Letter from the President (January, 2025)

Dear Pacers,

I’ve always considered the Wednesday Night Run to be a core component of the Pagoda Pacers’ identity. I think it is a primary means of drawing new members into the club. During the last 3 years, we have consistently provided leaders for both a long and short route at the Wednesday Night Run. This was an attempt to accommodate different ability levels and create a welcoming environment for new runners.

Starting in 2025, we won’t be able to provide the same level of attention. I’d like to highlight these changes:

  • We will continue to post a map for a long and short route each week. I will continue to lead the longer route, but we won’t always have a guaranteed leader for the short route. Week-to-week we’ll manage with whoever is in attendance.
  • I’ve had some requests to mix in new locations for WNR. If you have any ideas for new routes, please let me know. Maybe it’s your go-to loop near your home. Give some consideration to adequate parking at the start, as well as manageable traffic and visibility along the route.
  • Please don’t ask me “Where’s Matt?” at an upcoming WNR. It’s still too soon.

Contact me with any feedback.

Steve

president@pagodapacers.com

Race Results (December 2024)

If you would like to see your race results in an upcoming newsletter post, please e-mail Matthew.L.Brophy@gmail.com and I will be sure to include them.

Naked Nick 25k

Brian Stoltzfus2:20:141st M 60+
Jackie Snyder3:21:04
Kristen Rothenberger3:29:00
Michelle Foley3:30:34

Kris Kringle 5-Miler

Jim Krick43:55
Melissa Lin44:59
Jackie Snyder47:392nd F 60-64
Kristen Rothenberger50:56
Michelle Foley51:09

Shiver by the River 10k (Race 1 of 4)

Matthew Brophy41:26
Dani Smith56:20
Kristen Rothenberger59:03

Plowing over Pumpkins Whoopie Pie 5k

Michelle Foley29:122nd F 40-49

Next Membership Meeting: 1/9/25

** Please let us know if you will attend, so we can plan for food.**

We submit a headcount on the Monday before the meeting. You can mark yourself “Going” to the FB event, comment on the event, or contact president@pagodapacers.com.

Mohnton Fire Company Social Quarters
100 E. Summit ST
Mohnton, PA 19540
https://goo.gl/maps/fukZK8BEGAsXUjDv5

The meeting is upstairs. Enter the front door and the stairs are on your left. No need to ring the buzzer for entry.

Food and drink at 6:30pm
Meeting starts at 7:00pm

All members welcome. Members are responsible for purchasing their own beverages.

Register for Fleet Feet’s Teddy Bear Trot on Saturday, February 8

Join Fleet Feet West Reading for their 7th annual Teddy Bear Trot!

The Teddy Bear Trot is the perfect blend of running and giving back to our community. All participants are asked to bring a brand NEW Teddy Bear to the event. Participants then join us as we run the bears to Opportunity House in Reading for them to use in their Learning Center.

The run will start and finish at Sly Fox’s Event Venue which is behind the Sly Fox Wyomissing Taphouse. This is not a race, but rather a social group run to give back to our community. Walkers are welcome and there will be a shorter route that is just over 2 miles for anyone who doesn’t wish to complete the 4 mile loop.

The proceeds for this event will be donated to Opportunity House as they continue to serve our unhoused community. Additional monetary donations will be accepted at the event and will be given to Opportunity House to support their endeavors. Non-perishable food items and blankets will also be collected at the start of the run at Sly Fox. 

Everyone will have a chance to wear/test Karhu shoes, an exclusive Fleet Feet product. Karhu is the Finnish word for “Bear,” making their brand a perfect partner for this event! 

Runners will be sent to Opportunity House to make donations in 3 groups. Groups will depart at 10:00, 10:10, and 10:15 to donate the teddy bears. Please take a look at the pace ranges for each group and sign up for the time that best suits your abilities. The goal is to get to the Opportunity House at the same time to give them the bears and for a group photo. The group will then continue on the 4-mile loop. Those who wish can backtrack back to Sly Fox making the run/walk a little over 2 miles total. There will be group leaders to help direct the runners/walkers.

10:00am – Walkers and 13+ minute milers

10:10am – 10-12 minute milers

10:15am – 8-10 minute milers

Wednesday Night Runs: January ’25 Locations

Our mid-week group runs have at least two different distance options (3-4 miles and 5-6 miles) with an appointed leader for at least one of the two routes. Each run will have its own Facebook “event,” and the routes will be posted a couple days before the run. After each run, those who can will stick around for food, drink, and good conversation, either at a nearby restaurant or a club member’s residence. Come for the run; stay (if you can) for the fellowship. (If you don’t have time to stick around, no worries–just come run with us!)

All runs start at 6:15 p.m. (except the New Year’s Day morning run).

Remember to bring a headlamp or flashlight and to wear reflective gear!

Next Away Game: 1/18/25 at Green Lane

Fun Fact: The Perkiomen Creek has its source in Berks County. Perhaps that’s why there’s a Perkiomen Ave in Reading, Mt Penn, and Exeter, even though the Perky doesn’t merge with Schuylkill for many more miles.

After leaving Berks, the Perkiomen winds its way through MontCo to the luscious Green Lane Reservoir.

We, too, will leave Berks this January and make our way to the “Rue de Vert,” where we will run loops (or at least one loop) around the Perky waters.

Interested? Note the (im)pertinent information below:

Meet at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 18 at the Green Lane Red Trail Parking on Knight Rd (Green Lane, PA).

Routes with exact mileage and elevation will be posted on the Pagoda Pacers Facebook Event Page. The long route from this location is typically about 12 miles, but there will be options for a shorter route.

We will also go out for lunch after the run–location TBD.

Fun Fact: Perkiomen comes from the Lenni Lenape term Pakihm Unk, meaning “cranberry place.”

Next Weekend 10-Miler: Neversink Mountain on 1/26/25

The next Pagoda Pacer Weekend 10-Miler is going to be FIRE!

(Too soon?)

Join our group run at 9:30 a.m. at Trout Run Sports Complex (950 W Neversink Rd, Reading) on Sunday, January 26. We’ll run along the Exeter Scenic River Trail over to the Neversink Mountain Preserve and eventually make our way back

In addition to the full 10-mile route, there will be options for shorter distances.

We will also meet up for lunch afterwards, if you have time to stick around (location TBD).

Check our Facebook Events page closer to the date of the run to see a preview of the route.

Hope you can join us!

Shiver #2 Coming up on 1/12/25!

The first Shiver of the ’24-’25 series is in the books! As always, we thank the volunteers and the runners who came out to support us!!! The volunteers and runners make this race a success!!! 150 runners completed the 5k, with 65 completing the 10k. Results are posted on our website and Pretzel City Sports’ website. 1st male and female in the 5k were Glen Heck (16:25) and Brittney Miller (20:06). In the 10k, our 1st male and female finishers were Brendan Shearn (33:54) and Cheryl Kundek (48:46).

Now we are ready to move onto race #2 on Sunday, Jan 12th.   We need RUNNERS!!!!  We need VOLUNTEERS!!!!!  

If you have never run this race, or if you haven’t run it for a few years, come out and join us and maybe reconnect with runners you haven’t seen in ages! The race is at Jim Dietrich Park, in Muhlenberg Twp. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m.; both races start at 10:00 a.m.  

Like last year, we have re-opened online registration on Pretzel City Sports, so you can still preregister for the series and not have to stand in line on race day.  

Please remember to only complete the registration form ONCE during the series.  As we have done in the past, we will have 3 separate areas for registration. I know you have all heard this before, but trust me, we will still have runners (including Pacers) who will complete a form for each race. We calculate the series results by bib#, so each runner will have the same bib# each month. Obviously if a runner completes more than 1 application, he/she will have more than 1 bib#. 

  1. Pre-Registration is in the front room (for those runners who have paid for the entire series). 
  2. For those runners who are paying for each race individually, and who ran in December, registration is in the 2nd room, at the table marked “Post-Registration Single Race Entry.” We have a number with a label with your nameNo need to complete a new registration form. If you do, there is the potential of being recognized as a different runner when it comes time to calculate the series results. If any information needs to be changed, just let them know when you get your number; no need to complete a registration form with the changed information.
  3. For those runners who have not registered for the 2024-2025 Shiver, registration is in the 2nd room at the table marked “Post Registration.” When completing the registration form, if you have paid for the series, please circle YES; otherwise, we will expect you to pay again at the remaining races.  

A few other notes.  

  1. On the registration form, we ask for your email address, so that you will be included in any future emails we send regarding the remaining races for this series and for future series. We ask for your mailing address so that applications for future races can be mailed to you. It is certainly your choice as to whether you provide us with either or both of these, but it does help with keeping our runners in the loop.
  2. Because of the rental agreement we have for the farmhouse, requiring us to leave the farmhouse by noon, runners who complete their first loop in over 40 minutes will NOT be allowed to go out for the 2nd loop.  

If you choose not to run the race, please consider volunteering. We need volunteers before the race, for parking and registration; during the race – on the road, at the finish line and in the farmhouse; and after the race – for cleanup. If you can help prior to the race, please plan to arrive between 8:00 – 8:15. If you can help with the race itself, please plan to arrive no later than 9:30. To help us with volunteer assignments, we prefer that volunteers contact us prior to race day. If you have not already talked to one of us, please reach out to Georgine at Facebook or Instagram or gmmccool56@comcast.net.  

Thank you in advance for your support!

Hope to see you there!!!

Sue Jackson, Georgine McCool, Tiffany Pantoja

Only Two Months Left to Submit a Pacer Scholarship Application for 2025!

Applications are still being accepted for two different cross-country scholarships being offered by the Pagoda Pacers Athletic Club (PPAC).

High school seniors are encouraged to apply for a scholarship as a cross-country runner or as the child of a PPAC member who is in good standing with the club.

Two of each scholarship type will be awarded. Please refer to the PPAC Scholarship page for details.

All applications must be postmarked by February 28, 2025. For more information, please email scholarshipcoordinator@pagodapacers.com

This is the end of the January ’25 Newsletter.