Happy New Year to all club members and families! We hope you had a pleasant and relaxing holiday season. With the calendar turning, many resolve to try something new, break a bad habit or improve something in their lives. Whatever it is or if it is nothing at all, the PCVRC community is here for support and comradery.
The local race schedule is light as is typical for winter, but club continues to hold groups runs on Thursdays and Sundays as well as Tuesday track workouts with Coach Fischer. PCVRC is also planning social events in the coming months so check out our website and Facebook page to see what’s happening. PCVRC is a social club and very supportive of all our member’s running goals. Most importantly, we have a great time running and welcome runners and walkers of all backgrounds regardless of race, nationality, religion, sexual or gender identity and of all levels of ability from beginner walkers to the highly competitive road racer to marathoners.
Renew your Membership for 2023
If you have done so already, don’t forget to renew your club membership for 2023. Please visit https://pcvrc.com/join-our-running-club/ to renew online or mail check for only $25 per year for the entire family. Club membership includes free T-shirt for new members, race discounts, weekly group runs, track workouts with Coach Fischer, fun runs, Club social events including Holiday Party, Spring Social, Delaware Distance Classic (our signature event), 20% discount at New Balance Stores in Brandywine and Christiana, 10% discount at Delaware Running Company, eligibility to participate as a member of our team in USATF events and more!
Discount$ for Club Members!
Focus Multisports – https://www.focusmultisports.com/ 10% off all races with code PCVRC23
StretchPlex is offering a 10% discount off any service at StretchPlex (pptandfitness.com) using the code: PCVRC10. StretchPlex provides one on one wellness services that includes assisted stretching, massage therapy, personal training and compression therapy.
Running coach – Alison McCann is part of Speed Sherpa Nation as a run coach and is taking on new clients.- https://www.speedsherpa.com/coaches or https://www.trainingpeaks.com/coach/alisonmccann.
Zealios – 25% off all Zealios products with code ZupPIKECREEK and can be used at https://teamzealios.com/collections and at any event where Zealios is vending.
Running Warehouse – www.runningwarehouse.com 10% off with code PIKECV23RC.
PCVRC Racing Team Had A fantastic 2022 Season and is off to great start in 2023!
The busy fall racing season for the USATF Grand Prix and Off-Road Series concluded in November with PCVRC finishing second in both series. The 2023 series races have been finalized and may be found at https://mausatf.org/grad-prix-events/ and https://mausatf.org/off-road-events/ and our Events Calendar. Please note the Broad Street Run is a week earlier than usual this year (April 30, 2023).
On October 23, PCVRC put up the highest team score at the Evansburg 10 mile. This effort solidified the club’s position in second place in the series. Pete LoBianco led the way, placing second overall. Additionally, Dave Wiechecki, Greg Cauller, Bill Rose, Lisa Jalot, and Andrea Rubinoff all received age group awards. November 6 was an unusually warm and muggy day for racing, but it didn’t slow PCVRC down running over the Ben Franklin Bridge and around Camden, NJ at the Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge. Liz Swierzbinski finished 3rd overall and narrowly missed setting a state age group record. Mike DiGennaro and Sarah Rusk each won the 40-44 age groups; Dave Wiechecki, Greg Cauller, and Jeff Painter swept the men’s 60-64 age group, and Rob Mason won the 65-69 age group. Post-race, the team enjoyed hanging out in the dugout of the Rutgers Camden ball park.
The weekend of November 19 and 20 brought more typical fall racing weather for the Rothman 8K, Dietz and Watson Philadelphia Half Marathon, and AACR Philadelphia Marathon. Outstanding performances were turned in by Liz Swierzbinski (1st 35-39, 8K), Dave Wiechecki (1st 60-64, 8K), Greg Cauller (2nd 60-64, 8K), Tom Steenkamer (4th 60-64, 8K), Rob Mason (1st 65-69, 8K), Keith Crispin (5th 55-59, 8K), Carol Giampietro (4th 60-64, 8K), Jeff Painter (2nd 60-64, half), and Diane Kukich (3rd 70-74, marathon). Mark Hannagan, Anthony Swierzbinksi, and Sean Gilligan also turned in strong performances in the marathon.
The final event in the Off-Road series is always the Saturday after Thanksgiving at nearby Brandywine Creek State Park. PCVRC used home course advantage to seal up second place in the series with strong performances by Mike Brown, Greg Cauller, John Costello, Keith Crispin, Tom Ellis, Carol Giampietro, Lynn Knothe, Rob Mason, Bill Rose, and Tom Steenkamer.
In addition to the club placing second overall in the team competitions, numerous members will be honored for their participation in the series this year. Liz Swierzbinski (4th), Rob Mason (5th), Greg Cauller (6th), and Dave Wiechecki (8th) will all receive top ten awards for 2022. Members who will receive awards for top 3 in age groups are: Liz Swierzbinski (1st, 30-34), Sarah Rusk (2nd, 40-44), Betty Olmstead (1st 75-79), Anthony Swierzbinski (2nd 35-39), Mike DiGennaro (2nd 40-44), Greg Cauller (1st 60-64), Dave Wiechecki (2nd 60-64), Rob Mason (1st 65-69), Chuck Crabb (2nd 65-69), and Jerry Herman (2nd 75-79). In the Off-Road series, Pete LoBianco, Greg Cauller, and Dave Wiechecki all placed top 3 in the series. An informal awards ceremony will be held after the Frostbite 5 Mile in Ambler, PA on February 18, 2023.
Eleven members of PCVRC travelled to Richmond, VA to compete in the USATF National Cross Country Championship at Pole Green Park. The course consisted of a flat 2k grassy loop that women completed 3 times and men completed 4 times. Strong performances were turned in by Brenda Hodge, Sarah Rusk, Dave Wiechecki, Pete LoBianco, Greg Cauller, Bill Rose, Mike Brown, Dave Long, Keith Crispin, John Costello, and Lynn Knothe. The women’s team of Sarah Rusk, Brenda Hodge, and Lynn Knothe placed 2nd in the women’s 40-49 field. This is the third team award PCVRC has received at a national championship, the men’s 50-59 team placed 3rd at the Master’s 5k cross country championship at Flemington in 2013 and the women’s 60-69 team placed 3rd at Club Nationals at Lehigh in 2019.
Our racing team wants you! Any club member who joins USATF can participate and represent the club. The cost to join USATF is $55. USATF members can enjoy discounts on series races, win end of year awards, and are guaranteed entry to the Broad Street Run! Members of the club who are members of USATF and compete in 4 races total among both series will receive a complimentary membership to PCVRC for the following year!
Please contact Lynn Knothe () for more information.
Social Activities
Holiday Social – The annual PCVRC holiday party was held on December 14 at Klondike Kates in Newark, DE with over 50 club attendees. There was a great selection of food and many excellent raffle prizes thanks to our supportive sponsors and local establishments (click on links for more info: Omega Project, Hockessin Athletic Club, Great Big Jerk, Delaware Running Company, Rooted, StretchPlex, Andrea Ladany Riley, Little Goat Coffee, The Peach Blossom Eatery). Club members took the opportunity to catch up with friends and recap all the achievements from the past year. Many members also renewed their annual membership dues for 2023. For more holiday photos, click HERE
Cupid’s Fun Run – Join the team on Saturday, February 25th for CUPID’S UNDIE RUN at DECO on Market Street in Wilmington. We’re is committed to finding a cure for NF! Every February, thousands of undie runners in cities all across the U.S. come together, whether it be in-person or virtually, to support those affected by NF, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body and affects 1 in every 3,000 births. Cupid’s Undie Run kicks off with drinking and dancing, then we jog it out with a mile(ish) run and end it all with an epic dance party!
Info about the charity: https://cupids.org/cupids-undie-run/
Team registration page: https://my.cupids.org/team/474471
Annual meeting – The PCVRC annual meeting is scheduled for March 8 at Timothy’s in Newark. In addition to the usual food, drink and socialization, club members will elect officers for the upcoming year and recognize the past year’s outstanding achievements with various awards, including runner of the year, member of the year and volunteer of the year. Please consider joining the board to help our club become more beneficial and enjoyable to current and prospective members with group runs, socials and other activities. Board meetings are typically every other month. You’ll have plenty of support and get to help shape the club. Email to nominate a club member for an award or if you would consider becoming a board member.
Boston Sendoff – Look for information on this annual social activity in the week before the Boston Marathon to wish our club member participants good luck. You don’t need to be running the Boston Marathon to join the PCVRC. Last year, the sendoff consisted of a brunch at the Delaware Running Company on Kennett Pike in Greenville, DE with some members running various distances along Kennett Pike beforehand.
Check PCVRC the website for updates on day and location on the PCVRC website on these and other upcoming events: PCVRC Events Calendar
DDC is celebrating its 40th year on October 7, 2023 – discount for early registration
The 40th annual DDC is locked in for Saturday October 7 at the Riverfront again this year! Registration is now open, with a 20% discount off your registration using code “PCVRC” if you sign up before January 31 for early registration. Please check the website for more information and race updates at ddc15k.org
Group Runs continue every Sunday & Thursday and track workouts every Tuesday
Group runs continue at their usual places and times and a great way to interact with your fellow runners while working out. Click here for details
Sundays 8:00 am – meet in the parking lot behind Brew HaHa! in the Main Street Galleria, 45 East Main St., Newark (free parking); run in White Creek Park and back anywhere from 1-14 miles or more round trip. Anyone is welcome to have coffee and breakfast afterwards at Brew HaHa!
Thursdays 6:00 pm – meet at start/finish of Delcastle Rec Area; Run 1 or more laps of the 1.75 mile loop.
Tuesday evening track workouts: Workouts start at 6:00pm at St. Mark’s High School. Participants can warm up off beforehand. Please check the PCVRC website weekly for any updates.
For Your Information
Nutrition is an important component of training and recovery and there are almost infinite number of plans, theories and studies. A few articles on the basics are HERE, HERE and HERE.
Your PCVRC Board
Please contact us with any questions HERE
President and Webmaster: Ray Christensen
Vice President and Social Media: Alison McCann
Secretary: Anthony Swierzbinski
Treasurer: Andrea Riley
Membership coordinator: Dirk Sweigart
Events coordinator: Mike Janis
USATF Team coordinator: Lynn Knothe
Sponsorship coordinator: Dwight Swaney
C25K coordinator: Lee Dresser
DDC Race Director: Alison McCann
