USATF Series
From Tom Steenkamer:
Off Road Series
The Off Road Series came to White Clay Creek State Park on April 25th for the 18th annual Triple Crown 10k trail race. 8 PCVRC USATF team members completed the rolling course on the Carpenter recreation area trails. The club finished the day with multiple strong performances including Mark Hannagan (2nd overall), Mike Brown (10th), and Lisa Jalot (1st female and 15th overall).
Also receiving age group awards were Lorri Fencer and Frank Owczarek. Special recognition to Lori Culnane who completed the course 5 days after running the Boston Marathon.
In the team competition PCVRC finished the day in 2nd place behind Rosemont RC. The club is currently in 2nd place in the 2015 team competition after 3 races. The GPTC club did not have a complete team for the Triple Crown event and is now effectively eliminated from the season-long competition.
The next trail race is the Wissahickon 10k on Saturday, June 6th. You can save $7 on registration if you sign up before 5/22!
Grand Prix Series
The Broad Street 10 mile run was held on May 3rd. 13 PCVRC USATF members completed the 39th annual trek down Broad Street along with 41,500 friends. It was good day for the club with top performances from Kirsten Belair who finished 5th overall in the ladies masters division, Chuck Crabb 1st and Tom Steenkamer 5th in the 55-59 age group. Strong runs by Carole Feole and Mike O’Brian completed the scoring team for the club.
In the club competition GPTC made up some ground and Bryn Mawr RC finally scored with a full team.
PCVRC retains its hold on 1st place in the season long competition but expect to see continued challenges from both GPTC and Bryn Mawr.
The next road race is the Moorestown 8k on Saturday, June 6th, 8:30 AM start time. Be sure to select PCVRC as your club during registration so we can compete in the race’s caffeine challenge.
Achilles Tendon Research Study
The University of Delaware Department of Physical Therapy is currently seeking candidates to participate in a research program for Achilles tendon injuries.
Candidates may have experienced or currently have Achilles problems including tendinopathy, tendonitis, rupture or repair. The study is conducted at the UofD Star Campus and is free for accepted candidates. See the attached flyer for more details and contact information.
Crabowitz
What: 5K fun run & Crab Feast
Date: Thursday, June 11th
Time: Any time after 5:00pm- Run begins around 6:15
Where: Szymanski House (709 Haddon Road, Wilmington, DE 19808)
Please mark your calendars to join us for the 7th annual Crabowitz 5K fun run and crabs! We will be supplying crabs, pizza, water, soda and our own Brewmaster, Tony BBQ, will once again be making the “Electrolyte Ale”! Yuengling will also be provided.
If these two types of beer do not interest you, feel free to bring your beverage of choice. This is a family event, so please bring your significant other, children, pets, neighbor,or whomever you wish to bring. However, please be sure to let us know how many will attend so we have a headcount.
This is not a serious running event… It is a serious fun event!! As the years have gone by, less and less people run and more people come to just drink, eat and have fun!! The only person that has to run is our own Jack Crabowitz (our mascot).
We will be continuing the tradition of asking for donations for the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation.
Couch-to-5k Spring Session
Only a few more weeks of the session! The graduating race is just over 2 weeks away!
The graduation race is the 36th St. Anthony’s Italian Festival 5k. Free breakfast is provided to all runners by the Festival! Registration and more details here.
The Newark Reservoir (map) is on Old Paper Mill Road, just east of Paper Mill Road and just north of Timothy’s (where the Christmas party was held). If you missed the first session you’re still more than welcome to come out and walk or run! See you there!
Note for the Fall Session: The start date has not been set but is usually timed so that PCVRC’s own Delaware Distance Classic 5k is the graduating race.
Healthy Kids Running Series
Jamie profusely thanks everyone from Pike Creek who came out and volunteered at either session!
Ray Christensen Race Recap
Ray ran the River Towns Marathon on May 2nd in 3:44:27. Below is his recap of the event.
Go here for the full recap complete with pictures!
(One other note: Ray notes this was his 26th marathon. That means early in the next race he’ll have done is 26.2nd 26.2!)
Small Race for a Slow Runner
(Photo Credit: Ray Christensen)
Susquehanna River
My previous marathon, Monster Mash, had been my slowest in 3 years and after a long, cold winter, I was still running with little energy. Caesar Rodney Half confirmed that. My 1:46:07 was almost 5 minutes slower than I’d averaged over the past 5 years. I had again considered Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, but since I didn’t have a travel partner, I was happy to find a lower key, more local event.
Just 69 Finishers!
The slower I get, the less excited I am about having thousands or hundreds of thousands of spectators cheering me on. But this was way over to the other end of the spectrum. I knew going in, that it may be the smallest number of participants in any race I’d done — including local 5K’s!!!. At least the out-and-back course would allow me to see all of the other runners.
Race Weekend
I’d combine the race with my monthly trip to visit family in the Catskills. 3 hours from Wilmington, it added just 80 miles to my overall driving. Departed Wilmington 330pm and hit traffic on I-95 and the Blue Route. Eased up on PA Turnpike, which I took to I-80. Arrived Danville with just enough time to check in at Red Roof Inn & drive 3 miles to Danville Middle School, where I grabbed my bib and got a great tip on where to carbo-load.
“Original Italian Pizza”
At 7pm, a cute family restaurant just off the main street of Danville provided me with a great Chicken Parmigiana dinner, that required a walk up and down Mill Street to work off as the sun set.
Convenient Race Day Parking
Up at 520am for some warm up exercise, banana and peanuts. My long sleeve Big Sur shirt got the call and I’d wear gloves and a hat for 48 degrees at the start. Perfect weather and easy walk from parking to the start next to the Montour County Courthouse. I spoke with a first time marathoner while sipping coffee prior to the 7am start.
Perfect Conditions & Scenic Course
With less than 80 lined up to start, there was no stress. For the first few miles, I ended up running a mile each with a couple different guys. Most of the course was on a pretty road where we saw the river only part of the time. I didn’t watch my pace at all, just seeking to enjoy it. At around mile 8, we crossed the Susquehanna on a bridge to the town of Catawissa, which was totally asleep (even on my return visit). By now, the sun was warming things up a bit, but I kept my gloves on a bit longer. Body felt good, and I was happy with a moderate pace.
5 Miles of Trails
It was a nice change to run on trails for a couple miles, including the 2nd bridge – a very cool old railroad bridge now covered with soil. That may be one reason that this race is not certified, nor a Boston qualifier. A water stop with one man, and a photographer at the end of that bridge were the only non-runners in that whole stretch.
Once back on roads and approaching Bloomsburg, I looked forward to the turnaround, right around mile 13.1. I had planned to grab an energy gel, but just after the button-hook turn, I noticed that the table was about 20 yards off the side of the course. I initially snapped at the teenager, asking for gel and he got 2 Vanilla’s into my hand, so I thanked him a little more gently. Heading for home!
Seeing Runners
Seeing the runners in the opposite direction is always a welcome distraction during a race. At the turnaround, I was probably in about 12th place and noticed that my pace was pretty popular, so I’d have the additional pressure of wondering how many might pass me on the trip back. (It ended up being around 10, since I finished 22nd overall.) The railroad bridge on the way back was round mile 16 and now I was counting down the miles. by the time I crossed back on the 2nd bridge, the sun was definitely warm and while my legs were fine, I was losing energy.
Hanging On!!!
It grew pretty lonely for a while, as a couple runners caught me. But around mile 20, we were joined by the Half Marathoners, and now shared the course with them, coming and going. At least now I was never quite sure if it was a Full or Half participant passing me. By mile 23 I walked through a couple water stops, unable to consume more than 2 gels, since my stomach was no longer interested.
After mile 24, we ran up to do a mile or so along the top of a river levee, where I fought to keep running under the hot sun. Back onto pavement for the final half mile into town and I crossed the finish in 3:44:29.
Street Fair
Grapefruit, beer, and watched the tiny awards ceremony in the shade of the tent. The 3 runners finishing immediately in front of me were all women. I spoke with another woman who’d finished just behind me and discovered that the crazy girl was going to run Delaware Marathon the following week. I told her I’d see her on the course 4 times as a course marshal. Walked to the car to grab camera and came back to stroll through the crowded “Spring Fling” for 30 minutes, where I grabbed pizza and soda with the $5 chit given to runners. Then just enough time to take a quick shower at the motel and head to the Catskills for a couple days of work (which didn’t much help my legs recover).
Don Ropp Race Recap
Don Ropp ran the “Run for the Red” Marathon in the Pocono Mountains this past Saturday.
(Photo Credit: Don Ropp)
Our race weekend started off poorly, with Susan and I arriving in Stroudsburg, PA, in a tow truck, care of busted oil line on the Highlander. Needed to find parts fast if we were going to have a car and not wait till Monday to be able to drive something home.
Susan was on the phone with a local Toyota dealer and was polite but persistent. After being told we were out of luck till Monday, we finally got everyone on same page to make it happen Saturday before the mechanics left for the weekend. They finished up promptly at 5PM and knocked off for the weekend.
Next challenge was realizing my bags with all my clothes AND running gear was back at repair facility, a casualty of attempts to get the repair shop to drop us near expo or hotel in case car couldn’t be fixed right away. I headed back but they had left for the weekend. I was tired and grumpy and ready to call it quits and head back to Wilmington, but took inspiration from the Boston runners this year that persevered through really lousy weather to get the job done a few weeks back. Made it back to the expo in time to buy all new running shoes and clothes (modeled in photo) and decided to just roll with it.
Forecast for high temps wasn’t helping, but race morning started off cool and overcast. The overnight rain washed out most of the pollen and started to feel a little more confident I still might BQ. Knew I would have to make the most of the easier and shadier parts of the course in the first half so I went out way faster than my goal pace of 3:35. Ran about 3:23 pace for the first half but after that the sun was out and the hurt began. Just wanted to bring it home with my BQ time, so I ran as long as I could but had to walk some in the final couple miles, knowing I had banked time. Finished in 3:32, 7+ cushion for Boston time, but really hurting.
Went back to the finish time sheets and didn’t initially notice the #1 under AG place and wouldn’t have believed it anyway, but I guess others were struggling as much as I did today with the heat. That was just the cherry on top of knowing I will be able to ride up to Boston next year with the esteemed Boston Bus crew, knowing I am running in the 2016 Boston Marathon with Susan Snavely too!
Race Results, Reviews and Accomplishments:
John Schultz won his age group at the Kennett Run 10k, finishing in 1:04:20 chip time! The gun time was 1:29:14 so there must have been a big crowd. Well done John!
Lori Culnane won 2nd place in her age group at the Dirty German 50k (31 miles), finishing in 6:46:59! Awesome job Lori!
(Photo Credit: Lori Culnane)
George Temple ran the Dirty German 25k (15.5 miles) in 3:17:02! Fantastic job George!
Ray Christensen placed 2nd in his age group at the River Towns Marathon, finishing in 3:44:27.17! Excellent running Ray!
Don Ropp won his age group at the Run for the Red Marathon, finishing in 3:32:30! Way to go Don!
(Photo Credit: Don Ropp)
River Towns Marathon
(May 2nd – Danville, PA)
Ray Christensen 3:44:27.17 (2nd AG)
Kennett Run 10k
(May 16th – Kennett Square, PA)
John Schultz 1:04:20 (1st AG)
Run for the Red Marathon
(May 16th – Stroudsburg, PA)
Don Ropp 3:32:30 (1st AG)
Dirty German 25k
(May 17th – Philadelphia, PA)
George Temple 3:17:02
Dirty German 50k
(May 17th – Philadelphia, PA)
Lori Culnane 6:46:59 (2nd AG)
Links for Club Members
PCVRC Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Pike-Creek-Valley-Running-Club/
PCVRC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/289855916248/
Please patronize our sponsors!
New Balance Brandywine & Christiana stores offer a 20% discount to current club members.
www.NBretail.com
M&T Bank offers personal & business banking, credit cards, mortgages, investments.
www.mtb.com
Foot Care Group provides comprehensive care and treatment of the foot and ankle.
www.FootCareGroup.org
Harvest Market provides organic and natural foods, nutritional supplements, and natural health care products.
www.HarvestMarketNaturalFoods.com
Cheskin Chiropractic
Dr. Jeff Cheskin is a club member & long-time sponsor w/20+ years experience.
www.cheskinchiropractic.com
