Hi Pike Creek Runner!

PCVRC Summer Social at Dew Point Brewing Co. in Yorklyn, Monday, July 16^th, 6:30 PM

Not Saturday. Not Sunday. Monday night!
Reminder…we have rented the entire Dew Point Brewing Co. in Yorklyn just for PCVRC members and friends. Now we need you…and your friends!
PCVRC will be providing pizzas and tabletop Jenga. Dew Point has cornhole and a disc golf net. You’re also welcome to bring your special dish or contribution. Come any time from 6:30 to 9 PM. Come after your run, we don’t care!
RSVP’s make us feel better! E-mail Dirk at  with your RSVP!

Thank you from the Crabowitz

“Another successful ‘Crabowitz’ party in the books!!  Thank you to everyone who came and enjoyed good food, drinks and GREAT friends!  We are so grateful and appreciative of your VERY generous donations for our two charities this year, Stand up to Cancer and Sojourners Place, our local homeless shelter.  We raised $2,063!!!!

We can’t thank everyone enough and look forward to seeing everyone next year.”

Rich and Tricia Szymanski:

Membership

The club currently stands at 118 family memberships with 193 club members.  Thanks to Christina Xia for handling our membership so well!  

We have two new members: Alex and Anna Wise!  Welcome to the club!

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

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

            Dan Suher – DDC Race Co-Director

            Christina Xia – Membership 

            Ray Christensen – Emeritus   

            Grace Carr – Communications/Marketing

            Sheri Sweigart – Social  

            Jerry Herman – At Large

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/

Sponsors Page – if you visit them, mention you are a member of PCVRC: 

Wilmington Trust offers wealth advisory services for families, individuals, business owners, corporations and institutions.
www.wilmingtontrust.com/wtcom

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

M&T Bank offers personal & business banking, credit cards, mortgages, investments.

www.mtb.com

New Balance Brandywine & Christiana stores offer a 20% discount to PCVRC club members.

www.NBretail.com

Delaware Meadery – Liquid Alchemy Beverages is located on located on Brookside Drive across from Banning Park. 

www.liquidalchemybeverages.com

PCVRC Member,
Here are three very exciting running opportunities with a Pike Creek connection.  Come and run/train/party with your club!
Dirk Sweigart,  President 

Jim Steele and Fallen Heroes
The Fallen Heroes 5K will be held on Thursday May 24th hosted by our very own Jim Steele.  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.  Prizes to top overall male/female runners as well as top male/female masters overall runners. Details and registration can be found on Races2run.com.  It’s just the beginning of the twilight 5k racing season so we hope to see you all there.  Come out, support Jim and the Fallen Heroes and hang out with us by the Pike Creek sign!

Pike Creek’s “C25K”  hosted by David Berger
Here we go again with this ever-popular event!  It’s a 7-week program this spring, May 15 – June 26.  Sign Up here and then meet at the Newark Reservoir next Tuesday at 6 PM. 
https://runsignup.com/Race/DE/Newark/PCVRCTrainingProgram

Howard Laws Summer XC Series
This is a great event put on at Bellevue all summer long. Races begin Tuesday June 5 at 6:30 PM at Bellevue State Park. Cost is $30.00 for the series or $5.00 for each individual race. Races are held every other Tuesday. (There is a park fee, car pool or park in the Corporate Business lot and walk).

Race dates: June 5, 19, July 3, 17 (team competition – PCVRC has won the team event in the past!), 31 and Aug 14. Registration starts at 5:00 PM. Shirts to runners who pay $30.00 for the entire series while supplies last.

Team competition benefits 21st Century Fund for Delaware Children.

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/

Hi PCVRC runners and members,

In the interest of keeping this short and sweet, here’s what’s happening with your club!

Congratulations to all of our marathon runners – Laura Berger, Matt Cutrona, Carol Giampietro, Brenda Hodge, Kelly Horowitz, Lee Kauffman, Greg Cauller, Leah Kate Lounsbury, Sarah Rusk, Wes Stafford, Brian Welch!  Tough conditions out there!  Our marathon send-off party was a success but failed to secure good weather for the run!

Delaware Marathon Course Marshals 4/29 – please volunteer
Happy Spring! PCVRC is again asked to provide volunteers willing to be course marshals on Sunday 4/29 from 715am-noon or any portion of that possible. Last year, they donated $500 to our club to thank us! If you can, here’s how to sign up. It’s thru RunSignUp, so you should log in using that account…

Course Marshal instructions:
We’ve got all of Bancroft Pkwy (9 intersections). To sign up:
1. Go to volunteer link
2. Click “Course Marshals” under “Find Your Category”
3. At “Course Marshal @ Bancroft Pkwy” check box for “645am EDT – 1230pm EDT” and click “Volunteer” button (our actual meet time will be 715am)
4. Enter Task Password drf18 then select “Myself” or other option and enter info or log in with your RunSignUp login if you have one.
5. Complete form (contact info, shirt size, etc) and click “Continue”

I’ll be notified (Ray) and will send specific location assignments and other instructions before race day. If volunteers need to change anything or cancel, they should contact me directly at . Or call me with questions anytime at 302-633-1482.

Forward to anyone else who might consider, since each person needs to complete the form themselves. Thanks, Ray

Howard Laws Summer XC Series
This is a great event put on at Bellevue all summer long. Races begin Tuesday June 5 at 6:30 PM at Bellevue State Park. Cost is $30.00 for the series or $5.00 for each individual race. Races are held every other Tuesday. (There is a park fee, car pool or park in the Corporate Business lot and walk).

Race dates: June 5, 19, July 3, 17 (team competition – PCVRC has won the team event in the past!), 31 and Aug 14. Registration starts at 5:00 PM. Shirts to runners who pay $30.00 for the entire series while supplies last.

Team competition benefits 21st Century Fund for Delaware Children.

Social Activities – recap
Congratulations to our award winners for 2016: Runner of the Year Zach Chupa; Member of the Year Jim Steele; Outstanding Achievement Award Winners Stacey Schiller, Lee Dresser, DJ Farren and Brenda Hodge.

Special congratulations to our newest members to the Hall of Fame – Theresa Coughlan and Greg Cauller! Check out their bios here: https://pcvrc.com/pcvrc-hall-of-fame/

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 warm, please come on out and join us for a group run!

Our Boston send-off party was a success but failed to secure good weather for the marathon!

Delaware Distance Classic

The 36th edition of the Delaware Distance Classic 15K & 5K, our club’s signature event, is scheduled for Sunday October 7, 2018 in Delaware City. The DDC Planning Committee is already hard at work and hopes you will actively help us market the event. Follow us on Instagram and use the #DDC15K on Instagram whenever you post anything about running. We already have a number of posts and a number of followers, the more the better!

April 1 was the kick-off date for this event. Watch for our social media promotion. The DDC website is www.ddc15k.org.

We are looking for six people to be ambassadors for the event in exchange for a free entry!  

Membership

The club currently stands at 140 family memberships with 237 club members. Thanks to Christina Xia for handling our membership so well!

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

Race Results & Recognition
From Jerry Herman, Caesar Rodney 5K recap: Because my mileage has been way down, I made the decision to not run the half at CR and dropped back to the 5K

Somewhere between miles one and two, a tall guy passes me and I think he looks a little older. He got about 150 yards ahead of me. Then I noticed that slowly I was catching up to him. At the water stop near the hospital he was a lot closer. As we made the turn to go up Market St. we were shoulder to shoulder. I beat him up the hill by over 20 seconds. When he finished I said, “I know this is rude, but how old are you?” He told me he was 70. So I beat somebody in my age group (70 – 99). When the results were posted I found out I was first in my age group! In over 30 years of running and running races I finally won first place in my age group!

First place was worth a trophy and (thanks to Frank’s Wine) a bottle of champagne and a growler with a certificate to have it filled. I can’t remember being this happy with a race finish since I finished my first marathon!

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

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
No one likes long e-mails, so I’ll put the important items right here in front.  Then you can read the additional details below if you want to.

Our Annual Meeting is on March 6^th from 6:30 to 9:00 at Pizza by Elizabeth’s. Please RSVP either on Facebook or reply to this e-mail. We need a count for food.    

We are doing another Pub Crawl on Saturday March 24^th from Timothy’s at 1 PM. 

Our USATF running season is off to a good start with our team at the Frostbite 5.

We need your help with some exciting plans for the Delaware Distance Classic.

The Boston Send-Off party is the Wednesday before the marathon.  Mark your calendars now for April 11^th. We are expecting this event to be at Catherine Rooney’s in Trolley.

Did you know that your membership with PCVRC also makes you a member of the Road Runners Clubs of America?

I run with my dog and he and I love it – the SPCA is looking for volunteers to run with dogs.  Go run with a dog!
Dirk 

Social Activities 
The PCVRC Annual Meeting is at Pizza By Elizabeth’s on Tuesday, March 6^th from 6:30 to 9:00.  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. Please, please RSVP!

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 warm, please come on out and join us for a group run!

Delaware Distance Classic
The 36th edition of the Delaware Distance Classic 15K & 5K, our club’s signature event, is scheduled for Sunday October 7, 2018 in Delaware City.  The DDC Planning Committee is already hard at work and hopes you will actively help us market the event.  Follow us on Instagram and use the #DDC15K on Instagram whenever you post anything about running.  We already have a number of posts and a number of followers,  the more the better!

April 1 will be the kick-off date for this event and we are planning a social media promotion and some discounted registrations around the kickoff.  The DDC website is www.ddc15k.org and the marketing items will be updated before the kickoff.  

The planning committee could use two more people to help: one with volunteer coordination and the other to help with operations.  New this year: the race will be limited to 500 runners!  Dirk is planning a Delaware Running Club challenge to be held at DDC; and we are looking for six people to be ambassadors for the event in exchange for a free entry!     

USATF Update
30 club members ran for Pike Creek last year in USATF races.  We can beat that number this year and we already have some new team members – Leah-Kate Lounsbury had a great debut at the Frostbite! Results next newsletter.

The first trail race is Brandywine Red Clay 10K on March 4^th, next weekend.

PCVRC Members are Individual Members of RRCA
Since our club is a member club of Road Runners Club of America, each of us is a member of RRCA, founded in 1958.  The RRCA champions the development of community-based running clubs and events that serve runners of all ages and abilities in pursuit of health and competition. Lots of good info can be found at their website, such as:

Running Safety Tips:  http://www.rrca.org/education/rrca-general-running-safety-tips
Etiquette for Runners:  http://www.rrca.org/education/etiquette-for-runners
Race & Running News:  http://www.rrca.org/news-articles
Member Benefits:  http://www.rrca.org/membership/member-benefits –such as digital magazine subscription, updates of RRCA activities and opportunity to participate in programs.

RRCA offers programs in support of local running clubs and events, assistance in becoming a running coach, kids activities, runner Scholar Grants, and much more.
As a club member of this national non profit, PCVRC is, in turn also a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so any donations to PCVRC are treated the same as donations to any other reputable charity. For more info, visit RRCA.org or contact former RRCA Delaware State Rep. Ray Christensen at raychris@comcast.net

Run With the Dogs, SPCA
 In the same way that most races have a charity partner, our club has teamed up with various local non-profits through the years. We were contacted by Brandywine Valley SPCA to ask if any runners would be interested in volunteering at their New Castle location to exercise their dogs!  This is a great opportunity for dog-lovers to find a 4 -legged running partner who will appreciate working out with you. Get the shelter dogs out of their cages to walk, jog or run. 

If you have interest yourself and especially if you’d be willing to be our point of contact with them to help other members get involved, please contact Dirk or reach out directly to Nanci Fletcher at  347-495-4011.  Volunteer application on SPCA website:
https://bvspca.org/get-involved/volunteer/volunteer-application-new-castle/

Membership
The club currently stands at 140 family memberships with 244 club members.  Thanks to Christina Xia for handling our membership so well!  

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. 

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: run@pcvrc.com.

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
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 .