MAUSATF Events on Saturday:
Wissahickon 10K Trail Classic (://wissahickonrestorationvolunteers.org/index.php/wtc_site/wtc/wissahickon_trail_classic/) and the Scott Coffee Moorestown Rotary Run 5 Miler (http://www.runningintheusa.com/moorestown/). The coordinators haven’t put out any desperate calls for runners, so perhaps the club has a full complement for each race, but consider doing one.

Upcoming Club 5K Fun Runs
(see www.PCVRC.com for details and additional info on contacting club officers):

Fri 6/4 6pm (for 6:15 start) – Newark Reservoir 5k, just like our previous one.
Location: Newark Reservoir on Old Paper Mill Rd.
Up the hill, 2 loops around and back down to the finish of our 2nd 5K fun
run at the reservoir. This is a PCVRC event. No cost to members or guests.
Non-members will be asked to sign an insurance waiver.
If you’re racing the USATF trail or road race on Saturday, come anyway to jog or help on the course!

After the race, all are invited to socialize just steps away at Timothy’s. Contact Kate if you expect to be there or can assist in some way:
—————–
Wed 6/16 530-730pm – Water table at Delcastle Park
We’ll be handing out free water to runners and walkers to publicize PCVRC.
Come early for the 6pm Group Run or stay afterwards. Feel free to bring
snacks to share with club members or the general public.
Contact Ray if you can commit to at least an hour:
—————–
Thurs 6/17 – Crabowitz 5K
Date: June 17th
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Where: 709 Haddon Road, Wilmington 19808
What: 5K run followed by Crabs & Pizza! Please bring your alcoholic
beverage of choice; We will provide soda and water.
RSVP: We need a head count so please let us know if you can join us! AND let us know if you will eat crabs or pizza (or both) so we can be sure and have enough! Contact Rich at

Help wanted:
Volunteers are urgently needed to help improve the club. Contact Ray for info on the following positions:
Public Relations Coordinator – establish & maintain contact with local press, blogs, fitness centers and other organizations. Promote sponsorship opportunities with the club.

Charity Coordinator – act as liaison with The Wellness Community by
maintaining monthly contact and promoting each other’s events
(Contact Ray or Claire for either)

Local Race Results
Club member Mark Vilardo set a new stte 35-39 age group record for 10K at the Helathy Kidney 10K in New York City on May 15 with a time of 32:34. He bested the time of former club member Bob Hempton, whose 32:43 had stood since 1984.

Lynn Knothe was overall female winner of the Kid Kickin’ Cancer 5K with a time of 20:16 on a humid, 86 degree evening. Kelly Horowitz was second female with 20:39.

At the Cougar Classic 5K for Blue Gold at Delcastle High School Dirk Sweigart was 3rd overall male with a time of 19:48 and Theresa Kauffman was overall female winner in 20:55. On a certified course Dirk would have had a PR and Theresa might have run her best time in her current age-group.

But resident club metronome Ralph McKinney suspected a short course when he ran a faster time on this somewhat rolling course than he had run recently on the Christina Riverfront. Discussion ensued between director Chip Bixler and the principal who had measured the course. It appears the course was only a tad over three miles long.

Kelly Horowitz was second overall female at the Kay’s Kamp 5K in 20:20.

Chris James was second overall male at the Run for the Ages 5K in 19:28.

At the Rusty Rudder 5K, the following club members were top placers:
Mark Vilardo, overall winner, 16:07; Greg Cauller, 3rd overall and 1st 50-54, 17:31; and Lynn Knothe, second overall female and 1st 30-34, 19:45.

Club Members participate in 3 races
Quite a few club members jumped into a 5K race (or two) over the weekend. At the Hockessin Rotary 5K there were 13 club members, including three of the top six males (Epi Camacho, 2nd, Chris James, 4th, and Ryan German, 6th) and the second and third females (Kelly Horowitz and Shannon German).

Meanwhile at the Stroll for Epilepsy at Brandywine Park, five club members took four age group awards.

The next day five club members participated in the Race for a Better Delaware 5K at the Wilmington Riverfront, including overall female winner, Lynn Knothe in 19:11 and third overall male Greg Cauller in 17:23.

Upcoming Club 5K Fun Runs
Fri 6/4 – Newark Reservoir 5k, just like our previous one. Contact Kate if you expect to be there or can assist in some way:

Thurs 6/17…
The following is from Rich Szymanski. Reply to him at

Warning
The contents in this message are not to be taken seriously! For some reason you do not understand this is only in fun, please see DR. Dan for referrals.

Tricia and I are having our second annual crab feast with a little twist. This year we will be adding a 5k hate run. That’s right! A hate run! It will be named after Philadelphia sports fans most hated person – Jack Horowitz. The “I hate Jack 5k” will be combined with the crab feast and will be known as the “Crabowitz 5k”.

Jack has insulted all Philadelphia sports teams for years and we are not going to take it any more. So all you closet haters come on out and show your true colors by booooing him into submission. This will be the perfect day of the year to let loose on all life’s frustrations by boooing the heck out of Jack.

If by chance you are a Mets fan (Ray) or fan of any other team, please wear something, (hat,shirt,shock) that will identify you as a traitor and we will save some hate for you as well.

“My name is Jack Horowitz and I approve this message.”

Date: June 17th
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Where: 709 Haddon Road, Wilmington 19808
What: 5K run followed by Crabs & Pizza!
RSVP: We need a head count so please let us know if you can join us! AND let us know if you will eat crabs or pizza (or both) so we can be sure and have enough!

Please bring your alcoholic beverage of choice; We will provide soda and water.

Marathon / Half / Team results & recap
Another memorable Delaware Marathon Running Festival took place this past Sunday. As usual, numerous members of Pike Creek Valley Running Club were involved as runners or volunteers. Of course, first to be recognized are those who put this race together, That includes club members Wayne Kursh, Race Director, Barbara Brown Kursh, Emergency Director, and Joel Schiller, current club treasurer, Operations Director.

The noteworthy achievement of the day was the fact that Michael Wardian, who had won the event years ago and had set the state marathon record, came back to break his record by a minute and a half in a time of 2:26:22. It should also be mentioned that Doug White, who was a past president of PCVRC and who certified the course, fell off his bike while leading Wardian through the streets and broke his arm.

Below are the results for various club members. Apologies if I missed anyone.

Marathon
3:29:38 Chris James
4:21:52 David McCorquodale 3rd 65-69
6:25:12 John Schultz

Half-Marathon
1:30:28 Wes Stafford 2nd 45-49
1:31:59 Dirk Sweigart 1st 50-59
1:37:15 Theresa Kauffman 1st 45-49
1:43:50 Carole Feole 1st 50-54
1:50:30 Frank Cebula
1:50:37 Rich Szymanski
1:56:43 Elena Kupchik
2:12:15 Linda Lavelle
2:19:30 Lori Culnane
2:19:31 Trish Szymanski

Four Person Relay Team participants:
Josh Loren, on the New Balance Racing Team, which had the fastest relay time of 2:25:20.
Shannon and Ryan German,
Kelly and Jack Horowitz, Will Farquhar, Tara Huang,
Bill Myers,
Gelsomina Paolini, Rachel Bleacher, Sharon Miner,
Dan Weintraub, John Culnane, Maggie Favata

Thanks to all race volunteers
Club members who volunteered included people who loaded the water bottles, manned the number pick-up tables, and course marshals:
They were: Ray Christensen, Dean Coffin, Lori Culnane, Jim Durkin, Mary Fisher-Shute, April and Bruce Hubbard, Margie Hughes, Carolyn and Dave McCorquodale, Vince McIntosh, Bob Taggart, Steve Thorpe, and Misty White.

Also thanks to others who helped stuff and distribute race packets on Friday and Saturday.

PCVRC Newark Reservoir 5K fun run recap
Last Friday Pike Creek Valley Running Club tried something new to great success! The club had a 5K fun run at the Newark Reservoir Park. Everyone enjoyed the experience and the board will attempt to have more group runs like this. Twenty-four people participated and about twenty went to Timothy’s Restaurant, right across White Clay Creek from the reservoir. So one way or the other everyone had a “great time”.

PCVRC Newark Reservoir 5K official order of finish:
1. Epi Camacho 18:48 (Male Masters winner)
2. David James 19:31
3. Karl Kalbacher 19:56
4. Patrick Brogan 20:23 (Male Open winner)
5. Dirk Sweigart 20:44
6. Kelly Horowitz 20:49 (Female Open winner)
7. Dan Simmons 21:56
8. Dean Coffin 22:08
9. Tony Chelpaty 22:18
10. Theresa Kauffman 22:25 (Female Masters winner)
11. Chris Leiningei 22:33
12. Rich Szymanski 24:46
13. Jack Horowitz 24:47
14. Margie Hughes 25:24
15. Joel Schiller 26:12
16. Paul Amer 26:42
17. Tara Huang 28:10
18. Dan Feldstein 28:24
19. Trish Szymanski 30:05
20. Maggie Favata 30:05
21. Dave McCorquodale 34:39
22. Carolyn McCorquodale 34:39
23: Sue Simmons 37:35
24. Bob Taggart

From President Ray: I just want to add another thanks to Nikki, Zach and Rudy” for organizing it and that others will be announced soon.
View 5K photos

DE Marathon: Contact Ray ASAP for preferred parking
You must contact Ray at by Friday morning to take advantage:
Club Treasurer Joel Schiller has arranged for PCVRC members to have parking reserved for them at the Delaware Marathon. The parking area will be located in the WPA surface parking lot behind the AMTRAK Station and ING DIRECT Pennsylvania Building at the end of S. French Street. Access to the parking lot is off MLK Boulevard at S. French Street and right under the railroad overpass.

Please note that our vendors and our Medical and Emergency teams will also
be using this lot. Please also note that once the runners begin returning
to the Riverfront, MLK Blvd will experience significant traffic delays and
temporary closures. This is expected to begin at 7:45am and last all
morning. Once that happens, you’ll need to reach the lot via Rte 13 North
to N. Walnut Street to W. 2nd Street to S. French Street.

To exit the lot, you’ll be able to use S. French to exit onto MLK and onto
N. Walnut Street. Remember, the runners are coming down King Street, so
you’ll be delayed if you wish to go left on 2nd or 4th Street.

Again, contact Ray to receive the window shield that must be printed and
placed on your dash board. In the event you are stopped by the police or a
parking attendant on the way into your designated parking area, you should
display parking pass and this email as an indication that you are authorized to park in this lot.

DE Marathon volunteers & course marshals needed
Please help us keep the runners safe as a Course Marshal along Bancroft
Pkwy. It’s loads of fun! Contact Ray at or 302-633-1482 for
that or any of the following:
Fri 5/14 4-7pm At Tubman We set up an assembly line to stuff the 2000 runner bags. Flexible times.
Sat 5/15 9 -11 At Tubman PRE-Packet Pickup – Pull packets/shirts, etc for large groups
Sat 5/15 11-2 At Tubman First shift registration/packet p/u – Arrive 15 min early for instruction
Sat 5/15 2- 5 At Tubman Second shift registration/packet p/u – Arrive 15 min early

Sun 5/16 5-7am At Tubman Early Race Day Packet Pickup We want to open by 5:15am
Sun 5/16 730-1030 and/or 1000-1230 Course Marshals (Bancroft Pkwy area)

Weekly Group runs
New runners and walkers are always welcome at our 6pm Wednesday and Thursday
group runs at Delcastle. Old runners are not turned away either! We meet before and after running, so encourage friends to come out.

Broad Street Run 10 Miler results & Recap
The Broad Street Ten Miler was held in Philadelphia on Sunday and it was the third race in the MA-USATF Grand Prix Series. With over 26,000 finishers, it was the largest Broad Street Run ever. With temperatures on the starting line of 74 degrees, there was also many entrants who did not finish. So all PCVRC participants are to be congratulated for finishing.

Below are the age grades and times for PCVRC member, who participated in the Broad Street Run as MAUSATF participants. Apologies for missing Austin Gee and Michael Peyton (listed below) and Lenora Wagner (1:42:29) in yesterday’s report of club members’ times.

As a team, PCVRC scored 377 plus points and remains in fifth place in the series. South Jersey Athletic club moved up to second place while Athena Track Club did not have a team score for this race and dropped from first to below seven other teams.

Individually Deborah Compton is fifth in the overall women’s standings and Dan simmons is eleventh in the overall men’s standings.

Time – Age Grade – Name
55:25 81.534 Mark Vilardo
1:13:38 76.098 Dan Simmons
1:26:52 74.862 Deborah Compton
1:18:27 72.636 Carole Feole
1:01:11 72.542 Austin Gee
1:15:23 72.120 Theresa Kauffman
1:10:10 71.829 Dirk Sweigart
1:09:34 71.586 Lynn Knothe
1:12:37 70.576 Lee Kauffman
1:12:52 66.826 Dean Coffin
1:09:53 63.654 Ryan German
1:26:00 62.578 Connie Montana
1:22:18 61.158 Claire Neilan
1:48:19 53.716 Jerry Herman
1:51:12 51.829 Ralph McKinney
1:37:33 48.329 Michael Peyton

General results:
55:25 Mark Vilardo 4th in 35-39 age group (out of 1,737).
1:01:31 Greg Cauller 4th in 50-54 AG (of 804)
1:09:34 Lynn Knothe
1:09:53 Ryan German
1:10:10 Dirk Sweigart
1:12:37 Lee Kauffman
1:12:52 Dean Coffin
1:13:38 Dan Simmons 5th in AG (of 208)
1:15:23 Theresa Kauffman
1:17:13 Shannon German
1:18:27 Carole Feole
1:22:18 Claire Neilan
1:25:23 Hillary Suwyn
1:26:00 Connie Montana
1:26:52 Deborah Compton 2nd AG (of 71)
1:35:37 Elena Kupchik
1:48:19 Jerry Herman
1:51:12 Ralph McKinney
2:17:13 Scott Christensen

Many Marathons!
This past weekend, there were a total of 26 marathons in the United States, including six in the three states surrounding Delaware. Considering the heat and humidity, the accounts of people who posted on Marathonguide.com, and the times of a few people I recognized, I;m glad I didn’t do any of them. Here’s hoping the Delaware Marathon weekend will spare the participants, including me.

Jerry’s Broad Street Run Recap
Below is the account of ex-Pres. and current Secretary of PCVRC Jerry Herman on the Broad Street Ten Miler. Jerry is recuperating from his experiencer for a few week in Washington State:

Thought I’d share my tale of Broad Street Sunday.
Dean tried to set up a car pool. I felt they were leaving just too late for me. I would rather be there way too early than have any stress about being late. I choose to go on my own at about 0500.

As I usually do I had all my race day stuff laid out Sat. afternoon. All I had to do Sunday morning was have my coffee, visit the bathroom, get dressed and hit the road.

Up early, started the coffee, had a snack and took care of business. Clipped my cell phone to the gym bag I was taking to the race. Trying to get out the door the phone fell on the floor. I was sure I picked it up and took it with me. So I get to my preferred parking place and I can’t find my phone. So I’m thinking it’s lost somewhere in the car (truck) and I just can’t find it in the dark, or maybe I didn’t pick it up. I had to get to the train so I forgot about it and left. I took my spare car key that I carry in a velcro pocket around my ankle and set off for the train.

First time I ever got to sit on the train. Leaving early was paying off. I got to Central High, no lines at the porta-johns and I took advantage of it.

I wandered around chatting with other runners and even saw and talked to some other PCVRC folks. It was great fun. Time came to suit up for the race. Get the sweats off and put on the race shoes and club singlet. I happened to find a place to sit next to a couple from the morning train ride. While talking to them I put on one shoe and my key pocket when I noticed that I still had on my sweat pants. Off came the shoe, the pocket and sweat pants and then back on went the shoe. (notice I didn’t mention the key pocket?) and I warmed up a little, like it wasn’t warm enough already, and got in to my corral.

The race started and off we went. I started to fail about five miles in. Too hot. I got a bit dizzy and didn’t feel all that good. So I walked a while and then ran again. I did that for the rest of the race. I really wanted to break 100 minutes, but came up about eight minutes over my goal. All things considered I think I wasn’t too upset. I worked my way through the crowd and found Dan Simmons where I have found other PCVRC members in the past. We chatted for a while and I left to get my clothes from the gear bus. Made my way back to near the awards stage. No Dan but Ralph was there. We talked a while when he told me that there were no age group awards and no random door prizes. Bummer. So I said I guess I’ll hit the road. That’s when I noticed that I didn’t have my key pocket on my ankle. I couldn’t figure out how I lost it. I remembered having to take off my shoe to get off my sweat pants. I thought maybe it had come off inside the pant leg. Nope, no key. Ralph offered me a ride and we walked to his car.

We got to his car and the battery was dead. I found jumper cables with the forth person I asked. It was funny; she said I think I have some but I don’t know what to do with them. I told her not to worry, if she had them I knew what to do with them. We got Ralph’s car started and off we went. I suggested that we go up Pattison to beat some of the I-95 traffic. Bad move, it was bumper to bumper all the way to the bridge. Then it was clear sailing.

I got home and gathered my wash. Starting to put the sweats in the washing machine I felt something in the pocket. The missing key pocket had been found. I still didn’t know where my cell phone was. I was thinking I would have to call Verizon and cancel the service. But before I did that I called my cell phone. It wasn’t ringing in the house. So I called again and went out to the truck. I could hear it ringing but I couldn’t find it. It quit ringing so I went in the house and called it again. I went back to the truck and it was ringing but I still couldn’t find it. When I stood up after looking behind the seats I saw the phone on the dash close to the windshield. I just couldn’t see it while I was sitting in the truck.

So with a missing cell phone and car key, dead battery and a super hot day with a slow time I had an interesting Sunday. I can hardly wait till next year.

——————–
Jerry discusses Born To Run book:
Some of you may have already heard of the book Born To Run, written by Chris McDougall, a writer who has done articles for Men’s Health and Runners World among others. The book was recently lent to me by Mark Lozier and I found myself devouring it in less than two days. There is a local connection as the author quotes the director of the University of Delaware’s Running clinic several times.

The book focuses on the Tarahumara (the hu is pronounced oo) people of the Copper Canyon area of Mexico. They are a very reclusive group, who get everywhere by running and who enhanced they reputation as being indefatigable when members of the group won the Leadville 100 Miler several times. The author wanted to get to know them and learn how they run so well. The book climaxes with a race between some of the Tarahumara and a select group of “gringos”, including renowned ultra champion Scott Jurek.

But what really makes the book an important read for runners are the other ideas worked into the narrative. Primary is the concept that human beings were “born to run”. That is to say, through natural selection, our ancestors learned to survive through persistence hunting, tracking prey by chasing them for hours and hours. In order to do that the human body evolved from that of other simians, such as our close relative the chimpanzee, which does not and can not run, into a running being. First, by standing, our lungs can take in more oxygen than the knuckle walking chimp. Our bodies have features, which are unique to animals which run and which walking animals do not have. Three are: the Achilles heel, which is essentially a big spring; large gluteal muscles, which keep the upper torso upright when the person is running; and the Nucal tendon, running from the head to the back torso, which stabilizes the head when running.

Then there’s the most important adaptation of all, an adaptation unique to human beings, which no other animal has: We sweat! By sweating we can continue to keep our bodies temperatures under the point at which we would go into shock, even when the temperature is hotter than that point. So with all these adaptations, early humans could track prey for hours in the heat, basically jogging at a mid-pack marathoner’s pace, until the prey, which had to stop to pant in order to keep cool, overheated because the humans forced it to keep moving. Easy pickings and the race survived and prospered.

Another important topic for runners to consider is the concept of running shoes. The Tarahumara don’t use running shoes and basically can run on sandals made of strips of old tires. The author points out that many of the common running injuries did not become prevalent until AFTER the invention of “running shoes” by Oregon State track coach Bill Bowerman, which was the start of the Nike shoe company. Studies have shown that people who run in “cheap” running shoes (less the $40) have less injuries than those who run in the most expensive brands and styles. Why? The author believes that running shoes with their cushioning allowed people to develop the bad habit of running heel-to-toe. This is something a person who is barefoot will not do because it will hurt to land on one’s heels. The cushioning of running shoes masks this effect, but later on problems show up in the body, such as plantar fasciitis and runner’s knee. The author states that up to 80% of all runners are injured EACH YEAR! I don’t know if I agree, but perhaps the reverse is true: Those who are least likely to get injured and who seem to keep going all the time are those who are “running as if they are barefoot” and who haven’t adapted the bad habit of running heel-to-toe that cushioned shoes encourage.

The author claims that the world’s best runners, as such elite Kenyans, run barefoot as children, even into their teens.. The foot will naturally learn to caress the ground and relax when stepping on irregularities in the surface. An unshod foot will land mid-foot, much lighter, as if running on hot coals, and such runners are much less prone to injury. The shoe companies have taken note, which is why they are starting to come out with minimalist shoes, such as the Nike Free. The author believes that the idea of discarding shoes when the cushioning starts to where out is ridiculous, because, he believes, that’s when the shoes actually become safer for the runner, as the feet start to be able to sense what the running surface is like and begin to adapt to it with each step.

This book certainly provides much food for thought and I highly recommend it. Runners who have dealt with their own injuries may be encouraged by the author’s own experience as he was a mess as a runner when the book begins, but, adapting some minimalist techniques, has remade himself into a much healthier and better runner by the book’s end. I don’t plan to run barefoot any time soon.

John Schultz ran the New Jersey Marathon on Sunday in 6:26:22 and was finish in the 75-79 age-group.

DE Marathon volunteers, FB Group, Club Event
Notes from Club President Ray Christensen:

PCVRC Facebook Group: http://tinyurl.com/pcvrc
If you haven’t yet, join our FB Group. Post your race results or photos
there. Post a photo of yourself so we know who you are!

Newark Reservoir 5K, Friday 5/7, 6:15pm start
All are invited to this free PCVRC event. If you’ll be there, email Nikki at
so we have an idea of numbers. The race will be “rain or
shine”. Water will be available. Social to follow across the stream at
Timothy’s. Bring family members & friends.

DE Marathon volunteers urgently needed:
Only a couple people so far-if you’re not running, please help us keep the
runners safe as a Course Marshal. It’s loads of fun! Contact Ray at
or 302-633-1482 for that or any of the following:

Tue 5/11 5:30 – 6:30 pm At 1-800 PACKRAT on Rte 896. Need ½ doz people to
help fill the water storage containers
Fri 5/14 4-7pm At Tubman We set up an assembly line to stuff the 2000 runner
bags. People arrive and leave when they need to.
Sat 5/15 9 -11 At Tubman PRE-Packet Pickup – Pull packets/shirts, etc for
large groups
Say 5/15 11-2 At Tubman First shift registration/packet pick up – Arrive 15
min early for instruction
Sat 5/15 2- 5 At Tubman Second shift registration/packet pick up – Arrive 15
min early for instruction
Sun 5/16 5-7am At Tubman Early Race Day Packet Pickup We want to open by 5:15am
Sun 5/16 730-1030 and/or 1000-1230 Course Marshals (Wawaset Park / Little Italy)

New runners and walkers are always welcome at our 6pm Wednesday group runs at Delcastle. Old runners are not turned away either!

Bob Taggart visits Turkey
A note from Bob Taggart, who recently spent three weeks in Turkey, instead of the planned two because of flight delays caused by the Iceland volcano: The Caesar Rodney Half-Marathon next year will be the week after the Adrenaline 5k (i.e. March 27) since Wayne changed the date. That ends the conflict of this past year having the races on the same weekend. It is also important that anyone entering Grand Prix races register with the name used when registering with MAUSATF. In my case, I need to use Robert, not Bob. In Herman’s case, Gerald and not Jerry, etc. This makes Ed Maher’s job much easier in matching the MAUSATF people with the Grand Prix in those races.