President’s Message
Pike Creek Valley Runner, welcome to the New Year ! Mark your calendars for our Annual Meeting on March 6^th from 6:30 to 9:00 at Pizza by Elizabeth’s.  This was a big hit last year!  This is a member benefit, so you should attend as this event is free to Members and $10 for guests (free if they join).       

Yes, we give Club Awards at our Annual Meeting as well.  You should nominate someone!   See Awards below.

We held a PCVRC board meeting on Monday January 9^th at Dirk Sweigart’s house.  We finalized the holiday party, and welcomed two new board nominees, Wes Stafford (vice president) and Adam Shilling (secretary).  The 2018 board nominees will be presented and voted upon at our Annual Meeting.      

As the nominee for president, I am excited at the possibilities for our club.  Running, social, community, racing, education, fitness – these are things that I find highly enjoyable.  I’ve made many friends through PCVRC and I am looking forward to meeting more.  And Joel’s not going anywhere, he is nominated to head up the DDC committee.    

A person to join our board in a Public Relations/Newsletters role would be a welcome addition!  Anyone interested? Contact me!

Happy running, be careful and stay warm!
Dirk 

Social Activities 
The PCVRC Annual Meeting is at Pizza By Elizabeth’s on Tuesday, March 6^th from 6:30 to 9:00.  We moved it slightly later for the people doing the track workouts – come as you are, we’re runners!  Each member will receive two drink tickets to redeem.  Food will be provided as well.  We will have a short program to present the board and club awards for 2017.

Don’t forget, we always have our Boston Send-Off party the Wednesday before the marathon.  Mark your calendars now, that’s April 11^th.

Our weekly running meet-ups continue: Tuesdays at the Newark Reservoir at 6PM; Thursdays at 6PM at Delcastle Recreation; and Sundays 8AM at Panera on Main Street Newark.  Now that the weather has begin to cool, please come on out and join us for a group run!

Awards
Please nominate a deserving someone for our annual Awards!  Awards include Runner of the Year, Member of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and then Outstanding Achievements.  This is your chance to turn in your friends!  Send all nominees to me at by Valentines’s Day.

USATF Update, Tom Steenkamer
PCVRC had 30 participants compete in the 2017 2017 Mid Atlantic USATF Grand Prix (road) series.  We had runners in all 11 events and fielded a scoring team in 10 of them. There were 13 regional running clubs participating the Grand Prix series. PCVRC finished the 2017 season in 4th place in the highly competitive Grand Prix club challenge. Our 4th place finish earned the club $475!

The 2017 Off Road (trail) series consisted of 8 races held between February and November.  The club had 28 members compete in the trail race series and had a scoring team in all 8 events. For the first time in club history PCVRC claimed 1st place in the Off Road club challenge!  The club received $675 for our finish.  A portion of this prize money goes back to support our MA-USATF racers.  A priority for this year is getting updated racing team singlets.

Along with our club level accomplishments there are a number of team members who received USATF awards for their individual performances. The Grand Prix series recognizes the top 10 men and women age grade performances who have competed in a minimum of 6 events during the season. In 2017 the following club members were recognized for Top AG series performance – Greg Cauller, John Costello, Beth Howlett, and Dave Wiechecki. In addition the Grand Prix recognized the top 3 performers within 5 year age groups – Greg Cauller, Zach Chupa, Keith Crispin, Matt Cutrona, Mike Digennaro, Allison Emmons, Bill Farquhar, Erin Giampietro, Gerry Herman, Brenda Hodge, Beth Howlett, Lynn Knothe, Mike O’Brian, Betty Olmstead, and Dave Wiechecki.  The off-road series also recognizes the top 3 performers in 10 year age groups – Greg Cauller, Bill Farquhar, Lynn Knothe, Tim Schuler, and Bill Steele.

We’d love to have more club members join us in 2018. The first road race of the year the Ambler 5 mile run held on Saturday, February 17th. The off road season kicks off in March with a brand new event, the Brandywine Red Clay 10k on Sunday, March 4th.  We try to carpool to these events so please contact me in advance if you are interested. There’s only one requirement to participate for PCVRC – you members must also join the USATF. (Annual membership is $30.)  There’s often a group post-race gathering for socializing and food.  Please contact Tom if you have interest in participating this year.

Thanks and good running for the coming year.

Membership
The club currently stands at 144 family memberships with 250 club members.  

Membership is only $25 and is good for your entire family. As a 501c(3), PCVRC membership is also tax deductible. Also, any member who races for PCVRC in 4 or more USATF races within a calendar year, and remains a member of USATF, will receive a complimentary PCVRC membership for the following calendar year.  We will notify  members in January if they are eligible for a free PCVRC membership.   

New members who join on or after June 1 but before October 1 pay a reduced rate of $15 to cover their membership for the remainder of the current calendar year.  All members who join or renew before October 1 are subject to our standard renewal policy. Anyone who joins on or after October 1st pays $25 that includes the remainder of the current calendar year plus the following calendar year.  Membership Renewals will be accepted beginning at the December holiday party and are due by March 31.   

To renew your dues online, go to: www.pcvrc.com/join.php. 

Or you may send a $25 check or money order (payable to PCVRC) to: PCVRC, PO Box 3259, Wilmington, DE 19804

Treasurer’s Report 
Lenora reports that the balances in our accounts are: $12,209 in PCVRC and $11,635 in the DDC account.  We continue to maintain a balance equal to a year’s worth of expenses in both accounts.      

Other News:
A group of PCVRC members is requested to marshal a section of the course (Bancroft and Kentmere) at the Delaware marathon again this year.  It’s a good time and the club receives a donation from Corrigan Sports.  Please contact Ray to volunteer. 

DDC is scheduled for October 7^th in Delaware City.  We are always looking for organizing help.  Contact Dirk or Joel to get involved.  This is a cool activity and a big help to your club!

Race Results & Recognition
Please let us know what you’ve been up to!!  For inclusion in the next newsletter, send your race results, PRs, and running related stories by replying to this message or by sending a separate email to: .

Current and all past News Bulletins are online: https://pcvrc.com/pcvrc-news-bulletins-2/

2018 Nominees – PCVRC Board  

Officers: 
            Dirk Sweigart, President
            Wes Stafford, VP
            Adam Shilling, Secretary
            Lenora Wagner, Treasurer

Other Voting Members:   
            Tom Steenkamer – USATF
            Joel Schiller – DDC Race Director
            Christina Xia – Membership 
            Ray Christensen – Emeritus   
            Open – Communications/Marketing
            Sheri Sweigart – Social  
          Jerry Herman – At Large

President’s Message
Thank you to everyone who attended our annual PCVRC holiday party at Timothy’s Newark on December 4. We had a full house and it was great to see so many of our old and new running friends. 28 club members renewed their 2018 club memberships at the party (see link below to renew) and we signed up two new members at the event. Many thanks to Sheri and Dirk Sweigart for organizing the party and coordinating the raffle; Kim O’Dea-Grant Riccio for taking the photos (see link below) and Lenora Wagner for paying the tab! (on behalf of the club). Our raffle winners were: Betty Olmstead; Adam Shilling; Laura Massamini Berger; Andrea Ladany Riley; and Kim O’Dea-Grant Riccio.

Photos: https://pcvrc.com/photos/photos-2017-holiday-party/

2018 Dues: https://pcvrc.com/join-our-running-club/

If you missed the news, Dirk Sweigart has agreed to take over as Club President for 2018 and he has asked Wes Stafford to be Vice President and Adam Shilling to be Secretary. Lenora Wagner will remain as Treasurer. Jim Steele is stepping down as DDC Chair and I will assume that responsibility with help from Ray Christensen and others. If you wish to give back to your running community by joining the PCVRC board, please give Dirk Sweigart a call or reach out to any other board member.

This is the required advanced notice for the 2018 board. The annual election of officers will occur at the club’s annual meeting, currently planned for later this Winter. More details ion the next newsletter.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2018 and Happy holidays, everyone!!
Joel

Membership
The club currently stands at 145 family memberships with 254 club members. Please welcome our newest members: Tiffany Huntley; Nick & Kristen Henry; Kevin McGready.

Membership is only $25 and is good for your entire family. As a 501c(3), your PCVRC membership is also tax deductible. Also, any member who races for PCVRC in 4 or more USATF races within a calendar year, and remains a member of USATF, will receive a complimentary PCVRC membership for the following calendar year. We will notify club members in January if they are eligible for a free PCVRC membership.

New members who join on or after June 1 but before October 1 pay a reduced rate of $15 to cover their membership for the remainder of the current calendar year. All members who join or renew before October 1 are subject to our standard renewal policy. Anyone who joins on or after October 1st pays $25 that includes the remainder of the current calendar year plus the following calendar year. Membership Renewals will be accepted beginning at the December holiday party and are due by March 31.

To renew your dues for 2018 online, go to: www.pcvrc.com/join.php.

Or you may send a $25 check or money order (payable to PCVRC) to: PCVRC, PO Box 3259, Wilmington, DE 19804

Treasurer’s Report

Lenora reports that the inactive PCVRC savings account was closed and the $5,705.06 balance was transferred into the club’s checking account. As of December 12, 2017, the PCVRC balance was $12,183.83 and the DDC checking balance was $11,635.03. All DDC charitable contributions for 2017 have been made and all club expenses and revenues have been recorded. A full financial report will be made at the next board meeting.

Social Activities
The 2018 social calendar is being worked-on as we speak. We anticipate a “happy hour” type event sometime this Winter to serve as our required annual meeting, where we will formally elect the officers and issue running and club involvement awards. If you have ideas for dun PCVRC events, please send them to Sheri Sweigart. If you have recommendations for award and recognition recipients, please send them to Dirk Sweigart.

Our weekly running meet-ups continue: Tuesdays at the Newark Reservoir at 6PM; Thursdays at 6PM at Delcastle Recreation; and Sundays 8AM at Panera on Main Street Newark. Now that the weather is cold, please come on out and join us for a group run! There is strength in numbers!

USATF Report
Greetings team – Tom Steenkamer wanted to share some great news with everyone after the completion of the DE Open XC race held the last Saturday in November: PCVRC has won the Mid-Atlantic USA TF off road team competition for the first time in club history!!! In other news, after a long hard year-long battle that ended with the road races connected with the Philadelphia Marathon weekend, PCVRC ended the regional on-road competition in fourth place.

Tom thanks you for your support throughout 2017 and hopes that you will continue to participate on the PCVRC racing team next year. There will be one change to the 2018 race schedule as the Ugly Mudder will be dropped due to conflicts with Ambler Frostbite 5 mile road race and a new race sponsored by Trail Creek Outfitters will become the season starter in March, the Brandywine Red Clay 10K.

The club is always looking for runners in both the on-road and off-road series and we especially need additional female runners. If you would like to participate and help out the PCVRC team, please contact Tom Steenkamer tsteenkamer@zoominternet.net.

BTW: we don’t just race, we also like to tailgate and visit local establishments for post-race food and libations. Runners of all ages and abilities are welcome!

Other News:
Current and all past News Bulletins are online: https://pcvrc.com/pcvrc-news-bulletins-2/

Race Results & Recognition
Cold winter temperatures are here, so please let us know what you’ve been up to!! For inclusion in the next newsletter, send us your race results, PRs, and running related stories by replying to this message or by sending a separate email to: .

2017 PCVRC Board
Club Officers:
Joel Schiller, President
Dirk Sweigart, VP
Jerry Herman, Secretary
Lenora Wagner, Treasurer

Other Voting Members:
Tom Steenkamer – USA TF
Jim Steele – DDC Race Director
Christina Xia – Membership
Ray Christensen – Emeritus
Blythe Milbury-Steen – Communications/Marketing
Sheri Sweigart – Social

President’s Message
As we approach this holiday season, I want to remind everyone to attend the annual PCVRC holiday party.  We will again be at Timothy’s Newark (Paper Mill Road) on Monday December 4 from 6:30 – 10:00.   The cost is free to Members and $10 for guests (free if they join!).  The food is being planned as we speak, drinks of all types will be served, and we’ll be raffling off a couple of very nice gift baskets.  More details in Social below.      

We held a joint PCVRC/DDC board meeting on Monday November 6, 2017 at Dirk Sweigart’s house.  We’ll recapped the DDC, planned the holiday party, and began discussing possibilities for the 2018 Board and Officers.  The club really does need your help, so please let Dirk know if you would like to be more involved.   The board will propose a 2018 roster at its January 2018 board meeting which will then be presented and voted upon at our annual February/March event.      

As I begin the last months of my term as Club President, I want to let you all know how enjoyable these past two plus years have been.  I’ve made a lot of great running friends and I truly appreciate all the efforts of the PCVRC Board and Committee members.  I’m not leaving the club nor the Board but I do feel it is time for me to hand the reins of the club to a new administration.  

Best wishes and continued happy running!
Joel 

Membership
The club currently stands at 140 family memberships with 246 club members.  

Membership is only $25 and is good for your entire family. As a 501c(3), PCVRC membership is also tax deductible. Also, any member who races for PCVRC in 4 or more USATF races within a calendar year, and remains a member of USATF, will receive a complimentary PCVRC membership for the following calendar year.  We will notify  members in January if they are eligible for a free PCVRC membership.   

New members who join on or after June 1 but before October 1 pay a reduced rate of $15 to cover their membership for the remainder of the current calendar year.  All members who join or renew before October 1 are subject to our standard renewal policy. Anyone who joins on or after October 1st pays $25 that includes the remainder of the current calendar year plus the following calendar year.  Membership Renewals will be accepted beginning at the December holiday party and are due by March 31.   

To renew your dues online, go to: www.pcvrc.com/join.php. 

Or you may send a $25 check or money order (payable to PCVRC) to: PCVRC, PO Box 3259, Wilmington, DE 19804

Treasurer’s Report 
Lenora reports that the 2017 DDC generated $13,070 in revenue ($3950 in sponsorships) and incurred $11,936 in expenses.  The club anticipated some additional expenses to bring in Fusion Racing to help with the event and race registrations were frankly a lot lower than we had hoped for.  We continue to maintain a year’s worth of cash in the DDC and PCVRC bank accounts.    

Social Activities 
Hey everyone!  The PCVRC annual Holiday Party at Timothy’s Newark is Monday Dec 4 from 6:30 until 10:00.  The cost is free for members and $10 for non-members (free if they join!).  Cash bar but soft drinks and ice tea are free.  Heavy appetizers will be provided.  You may also renew your PCVRC club membership at the party.  Don’t forget to also bring some cash for the raffle.    

Also, our weekly running meet-ups continue: Tuesdays at the Newark Reservoir at 6PM; Thursdays at 6PM at Delcastle Recreation; and Sundays 8AM at Panera on Main Street Newark.  Now that the weather has begin to cool, please come on out and join us for a group run!

USATF Report
The USATF Fall Racing season is coming to a close and our club is currently in 3rd place in the road series and 1st place in the off-road series. 

The road racing season concludes this weekend (11/18 – 11/19) with the Philadelphia Marathon festival of races. Club members will be participating in the 8k, half and full marathon. The USATF club competition is extremely close with only 11 points separating the 2nd and 3rd place teams.  With 4 clubs (including PCVRC) in contention for the overall championship this final weekend of racing will be exciting. 

Our last off road event is the Delaware Open XC race on Saturday, November 25 at Brandywine Creek State Park.  With both open and masters races plus the very popular post-race random drawing prize giveaway we look forward to day of fun followed by lunch at a nearby tavern.  Come on out and run for PCVRC. 

The club is always looking for additional runners in both the on-road and off-road series and we especially need additional female runners.  If you would like to participate and help the PCVRC team , please contact Tom Steenkamer .  Runners of all ages and abilities are welcome!  

BTW: we don’t just race, we also like to tailgate and visit local establishments for post-race food and libations.   

Other News:
2017 PAL Running for a Claus 5K: The Police Athletic League of Delaware, which has been a great partner of PCVRC for our annual DDC 15K/5K race, is hosting their 5K run/walk on Sunday, December 10th.  The race starts at 10am and amenities include a long sleeve shirt, post-race party at Crabby Dick’s (another PCVRC sponsor) and Santa giving out presents.  The race encourages “Santa Suits”!  To sign up: 2017-pal-5k-sign-up-form or use the weblink https://raceroster.com/events/2017/14363/2017-pal-running-for-a-claus-5k.  For more information please call the Hockessin PAL at 302-239-8857.

Current and all past News Bulletins are online: https://pcvrc.com/pcvrc-news-bulletins-2/

Race Results & Recognition
We want to make a special mention of Brenda Hodge’s fourth place Masters (2nd AG) (41st American) sub-3 hour finish in the New York City marathon.    

Cooler Fall temperatures are here and so is (you guessed it) marathon/half marathon season, so please let us know what you’ve been up to!!  For inclusion in the next newsletter, send your race results, PRs, and running related stories by replying to this message or by sending a separate email to: .

2017 PCVRC Board 

Club Officers: 
            Joel Schiller, President
            Dirk Sweigart, VP
            Jerry Herman, Secretary
            Lenora Wagner, Treasurer

Other Voting Members:   
            Tom Steenkamer – USA TF
            Jim Steele – DDC Race Director
            Christina Xia – Membership 
            Ray Christensen – Emeritus   
            Blythe Milbury-Steen – Communications/Marketing
            Sheri Sweigart – Social  

President’s Message
The 35th annual Delaware Distance Classic 15K/5K was held on Sunday October 8, 2017. On behalf of Jim Steele, Ray Christensen, and the race management team, I want to thank the 271 race participants, the vendors, everyone who volunteered, the City of Delaware City, and Fusion Racing for helping us put on a really nice event. The weather held, the new course was positively received, and the post-race party was its typically fun affair. Hundreds of race photos are at: http://ddc15k.org/2017-photos-race-recap/2017-photos-15k-race/

The next PCVRC board meeting is Monday November 6, 2017 at 6:30 at Dirk Sweigart’s house. We’ll be recapping the DDC, planning the holiday party, and discussing the possibilities for the 2018 Board and Officers roster. The club really does need your help, so please let us know if you can attend this important meeting.

As I begin the last two months of my term as Club President, I want to let you all know how enjoyable these last several years have been. I’ve made a lot of great running friends and I truly appreciate all the efforts of the Board and Committee members. I’m not leaving the club or the Board but I do feel it is time for me to hand the reins to a new administration.

Best wishes and continued happy running!
Joel

Membership
The club currently stands at 140 family memberships with 246 club members.

Membership is only $25 and is good for your entire family. As a 501c(3), PCVRC membership is also tax deductible. Any member who races for PCVRC in 4 or more USATF races a calendar year, and is a member of USATF, will receive complimentary PCVRC membership for the following calendar year. We will notify these members in January.

New members who join on or after June 1 but before October 1 may pay a reduced rate of $15 to cover membership for the remainder of the current calendar year. All members who join or renew before October 1 are subject to our standard renewal policy. Anyone who joins on or after October 1st pays $25 that includes the remainder of current calendar year plus the following calendar year. Renewals will be accepted beginning December 1 and are due by March 31.

To renew your dues online go to: www.pcvrc.com/join.php. Or you may send a $25 check or money order (payable to PCVRC) to: PCVRC, PO Box 3259, Wilmington, DE 19804

Treasurer’s Report
Lenora reports that the 2017 DDC generated $12,920 in revenue ($3800 in sponsorships) and incurred $11,586 in expenses. The club anticipated some additional expenses to bring in Fusion Racing to help with the event and registrations were somewhat lower than we had hoped for. We continue to maintain a year’s worth of reserves in the bank and a fuller financial report will be presented in November.

Social Activities
Hey everyone! Here is your “Save the Date” for the Tuesday December 5 Holiday Party at Timothy’s Newark. More details in the November newsletter!

Also, our running meet-ups continue: Tuesdays at the Newark Reservoir at 6PM; Thursdays at 6PM at Delcastle Recreation; and Sundays 8AM at Panera on Main Street Newark. Now that the weather has begin to cool, please come on out and join us for a group run!

USATF Report
The USATF Fall Racing season is in full swing. I know the club is always looking for more runners in both the on-road and off-road series; and we especially need additional female runners. If you would like to participate and help the PCVRC defend its two-time regional championship, please contact Tom Steenkamer (tsteenkamer@zoominternet.net). Runners of all ages and abilities are welcome!

Other News:
Current and all past News Bulletins are online: https://pcvrc.com/pcvrc-news-bulletins-2/

Race Results & Recognition
Fall temperatures make racing exciting, so please let us know what you’ve been up to. For inclusion in the next newsletter, send us your race results, PRs, and stories about conquering a new distance or other milestones. You can do so by replying to this message or by sending an email to: run@pcvrc.com.

President’s Message
The 35th annual Delaware Distance Classic 15K and 5K is only one month away and we need everyone to participate.  In honor of our new partnership with Fusion Racing, this year’s theme is 100% Inclusion.  As such, we are asking every single club member to either run or volunteer at the Sunday October 8, 2017 DDC in Delaware City.  It’s our 35th year and there are so many ways you can help either before, during, or after the event.  Have you signed up?  If not, Click Here  

The next DDC planning meeting is Tuesday Sept 19, 2017 at 6:30 at Jim Steele’s house.  We really do need your help, so please let us know if you can attend. 

I hope everyone had a terrific Labor Day.  Best wishes and continued happy running!
Joel 

Membership
The club currently stands at 141 family memberships with 247 club members.  Please welcome the following new members: Allison Wong.  On a sadder note, longtime Delaware Sports Club President and PCVRC club member Thomas Fort recently passed away.  He was 82. 

Membership is only $25 and is good for your entire family. PCVRC membership is also tax deductible. Any member who races for PCVRC in 4 or more USATF races a calendar year, and is a member of USATF, will receive complimentary PCVRC membership for the following calendar year. We will notify these members in January.

New members who join on or after June 1st but before October 1st  pay a reduced rate of $15 to cover membership for the remainder of the current calendar year, then are subject to same renewal policy as current members stated above.  Anyone who joins on or after October 1st  pays $25 that covers them for remainder of current calendar year plus the entire following calendar year.

To renew your dues: www.pcvrc.com/join.php. or send a $25 check or money order (payable to PCVRC) to: PCVRC, PO Box 3259, Wilmington, DE 19804

Treasurer’s Report 
Lenora reports that as of the end of August, the club maintained total cash of $25,580 with $17,128 of this amount in the DDC account.

Social Activities 
Our running meet-ups continue: Tuesdays at the Newark Reservoir at 6PM; Thursdays at 6PM at Delcastle Recreation; and Sundays 8AM at Panera on Main Street Newark.  Now that the weather has begin to cool, please come on out and join us for a group run!

USATF Report
The USATF spring road race season concluded with the Moorestown 8k. A tough day of competition between the top 4 regional clubs resulted in a 4th place finish for the PCVRC team. Individual highlights included age group winners – Sarah Rusk, Zach Chupa, and Betty Olmstead. The club retained its hold on 3rd place in the season long competition. The Grand Prix on-road series returns with The Hands on House half marathon on September 30.

In the off-road series, thanks to those who came out for the Radnor Steeplechase 2 weeks ago!  The final results have been posted to the MAUSATF.org website and due to your support and exceptional efforts, PCVRC has moved into 1st place in the Off Road club challenge!  We will be needing your support again at the next trail event on October 15th for the Evansburg 9 mile run.  I know that the Rosemont team will looking to recover with a strong team with only 2 races remaining for this year.

Other News:

DDC 15K & 5K
The club’s signature event and primary fundraiser is only one month away. This race is one of the oldest races in Delaware, started by the Pike Creek Valley Running Club as the Pike Creek Classic 15K in 1983.

The Course:  The 2017 USA TF Mid-Atlantic 15K Championship course (9.3 miles) is USATF certified, flat and super fast!  The out and back course begins and ends at the foot of Clinton Street in downtown Delaware City and proceeds from Cox Neck Road onto the Michael Castle Trail along the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. The 15K route returns uses the new Delaware City connector from the Castle trail.  The 5K course will run from Delaware City into Fort DuPont and back.    

New for 2017: We have partnered with Fusion Racing to manage the event.  Fusion Racing is also offering $400 in bonus cash awards if our 15K event records are broken. (44:02 and 51:24)

The Setting: Historic Delaware City is only 20 minutes South from Wilmington, Delaware.  Directions: I-95 to DE Rte 1 to the Delaware City exit (#152). Battery Park is a perfect place to picnic as this lush green park is right on the Delaware River facing the civil war era Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island.  Lewinsky’s on Clinton and Crabby Dicks will tempt you to spend the day in town!

2017 Highlights: The 15K race features $750 in prize money; 5 year age categories, plus random and middle of pack awards.  Each participant will receive a multicolor t-shirt, finisher giveaway, and post-race refreshments at Crabby Dicks Restaurant (directly across from the finish line).  We will have an Awards Ceremony, Sponsor Exhibits, and Music.  Refreshments will open at 10:15 this year.  We invite you to relax on the outdoor bar/deck of Crabby Dicks with us! 

Nun Run 5K is 9am Saturday 9/16
Ray Christensen has helped coordinate this event for the past 6 years.  Fast course, DJ music before & after, pizza, chic-fil-a, beer, goody bags, even the Batmobile! Great party to start your weekend. Jim Steele will be lead bike and if you can volunteer as a course marshal, please contact Ray at .  Register online at http://www.nunrun5k.org where you can view our video and tons of photos from past years.  You’ll even have opportunity to purchase Nathan running gear (bottles, belts, etc) for a small donation of 50% off retail prices.  100% of proceeds  will help fund replacement of adjustable beds for needy elderly in the intermediate care units. Don’t let the Nuns beat you!

Current and all past News Bulletins are online: https://pcvrc.com/pcvrc-news-bulletins-2/

Race Results & Recognition
Summer temperatures make racing challenging, but our members love a good challenge! Let us know what you’ve been up to– race results, PRs, conquering a new distance or other milestones (accomplished in extreme humidity, no less!)  If you’d like your race result in the next newsletter, please send to .

2017 PCVRC Board 

Club Officers: 
            Joel Schiller, President
            Dirk Sweigart, VP
            Jerry Herman, Secretary
            Lenora Wagner, Treasurer

Other Voting Members:   
            Tom Steenkamer – USA TF
            Jim Steele – DDC Race Director
            Christina Xia – Membership 
            Ray Christensen – Emeritus 
            Blythe Milbury-Steen – Communications/Marketing
            Sheri Sweigart – Social  

President’s Message
DDC planning is in full swing and we hope everyone will be able to participate in this year’s Delaware Distance Classic. In honor of our new partnership with Fusion Racing, this year’s theme is 100% Inclusion. As such, we are asking every single club member to either run or volunteer at the Sunday October 8, 2017 DDC in Delaware City. It’s our 35th year and there are so many ways you can help either before, during, or after the event. Most importantly, we want you to make copies of our 2017 entry form and brochure (they can be combined into a color two-sided tri-fold) and hand them out to every runner and walker you know! Please personally ask 10 or more people to participate! Our 15K course is beautiful and will utilize both the Biddles Point and the new Delaware City connector to the Michael Castle C&D canal path and our 5K will be revamped to run from Delaware City into Fort DuPont and back. The post race party will begin this year at 10:15 am and we want a raucous good time on the outdoor bar/deck at Crabby Dick’s!!

The next DDC planning meeting is Thursday August 17, 2017 at 6:30 at Jim Steele’s house. We really do need more help, so please let us know if you can attend.

In other news, I want to thank Blythe Milbury-Steen for her help as Communications/Marketing Director. New responsibilities require Blythe to step down from the Board; so we are looking for a new Communications/Marketing person.

I hope everyone is having a terrific Summer. Best wishes and continued happy running!
Joel

Membership
We had a great membership month and the club currently stands at 139 family memberships with 247 club members. Please welcome the following new members: The Adams family: Ryan, Jacob, Erik, and Megan Flanagan; Todd Grove; Enjolokee Kukulo Jones and Albertha Carter; The McCann family: Alison, Jon, Jack, and Alyssa; The Sticinski family: Virginia, Leo, Stosh, and Matt; Margo Stitz and Brian Urion; the Wesley family: Sheronda, Steven, Hunter, and Jaeger; and a 2017 membership renewal from Thomas Fort.

Membership is only $25 and is good for your entire family. PCVRC membership is also tax deductible. Any member who races for PCVRC in 4 or more USATF races a calendar year, and is a member of USATF, will receive complimentary PCVRC membership for the following calendar year. We will notify these members in January.

New members who join on or after June 1st but before October 1st will pay a reduced rate of $15 to cover membership for the remainder of the current calendar year, then are subject to same renewal policy as current members stated above. Anyone who joins on or after October 1st would pay $25 that would cover them for remainder of current calendar year plus the entire following calendar year.

To renew your dues: www.pcvrc.com/join.php. or send a $25 check or money order (payable to PCVRC) to: PCVRC, PO Box 3259, Wilmington, DE 19804

Treasurer’s Report
Lenora reports that as of the end of July, the club maintained total cash of $24,912 with $16,360 of this amount in the DDC account.

Social Activities
Unfortunately, the combination bike ride and BBQ at the Dischler’s on Saturday, July 29th had to be postponed due to weather. A replacement date will be announced soon.

In other news, our running meet-ups continue: Tuesdays at the Newark Reservoir at 6PM; Thursdays at 6PM at Delcastle Recreation; and Sundays 8AMat Panera on Main Street Newark. Please come on out and join us!

USATF Report
The USATF spring road race season concluded with the Moorestown 8k. A tough day of competition between the top 4 regional clubs resulted in a 4th place finish for the PCVRC team. Individual highlights included age group winners – Sarah Rusk, Zach Chupa, and Betty Olmstead. The club retained its hold on 3rd place in the season long competition. The Grand Prix series returns in October with the Delaware Distance Classic 15K.

In the off-road series, the club competed in the Wissahickon Trail Classic and finished 2nd in the team competition. Individual highlights included overall race winner Bill Steele and Allison Emmons as 4th place female. The PCVRC team is currently in 2nd place in the off road series heading into the next event at the Radnor Hunt Club 5k Steeplechase on August 20th.

Race Results & Recognition
Summer temperatures make racing challenging, but our members love a good challenge! Let us know what you’ve been up to– race results, PRs, conquering a new distance or other milestones (accomplished in extreme humidity, no less!) If you’d like your race result in the next newsletter, please send to .

President’s Message
Summer is in full swing! Hopefully everyone had a great Fourth of July holiday and you are out there running, cycling, and/or swimming and/or doing whatever it is you like to do!    

The club held a social at The Creamery at Kennett Square on Saturday, July 8. 40 club members took over the mezzanine and shared running stories, drank beer, ate food, played Jenga and had front-row seats for the band. A brief shower had no impact on the festivities while the club enjoyed their reserved room.   Everyone seemed to have a great time and the event was a complete success!  Feedback was great and we hope to do more of these types of events in the future.  

Dirk and Sheri also hosted a fun run/brunch on June 11 from the Can Do Playground in Alapocas. And of course, the 9th annual Crabowitz, hosted by Rich and Tricia Szymanski, on Tuesday, June 20th, was another big success with roughly $1400 in donations going to the Prostate Awareness Foundation and the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition. 

Interested in hosting a fun run or social activity? Please reach out to any board member.   

Our Couch to 5k/10K core group continues to meet at the Newark Reservoir on Tuesdays at 6PM and our Thursday evening 6PM runs at Delcastle and our Sunday 8AM Panera Main Street Newark runs continue to attract a nice following. Come on out and join us!

Finally, the club is entertaining a proposal from Fusion Fitness to manage our upcoming Delaware Distance Classic 15K & 5K running events – details are below. If you wish to learn more, please reach out to any board member.

Best wishes and continued happy running!
Joel 

Membership
The club currently stands at 132 family memberships with 226 members.  

Membership is only $25 and is good for your entire family. PCVRC membership is also tax deductible. Any member who races for PCVRC in 4 or more USATF races a calendar year, and is a member of USATF, will receive complimentary PCVRC membership for the following calendar year. We will notify these members in January.

New members who join on or after June 1st but before October 1st will pay a reduced rate of $15 to cover membership for the remainder of the current calendar year, then are subject to same renewal policy as current members stated above. Anyone who joins on or after October 1st would pay $25 that would cover them for remainder of current calendar year plus the entire following calendar year.

To renew your dues: www.pcvrc.com/join.php. or send a $25 check or money order (payable to PCVRC) to: PCVRC, PO Box 3259, Wilmington, DE 19804

Treasurer’s Report 
Lenora reports that as of the end of June, the club maintained total cash of $24,424 with $15,856 of this amount in the DDC account.

Social Activities 
The next social event of the summer will be a combination bike ride and BBQ at the Dischler’s on Saturday, July 29th. The ride starts and ends at their house (128 Hitching Post Drive, Surrey Park, N. Wilmington), beginning at 9:30 AM. Ride will be 1.5-2.0 hours (20-25 miles) at a nice comfortable pace followed by a BBQ lunch. All are invited to attend lunch (not required to ride first!) Those who ride can change at the house. Those who aren’t riding should arrive around noon. PCVRC will be providing burgers, dogs and picnic fare as well as adult beverages. Please feel free to bring a side dish or your favorite beverage. Enjoy music, ping-pong, corn-hole and some special secret give-aways!  Watch for an Evite– we’ll be looking forward to hearing from you. It will be a fun time! 

Jerry & Kim will also host a pool party in August, but have not, as yet, proposed a firm date.

USATF Report
The USATF spring road race season concluded with the Moorestown 8k. A tough day of competition between the top 4 regional clubs resulted in a 4th place finish for the PCVRC team. Individual highlights included age group winners – Sarah Rusk, Zach Chupa, and Betty Olmstead. The club retained its hold on 3rd place in the season long competition. The Grand Prix series returns in October with the Delaware Distance Classic.

In the off-road series, the club competed in the Wissahickon Trail Classic and finished 2nd in the team competition. Individual highlights included overall race winner Bill Steele and Allison Emmons as 4th place female. The PCVRC team is currently in 2nd place in the off road series heading into the next event at the Radnor Hunt Club 5k Steeplechase on August 20th.

DDC News
The Board has been reviewing a financial proposal from Fusion Fitness to manage the Delaware Distance Classic. Fusion would handle the start/finish, timing and scoring, shirts and bibs (with our art), and we would get the support of Fusion’s race infrastructure/staffing and their marketing expertise. We would continue to provide staffing for the course marshals, water stations, packet pickup, and awards. It is hoped that we’d be able to build the 5K while maintaining the size and quality of the 15K event. We are also redesigning the course to use the new Delaware City connector on the return lap off the Castle trail. We expect to be able to hold the costs in line and continue our legacy of donating profits to the club and to charity.          

Other News
Delaware Back Pain & Sports Rehabilitation has started using a new Class IV therapy laser that has amazing results – especially for runners! Club member Tiffani DiToro will offer a promotion to our club who want to try it out.  Check out the link:  http://www.litecure.com/medical/for-patients/.  Also visit them at  www.delawarebackpain.com.

Race Results & Recognition
Summer temperatures make racing challenging, but our members love a good challenge! Let us know what you’ve been up to– race results, PRs, conquering a new distance or other milestones (accomplished in extreme humidity, no less!) If you’d like your race result in the next newsletter, please send to .

2017 PCVRC Board 

Club Officers: 
            Joel Schiller, President
            Dirk Sweigart, VP
            Jerry Herman, Secretary
            Lenora Wagner, Treasurer

Other Voting Members:   
            Tom Steenkamer – USA TF
            Jim Steele – DDC Race Director
            Christina Xia – Membership 
            Ray Christensen – Emeritus   
            Blythe Milbury-Steen – Communications
            Sheri Sweigart – Social Chair

President’s Message
My apologies for missing the May newsletter. So, here is an early newsletter for June.   

While our Spring 2017 Couch to 5k and 10K programs officially ended on Tuesday, May 30th, the core group should continue to meet at the Newark Reservoir on Tuesdays at 6PM. Also, please plan to join them at the 9^th annual University of Delaware Alumni Weekend 5K on Sun June 4th, which serves as the celebratory race for this year’s C2 5K graduates. To sign up: http://www.races2run.com/events/blue-hen-5k/

Our Thursday evening runs at Delcastle have grown in attendance thanks to a recent Meet-Up social media push. Please plan to join Ray Christensen and other club members at 6 pm on Thursdays.  We might as well also mention the ongoing weekend Panera Bread long runs: Sundays at 8 am at their Main Street Newark location.

Read on for our upcoming social events – details are below.
Best wishes and continued happy running!
Joel 

Membership
After purging inactive members in May, the club currently stands at 132 family memberships with 226 members! Please welcome our newest club members: Nicole, Carl, Andrew, & Nicholas Perkins; Michelle, Alex, & Samantha Uy; and Lauren, Deen, & Joe Mahoney.

Membership is only $25 and is good for your entire family. PCVRC membership is also tax deductible. Any member who races for PCVRC in 4 or more USATF races a calendar year, and is a member of USATF, will receive complimentary PCVRC membership for the following calendar year. We will notify these members in January. New members who join on or after June 1st but before October 1st will pay a reduced rate of $15 to cover membership for the remainder of the current calendar year, then are subject to same renewal policy as current members stated above. Anyone who joins on or after October 1st would pay $25 that would cover them for remainder of current calendar year plus the entire following calendar year.

To renew your dues: www.pcvrc.com/join.php. or send a $25 check or money order (payable to PCVRC) to: PCVRC, PO Box 3259, Wilmington, DE 19804

Treasurer’s Report
Lenora reports that as of the end of May, the club maintained total cash of $24,791 with $15,856 of this amount in the DDC account.

Social Activities
On June 11^th, we will hold a PCVRC fun run and brunch. Meet at Can-do Park near Alapocas at 8 am for a 3-5 mile run, followed by light brunch and drinks at the Sweigarts, 12 Briar Road 19803. (Brunch around 9:30 ish?) Please RSVP to and bring something, if you can. 

The Dischlers have indicated they would like to host a July 29th Bike Ride and Club BBQ. The ride will start and end at their house (128 Hitching Post Drive, Surrey Park, N. Wilmington), beginning at 9:30am. Ride will be 1.5-2.0 hours (20-25 miles) at a nice comfortable pace followed by a BBQ/lunch. All are invited to attend lunch (not required to ride first). Those who aren’t riding can arrive at noon. This event would be in lieu of having a Club picnic this year.   

Sheri is looking to schedule a Club Social at the Kennett Creamery (it’s a brewery, not an ice cream place!)  Date to be determined after she contacts them. She will make a reservation and is proposing either June 24th, July 8^th, or July 15th. This would not be a running or biking event; strictly a social get-together and the Club would pay for first round of drinks for all who attend. 

Finally, Jerry & Kim want to host a pool party in August, but have not as yet proposed a date.

Other News
Please mark your calendars to join us for the 9th annual Crabowitz!!! This year’s Crabowitz Feast will be held on Tuesday, June 20th from after 4:30pm on at the Szymanski House (709 Haddon Road, Wilmington DE 19808).

The Szymanskis will be supplying crabs, pizza, water, soda and our own Brewmaster Tony BBQ will once again be making the “Electrolyte Ale” !  There will also be an assortment of beer provided by Wesley Stafford. The Margarita machine was a big hit and will be returning as well.

If these two types of beverage 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. RSVP to Rich at so he can make sure to have enough crabs!!!

The tradition of asking for donations will continue. However, instead of our usual donations for the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, the hosts would like to switch it to the Prostate Awareness Foundation and to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  

On another note, Delaware Back Pain & Sports Rehabilitation has started using a new Class IV therapy laser that has amazing results – especially for runners!  Club member Tiffani DiToro will offer a promotion to our club who want to try it out.  Check out the link:  http://www.litecure.com/medical/for-patients/.  Also visit them at  www.delawarebackpain.com.

 Finally, Nic DeCaire at Fusion Fitness wanted to be sure we knew about their fun new race offering: a Summer Racing Series on Creek Road in Newark. The series got off to a great start yesterday and continues through the entire month of June with a 5K race every Wednesday evening. Each week there is a post-race party at Klondike Kate’s from 7-8pm with food, Mispilion Beer, and Tito’s Vodka drinks for all participants. Click here to register: https://runsignup.com/Race/Register/?raceId=42771&multi_use_reservation_code=ItNPrvAHQZDdGw4psHJT4Z1xvaWuHqs

USATF Report
This Saturday, June 3rd, PCVRC will be participating in 2 Mid-Atlantic USATF events. The off-road series is at the Wissahickon 10k Trail classic, and the road series is at the Moorestown Scott Coffee Rotary 8k. We need help at the Wissahickon event where we are currently shorthanded. Race day registration is available for both events. Please contact Tom Steenkamer () if you are able to participate.

Previous results: the team competed in the Broad St. 10 Mile Run on May 3rd, where we placed 3rd in the team results. Individual highlights from Broad St. included overall masters wins by Brenda Hodge in 1:03:17 and Zach Chupa in 54:25. In the men’s 55-59 age group, Dave Wiecheck placed 1st and Greg Cauller was 2nd. With one race remaining in the spring season the club is currently in 3rd place in the team competition.

The off-road team competed in Pottstown, PA in the Coventry Woods 10k on May 21st. The club finished 1st for the day in the club competition but remains in 2nd place overall in the season long competition. Club member Bill Steele finished 2nd overall, missing first place by only 4 seconds!

Race Results & Recognition
Congratulations to our members for their spectacular finishes over all distances from 5K to marathon! Special recognition to the following members for their exceptional performances in the following races:

Fusion Inclusion 5K
Dan Feldstein: 30:11, 1^st AG

Coastal Delaware Running Festival 9k
Nate Sylves: 37:57, 1st Male Masters and 4th OA

Boston Marathon
Allison Gayle Emmons: 3:11:52

Coastal Delaware Running Festival Marathon
Ben Mack (PCVRC Couch 2 5K coach and first time marathoner!): 5:18

Congratulations again to everyone! If you’d like your result in the next newsletter, please send to .

2017 PCVRC Board 

Club Officers: 
            Joel Schiller, President
            Dirk Sweigart, VP
            Jerry Herman, Secretary
            Lenora Wagner, Treasurer

Other Voting Members:   
            Tom Steenkamer – USA TF
            Jim Steele – DDC Race Director
            Christina Xia – Membership 
            Ray Christensen – Emeritus   
             Blythe Milbury-Steen – Communications
            Sheri Sweigart – Social Chair

President’s Message
Since our March newsletter, we’ve held our annual awards banquet happy hour at Pizza By Elizabeths and the Boston Sendoff party at Catherine Rooney’s. Both events were reasonably well attended and were a lot of fun!  Read on for details on our next couple of social events and I hope you’ll attend! 

Congratulations to all the Boston Marathon finishers, including club members: Laura Berger; Mike Brown; Greg Cauller; Allison Emmons; Carol Giampietro; Brenda Hodge; Mark Holliday; Mary Holliday; Kelly Horowitz; Lee Kauffman; Rob Mason; Mary Nardo; Betty Olmstead; Andrea Riley; Sarah Rusk; Wes Stafford; Brian Welch and Mike Welch. It was a hot day out there and we’re so proud of all of you! 

As you know, we are nearing the end of our 2017 membership renewal drive and as of April 20, 2017, there were still 35 club memberships not renewed for 2017.  These members will get one final email reminder, then sadly, will be removed from the membership roster.   

Our Spring 2017 Couch to 5k and 10K programs kicked off on Tuesday March 28, at the Newark Reservoir. The group has been attracting large, energetic crowds and we hope you will join us and bring your novice runner friends. We meet each Tuesday at 6PM at the Reservoir in Newark. Also, our Thursday evening runs at Delcastle are beginning to grow thanks to a recent Meet-Up social media push. Please plan to join us there as well: 6PM on Thursdays. I might as well also mention the ongoing Panera Bread long runs: Sundays at 8AM at their Main Street Newark location.

Our next Board meeting will be Wed, May 10, 6:30 pm. 
Best wishes and happy running!
Joel 

Membership
We currently stand at 164 family memberships with 259 members! Please welcome our newest club members: Peter Fitzgerald, Tiffani DiToro and Sean Baker, Allison Emmons, Mark Hannagan, Amanda Pupillo, Bill Steele, and Brian & Caitlin Welch. 

Membership is only $25 and is good for your entire family. PCVRC membership is also tax deductible.

Any member who races for PCVRC in 4 or more USATF races a calendar year, and is a member of USATF, will receive complimentary PCVRC membership for the following calendar year. We will notify these members in January. New members who join on or after June 1st but before October 1st will pay a reduced rate of $15 to cover membership for the remainder of the current calendar year, then are subject to same renewal policy as current members stated above. Anyone who joins on or after October 1st would pay $25 that would cover them for remainder of current calendar year plus the entire following calendar year.

To renew your dues: www.pcvrc.com/join.php. or send a $25 check or money order (payable to PCVRC) to: PCVRC, PO Box 3259, Wilmington, DE 19804

Treasurer’s Report
Lenora reports that as of the end of March, the club maintained total cash of $24,661 with $15,106 of this in the DDC account. The club paid $2,767 for the awards banquet happy hour.    

Fallen Heroes 5K
Jim Steele has announced that the Fallen Heroes 5K will be held on Thursday May 25th to honor Elizabeth A. Loncki who we lost 10 years ago in Iraq. The race is held at St. Peter’s School in New Castle, DE and starts at 6:30pm.  It’s a nice course, voted as one of the 10 Best Scenic Courses by USA Today!  Plenty of food and free beer post race. As a club member, when you register online (before May 23) at http://www.stpeternewcastle.org/fallen-heros-run-2017 you can save $5 by using promo code PCVRC. Consider this another benefit of your membership!  Any questions can be directed to Jim Steele at .

USATF Update
The 2017 Mid Atlantic USATF racing season is underway and PCVRC is running strong in both the Grand Prix (road) and Off-Road competitions. The PCVRC road team has benefited from strong support in both the season opening Frostbite 5 miler, (18 club members) and Adrenaline 5k (14 club members). In the club competition, PCVRC  finished in 2nd place at Frostbite and 1st place at Adrenaline. We are currently in 2nd place for the season, trailing the Philly Runner Puma Track Club by only 2.5 points. The next USATF road race will be the Broad Street Run on May 7.

In the trail running series, PCVRC is also in 2nd place after 2 events. The club finished 2nd at both the season opening Ugly Mudder in February and at the Tyler Arboretum race in March. We have had the support of a core group of individuals for these events. We are seeking new members who enjoy trail running. Our next trail race is the Coventry Woods 10k in Pottstown, PA on Sunday May 21st.

Below is the remaining schedule for the 2017 Grand Prix Series:

April 23 – Valley Forge Revolutionary Run 5 Mile
May 7 – Broad Street Run 10 Miles
June 3 – Scott Coffee Run 8K 
Sep 30 – Hands-on House 1/2 Marathon, Lancaster, PA   (new addition)
Oct 8 – Delaware Distance Classic, 15K, Delaware City, DE
Nov 5  – Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge, 10K, Camden, NJ 
Nov 18 – Philadelphia Half Marathon  (7:30 a.m.)
Nov 18 – Rothman 8K (10:45 a.m.)
Nov 19 – Philadelphia Marathon 

Social
Dirk and Sheri Sweigart are planning to hold a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society presented by Scott Andrews on Saturday, April 29.  They will have a fun run near their house (Can-Do Park) at 8:30 am, followed by a Brunch and Bloody Mary bar on their deck.  A $5 donation (or more) is requested. THIS IS NOT A CLUB FUNCTION, instead we would simply like to invite all PCVRC members. To RSVP, please email

The club is also tentatively planning a PCVRC fun run on Sunday, June 11. This would be a club function, with a run followed by a party on the Sweigarts’ deck. More details on this event in the next newsletter. 

Race Results & Recognition
Congratulations again to all club members who ran Boston! If you’d like your result in the next newsletter, please share with Blythe (email address below).

If you missed this earlier, read this great story in the News Journal about our own inspirational Mary Nardo getting ready to run her first Boston Marathon here. It also mentions club member and fellow finisher Betty Olmstead and her fundraising efforts for the 261 Fearless Team.

Results:
Shamrock Shuffle 5K (March 18)
Dan Feldstein: 29:54 (2nd AG)

USATF National Masters 8K Championship (March 18)
Diane Welle Kukich: 38:19 (2nd AG and silver performance medal for age grade score of 85.4)

Fusion Five and Wine 5 Miler (March 25)
Diane Welle Kukich: 39:41 (1st AG and new age group state record!)
Blythe Milbury-Steen: 44:33

Builders’ Dash 5K (April 8)
Dan Feldstein: 29:35 (2nd AG)

Congratulations again to Dan, Diane and Boston finishers! If you’d like your race results (or those of a fellow club member who you are proud of) included in the next eBulletin, please send them to Blythe at and be sure to include the race name, date and member’s time. We can only print what you send us, so please share your achievements!

Other News
Ray Christensen is looking for volunteers to help course marshal the Bancroft Parkway section of the Delaware Marathon course. This is a PCVRC tradition and we’ve been doing it for the last ten years!  It would be Sunday morning, May 14. For more information or to help, please contact

2017 PCVRC Board 

Club Officers: 
            Joel Schiller, President
            Dirk Sweigart, VP
            Jerry Herman, Secretary
            Lenora Wagner, Treasurer

Other Voting Members:   
            Tom Steenkamer – USA TF
            Jim Steele – DDC Race Director
            Christina Xia – Membership 
            Ray Christensen – Emeritus   
               Blythe Milbury Steen – Communications
            Sheri Sweigart – Social Chair

Links for Club Members
PCVRC Events Calendar: www.pcvrc.com/pcvrc-events-calendar/
PCVRC News Bulletins: www.pcvrc.com/pcvrc-news-bulletins-2/
PCVRC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/289855916248/

President’s Message
Unfortunately, the snow this week forced us to postpone our annual club meeting, which will now be held on Tuesday, March 21 at 6pm at Pizza By Elizabeth’s in Greenville. While we are not asking for an RSVP, we are asking you to come out and enjoy a social evening of food and drink with your fellow club members. Non-members are welcome to join us but we will ask for a membership at the door. The Agenda will be light as we will vote on the club officer slate and will award Runner of the Year, Member of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year. Please join us this Tuesday as we celebrate the accomplishments of our local runners!   

We are also in the middle of our 2017 membership renewal drive. As of March 15, 2017 there were still 57 memberships or roughly 33% of our club base that have not renewed for 2017. In April, we begin naming names!

Our Couch to 5k and 10K programs kick off on Tuesdays this Spring, beginning March 28, at the Newark Reservoir at 6PM. We hope you will join us and bring your novice runner friends.

And finally, our longstanding annual Boston Send off Party is already booked for Wednesday, April 12 at Catherine Rooney’s Wilmington. It is always a fun time!  Hope to see you then!

Best Wishes and Happy Running!

Joel 

Membership
We currently stand at 156 family memberships with 251 members! Please welcome our newest club members: Kristin Lepley, Nina Smeltzer, Robert Mason, Natalie and Matthew Lutz, and Jennifer Manna.  

Membership is only $25 and is good for your entire family. PCVRC membership is also tax deductible.

Any member who races for PCVRC in 4 or more USATF races a calendar year, and is a member of USATF, will receive complimentary PCVRC membership for the following calendar year. We will notify these members in January. New members who join on or after June 1st but before October 1st will pay a reduced rate of $15 to cover membership for the remainder of the current calendar year, then are subject to same renewal policy as current members stated above. Anyone who joins on or after October 1st would pay $25 that would cover them for remainder of current calendar year plus the entire following calendar year.

To renew your dues: www.pcvrc.com/join.php. or send a $25 check or money order (payable to PCVRC) to: PCVRC, PO Box 3259, Wilmington, DE 19804

Treasurer’s Report
Lenora reports that the club ended 2016 with total cash of $27,445, with $15,184 of this in the DDC account, as compared to year-end 2015, when we ended with $29,833 in cash, $19,327 of this in the DDC account.

Delaware Distance Classic 15K & 5K
Several club members scouted the new Delaware City connector to the Mike Castle Canal Path Trail and have reported back with a recommendation to change our 15K course so that we can return to Delaware City via the new connector.  We will begin the re-certification process and are excited to offer this change to the course for its 35th anniversary. No change to the 5K course was recommended. The 35th annual DDC 15K is pleased to have been named part of the 2017 Mid-Atlantic USATF road racing series and the race date has been set as Sunday, October 8 in Delaware City.  We would like one or two more people to join the DDC race committee. 

Couch 2 5K and 10K
Please start promoting our Spring Couch to 5K and Couch to 10K programs which will begin Tuesday, March 28 and will continue until Tuesday May 30. Also, please plan to join us at the UD Alumni 5K on Sunday, June 4 to celebrate the Spring program. The workouts are on Tuesdays at 6:00 pm at the Newark Reservoir and individualized programs are available for all beginning runners, joggers, run walkers, and walkers. You do not need to be a PCVRC member to participate! To learn more, please ask to join our C210Kers Facebook group or email Amy Temple at 

USATF Update
PCVRC was well represented at the annual Mid-Atlantic USATF Luncheon as seven club members represented in Conshohocken. 

The club won $400 for third place in the road series and $500 for second place in the trail series. 

Below is the schedule for the 2017 Grand Prix Series:

Feb 18 – Frostbite 5 Miler , Ambler, PA (new addition)

March 18 – Haddonfield Adrenaline Run 5K, Haddonfield, NJ 

April 23 – Valley Forge Revolutionary Run 5 Mile

May 7 – Broad Street Run 10 Miles

June 3 – Scott Coffee Run 8K  

Sep 30 – Hands-on House 1/2 Marathon, Lancaster, PA   (new addition)

Oct 8 – Delaware Distance Classic, 15K, Delaware City, DE 

Nov 5  – Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge, 10K, Camden, NJ  

Nov 18 – Philadelphia Half Marathon  (7:30 a.m.)

Nov 18 – Rothman 8K (10:45 a.m.)

Nov 19 – Philadelphia Marathon 

Social
Dirk and Sheri Sweigart hosted the inaugural Pike Creek Valley Running Club Valentine’s Bar Crawl in Honor of Doug White on February 19. Valentine’s and race bibs were given to all participants and the club covered one round of drinks at the first (Kate’s) and last bar (Timothy’s) for club members. This was also a fundraiser in memory of Doug White and the event raised $255 which went to the National Stroke Association. 

Race Results
Winter isn’t the ideal time to race– but we’ve had some surprisingly nice weather so far and it will only get better! Any recent PBs or finishes you’re proud of? Please share!

If you’d like your race results (or those of a fellow club member who you are proud of) included in the next eBulletin, please send them to Blythe at and be sure to include the race name, date and member’s time. We can only print what you send us, so please share your achievements!

Other News
Speaking of races, here’s a fun one next weekend that our own Lisa Jalot helps organize: the IHM Spartan 5k on Saturday, March 25th, 9:30 am at Bellevue State Park! Cool prizes, IHM Spartan Dash (9:00 am) & blow up obstacle course for the kids, food trucks, vintage heather t-shirts with women’s cut available, DJ, indoor coverage for after party (if needed) and bloody mary bar for ages 21+. Top 3 males & females plus 10-year age group awards. Register here or email Lisa at .

Proposed 2017 PCVRC Board
Club Officers: 

            Joel Schiller, President

            Dirk Sweigart, VP

            Jerry Herman, Secretary

            Lenora Wagner, Treasurer

Other Voting Members:   
            Tom Steenkamer – USA TF

            Jim Steele – DDC Race Director

            Christina Xia – Membership 

            Ray Christensen – Emeritus   

               Blythe Milbury Steen – Communications

            Open Position – Social Chair