Holiday Party, Ben Franklin Br 10k, Josh Loren, Pecan Festival
PCVRC Holiday Party
Now that we are into the month of November the holidays are fast approaching, so before your calendar gets packed with holiday festivities mark your calendars for the Annual PCVRC Holiday Party on Monday, December 8th from 6:30 -9:00pm at Timothy’s in Newark.
This event, like most club events, is free to club members and non-club members. We ask that if you are a non-club member that you make a small donation toward the food for the event. There will be a buffet and cash bar.
While it’s not necessary to RSVP, if you think you can make it please respond via Facebook or email me at .
Hope to see you all there!
P.S. Don’t forget this is a great time to renew your club membership too!
USATF: Ben Franklin Bridge 10k
On Sunday 11/2 we rolled the clocks back and woke up to a sunny (but blustery) day for the annual Ben Franklin Bridge 10k run.
This race typically attracts over 3500 runners who start on the Camden side of the bridge running west into Philly where the race makes a gradual 180 turn to return in the east bound lanes and then turn south to the Battleship NJ and make their way north along the riverfront then finishing in center field of the minor league ballpark – Campbell’s Field.
Interesting that this year’s blustery forecast of winds @15mph and gusts to 40mph kept several hundred folks off the starting line. Despite the early warning that the gusts would be fierce the 11 PCVRC team members were not deterred. (Note to self when the portable toilets start moving across the parking lot it is very windy! I think it was empty but did stop to check.)
Realizing the times would be impacted by the gusts we took a tempered approach at the start for our ascent up the bridge (into the wind/crosswind) followed by a quicker descent, turn repeat and hope for the best heading south. The course had some very exposed sections after the bridge where the full force of the wind was either helping or making you fight to maintain any kind of pace. Thankfully the winds carried the team into the stadium for a number of age group awards – Lynn Knothe, Jay Coughenour, Sheri Sweigart, Dave Wiechecki, Tom Steenkamer, Greg Cauller, Carole Feole.
Here’s Dave Wiechecki’s finishing kick passing South Jersey’s Jim Sery to capture 1st place in their age group.
Our team age-grade score for the day landed us a close 3rd place behind Bryn Mawr and Greater Philly. Bryn Mawr gained 3 points, GPTC 2. In the season-long competition PCVRC retains its hold on 1st Place.
Steenkamer Thomas 29 0 37 58 84.241
Coughenour Jay 21 0 36 27 83.539
Cauller Gregory 32 0 38 24 83.290
Wiechecki David 27 0 37 53 82.358
Feole Carole 210 0 47 32 78.086
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 411.513
Sweigart Dirk 94 0 42 59 73.788
Knothe Lynn 78 0 42 16 72.989
Kauffman William Lee 124 0 44 32 72.418
Sweigart Sheri 196 0 47 8 69.059
Herman Gerald 1758 1 3 18 57.952
Schultz John 2802 1 24 14 54.729
Thanks to everyone who participated.
Next and final road race for 2014 – 11/22, and 11/23 at the Philly Marathon weekend. (Race entry is now closed for these races.)
USATF competition – What’s this age grade stuff all about?
Recently I was asked to help explain what the USATF series age grading system is all about. I found that I needed to review it myself and thought the club members would appreciate more information.
In general terms age grading is a way of putting all race participants on a level playing field, regardless of age or gender. Age graded scores let you compare your race times to those of different runners, as well as to the standard for your age and gender.
From the USATF web site:
Age Grading provides the athlete with a percentage value of the world record for their age and sex. Since the world record also degrades with age, the percentage can be used over a number of years to compare an athlete’s performance. The percentage can also be used for comparing men and women equally. Typical percentages are as follows:
100% = Approximate World-Record Level
90+% = World Class
80+% = National Class
70+% = Regional Class
60+% = Local Class
In the Mid Atlantic USATF club competition team scores are created from the top 5 age graded finishers from each club. One of those scores must be by a female team member. In a typical event the top performing male competitors are in the 80% range while female competitors are in the 70% range. Of course there are occasional truly exceptional performances such as that delivered by our own Hugh Campbell in 2013. At the Haddonfield NJ Adrenaline 5k race Hugh broke the existing record for his age and scored 102.572!
Want to find your age grade percentage for a recent event? Check out the USATF age grade calculator.
Race Recap: Pecan Festival “Run Like A Nut” Half-Marathon
From Carll Human:
I went to South Carolina to spend a long weekend with my daughter and her family. While down there (on Saturday, 11/1/14), I ran the Florence, SC annual Pecan Festival “Run Like a Nut” half marathon. I ended up setting a new PR of 1:42:54 (7:51 pace), beating my previous PR by over 2 1/2 minutes. I also took 2nd place in my age group (50-54) for the first time ever and 19th overall. I checked off half marathon #22 and state #16 since 2008.
In the below picture I’m the guy in red, with the white hat (bib#594).
It was a very small race on a cold, rainy and windy morning, through nearly all residential streets. While they took great care to spray paint directing arrows on the roads, they had to use a paint that washes away. So, as you can imagine what happened when it rained during the race. Ugh. Many people missed turns, myself included. Luckily, I saw several runners doubling back, having missed the same turn as I did, and followed them back and located the missed marker. There were some volunteers giving directions, but far too few. I guess the foul weather kept most of them, as well as nearly all spectators, at home. The race staff and volunteers tried their very best and I commend them for their efforts. Considering the missed turn, I can only imagine what my time and placing might have been. But, I’m very happy with the PR and 2nd place in AG.
The “trophy” they gave for 2nd place was a Mason jar (in true Southern style) with the race logo on the front and 2nd place on the back. I thought is was a really unique and cool way to recognize the runners, in addition to the small, but nicely-done, finisher’s medal.
Delaware Track and Field Hall of Fame Induction Banquet
This is not a PCVRC event but we wanted to include it to support fellow runners. Our own Tom Fort is the coordinator for the banquet.
When: Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Where: Cavaliers Country Club
Time: Social Hour @ 6:00, Dinner @ 7:00
RSVP/Tickets: or (302) 234-7803 (Form attached)
You can read Kevin Tresolini’s article in the News Journal for the honoree bios. Enjoy!
Race Results, Reviews and Accomplishments:
Just want to remind people to send in any race results that you are particularly proud of. There’s no way for me to be able to watch Facebook and all the race sites. We want to congratulate everyone who deserves it!
Matt Cutrona and Andrea Rubinoff both competed in the TCS New York City Marathon. Matt finished in 3:00:41, a blistering 6:54-per-mile pace! Andrea finished in 4:30:16, an extremely impressive 10:19 per mile!
(Photo Credit: MarathonFOTO.com)
Josh Loren competed in the XTERRA World Championships in Maui, finishing in 3:21:44! Tom Steenkamer wrote in about Josh: “Josh finished 193rd overall against a field of professional and elite amateur tri-athletes.” He also provided the following:
> WHAT IS XTERRA: The world’s premier off-road triathlon, combining a 1.5-kilometer (1-mile) rough water swim, a 30.4-kilometer (18.89-miles) mountain bike and a 9.5-kilometer (5.9 miles) trail run best described as a tropical roller-coaster ride through pineapple fields and forests.
>
> WHO RACES IN MAUI: A capacity field of 800 athletes from 28 countries and 42 U.S. states including professionals and amateurs.
(Photo Credit: Jennifer Loren)
Traci Melvin won her age group at the Halloween Hoopla 5k, finishing in 23:11.
(Photo Credit: Unknown)
John Schultz sent this description of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge 10k: “The weather was, shall we say, challenging. On the downward stretch approaching Philadelphia the west wind was brutal. On some other parts of the course there were brief periods when it was nearly impossible to make any headway at all; I had to turn and run sideways to the wind. ” When asked for comment Tom Steenkamer replied “Oh. bother.”
Kirsten Belair won the Inaugural Mark J. Dowling 5k this past Saturday, finishing in 18:47.4!
(Photo Credit: Undeniable Moments)
Dan Feldstein won his age group at the Queen of the Roses 5k, finishing in 30:44!
(Photo Credit: TriSportsEvents)
Carll Human sent in his Delaware Distance Classic 15k results as well as an excellent picture (if I do say so myself) of him finishing. He finished in an impressive 1:18:34.1, an 8:26 per-mile pace!
(Photo Credit: Undeniable Moments)
Delaware Distance Classic 15k
(October 12th – Delaware City, DE)
Carll Human 1:18:34.1
Halloween Hoopla 5k
(October 25th – Wilmington, DE)
Traci Melvin 23:11.9 (1st AG)
XTERRA World Championships
(October 26th – Maui, HI)
Josh Loren 3:21:44
Run Like A Nut Half-Marathon
(November 1st – Florence, SC)
Carll Human 1:42:54.433
TCS New York City Marathon
(November 2nd – New York City, NY)
Matt Cutrona 3:00:41
Andrea Rubinoff 4:30:16
Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge 10k
(November 2nd – Camden, NJ)
Jay Coughenour 36:27 (1st AG)
David Wiechecki 37:54 (1st AG)
Tom Steenkamer 37:58 (1st AG)
Greg Cauller 38:24 (2nd AG)
Lynn Knothe 42:16 (1st AG)
Dirk Sweigart 42:59
William Lee Kauffman 44:35
Sheri Sweigart 47:08 (3rd AG)
Carole Feole 47:32 (2nd AG)
Gerald Herman 1:04:05
John Schultz 1:24:14
Queen of the Roses 5k
(November 9th – Chestertown, MD)
Dan Feldstein 30:34 (1st AG)
1st Mark J. Dowling Foundation 5k
(November 9th – Wilmington, DE)
Kirsten Belair 18:47.4 (1st Overall Female)
John Schultz 36:26.1 (3rd AG)