PCVRC Newsletter – April 2024
Spring is here! The days are longer, temperatures are warmer and race season is in full swing so good luck eclipsing your running goals for 2024! PCVRC members are running the Boston marathon, competing for the race team in the USATF road and off-road series and joining folks in the running community at our weekly Tuesday track workouts with Coach Jim Fischer, Thursday and Sunday group runs and PCVRC social events. The Couch to 5K program is starting up in April so take advantage these programs and all your PCVRC membership has to offer. Check out the club website and Facebook page to see what’s happening. PCVRC is a social club and very supportive of all our member’s running goals. Most importantly, we have a great time running and welcome runners and walkers of all backgrounds regardless of race, nationality, religion, sexual or gender identity and of all levels of ability from beginner walkers to the highly competitive road racer to marathoners.
PCVRC memberships for 2024
Please visit https://pcvrc.com/renew-membership/ to join/renew for 2024. $26 online (or $25 by mailed check) includes all family members at your address. Club membership includes free T-shirt for new members, race discounts, weekly group runs, discounted Delaware Park passes (sold out for 2024), track workouts with Coach Fischer, fun runs, Club social events including Holiday Party, Spring Social, Delaware Distance Classic (our signature event), 10% discount at Delaware Running Company, eligibility to participate as a member of our team in USATF events and more!
Discount$ for Club Members!
StretchPlex – 10% discount off any service StretchPlex using the code: PCVRC10.
Delaware Running Company – all PCVRC members get 10% off anything in store EXCEPT electronics.
Omega Project – $25 off 3D Gait Screen or $50 off full 3D Gait Analysis; $25 off 6 pack of laser sessions or $50 off a 10 pack of laser sessions
Liquid Alchemy Beverages – 10% off entire visit of All Natural Craft Meads and Ciders
Cheskin Chiropractic Center – Complimentary consultation for sports related or accident related treatment
Running coach – Alison McCann is part of Speed Sherpa Nation as a run coach and is taking on new clients https://www.speedsherpa.com/coaches or https://www.trainingpeaks.com/coach/alisonmccann
Omius headbands – 20% off with code PCVRC24 at Omius Inc.
Zealios – 25% off all Zealios products with code ZupPIKECREEK and can be used at https://teamzealios.com/collections and at any event where Zealios is vending.
LEVERMovement – https://levermovement.com/ Use code PikeCreekRC20 to get 20%.
See all current discounts at our Member Discount page, https://pcvrc.com/pcvrc-member-discounts/ where the password is “run82“.
Couch to 5K starting in April
The popular Couch to 5K program has returned this spring, with the first session planned for Thursday April 11. Caitlin Reilly will be coordinating the program will assistance from other club members. The Couch to 5K program is approximately 10 weeks and will meet at Delcastle Park in conjunction with our Thursday 6:00pm group runs. The program is free and culminates with participating in a goal 5K race at the end of the program in June (Kick off to Summer 5K). This is one of the Club’s most popular programs and a great community service of motivating and reinvigorating new and existing runners! Check the PCVRC website for updates and details on the next session HERE.
PCVRC Racing Team updates
The 2024 Mid-Atlantic USATF Grand Prix and off-road series are off to a running start! Both series have had 2 races completed to date. At this time, PCVRC is leading the trail series and is in a solid 3rd place in the Grand Prix.
The Frostbite 5 Miler in Ambler, PA, at Wissahickon High School kicked off the road series on February 24. This year the race was postponed by a week due to the possibility of a significant winter storm. Due to the change in date, some scheduled runners were not able to participate. J.R. Creekmore picked up where he left off in the fall, leading the team with a third place overall finish. Allison Emmons led the ladies, winning the master’s division. Pete LoBianco, Elizabeth Swierzbinski, Brenda Hodge, Sarah Rusk, Laura Brenner, and Betty Olmstead also took home mugs for placing in their respective age groups.
The always fast and competitive Adrenaline 5k at Haddonfield High School was held under ideal racing conditions on March 16. Allison Emmons set a state age group record in placing as the 3rd master and Brenda Hodge also picked up a cash award for placing 3rd in 50+ division. J.R. Creekmore (30-34), Elizabeth Swierzbinski (35-39), Sarah Rusk (40-44), and Bill Farquahar (50-54) were all age group winners, Angelina Hannagan (25-29) placed 2nd, and Rob Mason (65-69) and Betty Olmstead (75-79) placed 3rd.
The Looney Leprechaun 10k Trail race at Tyler State Park was on March 2. All racers encountered extremely difficult trail conditions due to the significant rainfall in the days leading up to, and during the race. At times streams ran through the trails and mud was so thick it tried to suck shoes off. Laura Brenner led the way for the team as the overall female winner! Pete LoBianco finished second overall and John Costello and Dave Wiechecki placed top 3 in the 60-69 division.
The always popular Tyler Arboretum 10k was in sunny, but chilly conditions on April 6. The race organizers seem to be able find new hills within the arboretum every year for competitors to tackle. John Costello and Dave Wiechecki placed 2nd and 3rd in the 60-69 age group and Jean Western placed 3rd in the 60-69 age group.
Our racing team wants you! Any club member who joins USATF can participate and represent our club, both in our regional series and in National Championship events! The annual cost to join USATF is $55 at https://usatf.sport80.com/public/wizard/a/941/home, select Pike Creek Valley Running Club as your club affiliation. USATF members can enjoy discounts on series races, win end of year series awards, and are guaranteed entry in the Broad Street Run (May 5, 7:30am start). Members of the club who are members of USATF and compete in at least 4 races total among both series will receive a complimentary membership to PCVRC for the following year. Please contact Lynn Knothe () for more information. For the racing calendars for the road and off-road series, please go to https://mausatf.org/grad-prixevents/ and https://mausatf.org/off-road-events/.
Social Activities
Annual meeting – The PCVRC annual meeting on March 14 at Timothy’s in Newark was an excellent evening of food, drink, socialization and celebrating some extraordinary achievements from the past year. This included Runner of the Year, Anthony Swierzbinski, Member of the Year, Mike Piorkowski, Volunteer of the Year, Mark Hannagan, Rookie of the Year, Jean Western, and Most Improved Runner, Mike Janis. PCVRC also honored new inductee to the Hall of Fame, Mark Deshon Many thanks to the Club’s social events coordinator, Mike Janis, for organizing a great event. We also welcomed new members to the board to help our club become more beneficial and enjoyable to current and prospective members with group runs, socials and other activities.
Boston Sendoff – On April 7, PCVRC members enjoyed a run and excellent brunch at the Delaware Running Company on Kennett Pike in Greenville, DE to wish our Boston Marathon participants good luck. We had a great turnout and used the opportunity to belatedly honor new Hall of Fame inductee, Rich Szymanski.
Check out the PCVRC the website for more pictures from these events and for updates on other upcoming events: PCVRC Events Calendar
Group Runs continue every Sunday & Thursday, track workouts every Tuesday and Trail runs on Saturdays
Group runs continue at their usual places and times and a great way to interact with your fellow runners while working out. Click here for details
Sundays 8:00 am – meet in the parking lot behind Brew HaHa! in the Main Street Galleria, 45 East Main St., Newark (free parking); run in White Creek Park and back anywhere from 1-14 miles or more round trip. Anyone is welcome to have coffee and breakfast afterwards at Brew HaHa!
Thursdays 6:00 pm – meet at start/finish of Delcastle Rec Area; Run 1 or more laps of the 1.75 mile loop.
Tuesday evening track workouts (UPDATE): Workouts start at 6:00pm at St. Mark’s High School. Participants can warm up off beforehand outside of the track. Please check the PCVRC website weekly for any updates.
Saturday Trail Runs at Brandywine Creek State Park 7:30am. Meet at the trailhead at the end of Garden of Eden Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. Anyone is welcome to join, runs are typically 8-9 miles, but can accommodate anywhere between 5-12 miles. For more info check out the FB page.
For Your Information
The warmer and longer days back and sometimes runners forget the cumulative damage the sun’s rays can have on our skin even during short workouts or when running under cloudy conditions. For guidance on how to protect yourself and some popular products to help minimize skin damage, see articles are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.
41st Delaware Distance Classic Registration is open
The 41st annual DDC will be held on October 20, 2024. This is the seminal race supporting your Pike Creek Valley Running Club as well as a local charity sponsor so please support your club by running and/or volunteering to help with registration, handing out food and water and keeping runners on the course and safe. Course is flat and fast with many top runners in the region participating, including a number of other USATF clubs.
For details on the race and more pictures, go to the DDC website at ddc15k.org.
Your PCVRC Board
Please contact us with any questions HERE
President and Webmaster: Ray Christensen
Vice President: Adam Shilling
Secretary and Social Media: Alison McCann
Treasurer: Andrea Riley
Membership coordinator: Cindy Alms
Sponsor coordinator: Dwight Swaney
Events coordinator: Mike Janis
USATF Team coordinator: Lynn Knothe
C25K coordinator: Caitlin Reilly
Running Events Coordinator: Hali Mckinley Lester
DDC Race Director: Alison McCann