., and Rob Watts, 23, of Newtown, Pa.
While many of the competitors were serious runners, some of them said they simply were hoping to finish the race.
Mike Fee, 24, of Richboro, Pa., had a bet with some old high school and college friends that he could complete the race within 2 hours. His friends created a $300 pool as Fee's prize if he finished.
Fee explained his strategy for the race: "Just don't stop," he said, laughing.
Fee was joined by friends Anna Schultz, 23, of Montgomeryville, Pa., and Rob Watts, 23, of Newtown, Pa.
Longtime friends Ronald Meissner, 61, and Marty Harkins, 64, both of Philadelphia, have been running in the beach race for years. They planned to pace each other Saturday.
"This guy got me into running," Harkins said of Meissner. "We grew up together in Philadelphia. We went to grade school together and high school together."
Meissner, whose first Sea Isle race was in 1977, noted that a beach run has its own set of special challenges.
"You have to be careful of the holes," he said. "Sometimes, kids will dig holes in the beach."
Renny Steele, the race director and captain of the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol, said the race likely would have attracted more runners this year if not for an early forecast for thunderstorms. But when the siren sounded to start the race at 5:30 p.m., the skies were sunny.
"I think the weather scared some people away," Steele said. "I think they were worried about the rain and thunderstorms in the forecast, but it was cloudless and sunny."
Still, the turnout Saturday was huge compared to the mere 16 runners in the inaugural race in 1970, Gallagher said. He explained that the first race was limited to only Sea Isle's lifeguards, but a decision was made in later years to open it up to the public to attract more runners.
Originally, the race was 13 miles long and was held on Sea Isle's streets, but as the field got large and larger, the course was shifted out on the beach to avoid creating traffic congestion.
Bill Gallagher, 72, was captain of the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol when the race started in 1970 and has it named in his honor.
"It built up so much that the streets couldn't handle it," Gallagher said.
The race is held during low tide to allow competitors to run on hard-packed sand. The course starts on the Promenade in front of the Beach Patrol headquarters at 44th Street, heads north to 29th Street and then veers out on the beach. Runners make a turnaround on the beach at Strathmere and retrace their steps southbound on the Promenade. They hit the beach again at 57th Street and finish up at 44th Street.
Proceeds from the race support programs and events organized by the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol, including lifeguard training schools and ocean swims, Steele said.
The race also maintains a close association with the For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing vacations to cancer patients and their families. The organization was founded by Peter R. Bossow Jr., a former Sea Isle lifeguard who died of cancer in 1999.
