First Shiver of ’24-’25 Season Just a Week Away!

Date:  Sunday Dec 8, 2024

Place:  Jim Dietrich Park

Registration: 8:30 a.m.

Race start:  10 a.m.

Swag:  Tank Top, Men’s & Women’s sizes, bright colors

Pre-registration is only for the series.  Race day registration is available for the series or individual races.  Series runners can pre-register online at www.pretzelcitysports.com until midnight on the Wednesday before the race; or by mailing the app and a check.  Apps can be printed from our website www.pagodapacers.com.  

If you choose not to run the race, please consider volunteering.  We need volunteers before the race (for parking); during the race (on the road, at the finish line and in the farmhouse); and after the race (for cleanup).  Currently we believe we have enough volunteers for registration.  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 via Facebook or Instagram or email (gmmccool56@comcast.net).  

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 arrive no later than 9:30.  Look for one of the race directors somewhere around the farmhouse.   Thank you in advance for your support!

Hope to see you there!!!

Sue Jackson, Georgine McCool, Tiffany Pantoja

Reminder: Pacer Scholarship Applications Still Being Accepted 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

Wednesday Night Runs (December ’24 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 each route. 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 Christmas morning run).

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

Run Santa Run “Scavenger Hunt” by Fleet Feet West Reading on 12/15/24

‘Tis the season to be Merry!

WHEN: December 15, 2024, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Sly Fox Tap Room (backdoor), 820 Knitting Mills Way #100, Wyomissing

Join us for a Christmas adventure run through West Reading and Wyomissing! Run Santa Run Scavenger Hunt organized by Fleet Feet West Reading is back for our 3rd year. You will be given a list of riddles and questions to find the locations to run to and earn your raffle tickets. Because answering riddles and running is better with friends and family start gathering you group of merry runners. There are no official teams and this can be done as an individual as well. You may also partner up with someone at the start of the festivities. Be prepared to sing, dance, decorate a tree, take a selfie, battle the Grinch and eat some cookies as part of the challenge! 

You will earn tickets for raffle prizes on the hunt. In addition to the raffle prizes, we will have fun prizes for the best Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus costumes. The first 120 to register will also receive a custom Run Santa Run scarf. The REAL Santa Claus will be joining us during the post run festivities!

We will be donating a portion of the proceeds to the food pantry at Bethany Lutheran Church. Please consider donating non-perishable food items that can be dropped off at the beginning of our adventure!

The locations will be handed out starting at 9:30 am. Participants will be sent out at 10:00 am and will have exactly 1 hour to get to as many locations as they can to earn their raffle tickets. Anyone who returns to Sly Fox after 11:00 am will have to hand their raffle tickets over to the Grinch. You may only return with the raffle tickets you earned, not your entire group’s tickets.

Asics will be joining us with demos of their updated shoe, Novablast 5, along with their Glideride Max and GT2000. Superfeet will also be with us with with demos of their insoles that provide great support for your running shoes. Both brands are providing raffle prizes and will have swag while supplies last.

Race Results (November 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.

Oley Valley Country Classic 5k

Roy Bieber26:171st M 65-69
Jackie Snyder29:072nd F 60-64
Danielle Smith31:042nd F 35-39

Oley Valley Country Classic 10-Miler

Matthew Brophy1:10:451st M 40-44
Andrew Styer1:14:012nd M 50-54

2024 Pacer Christmas Party Just Days Away!

What better way to burn off those Thanksgiving calories than by hitting the dance floor at the Pagoda Pacer Christmas Party?!

Remember to BUY YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE by clicking on the button below!

The party will take place on Friday, December 6, 2024, from 6p.m. to 11p.m., at the Grill Fire Company (739 Mountain View Rd, Reading).

Tickets are $25 for members ($30 for non-members) and MUST be purchased prior to the event!

Tickets include food, beer, wine, and soda!

Our intended timeline for the party:
6-7 Cocktail Hour
7 Buffet starts (cleared by 9)
8/8:30ish music starts

** Please note that outside alcohol CANNOT be brought into the Fire Company. It also cannot be consumed in the parking lot.

Volunteers Needed for 2024 Kris Kringle!

Still need to fulfill your volunteer duty to complete your Pacer Passport? Or just want to help out at one of the club’s iconic races? The Kris Kringle race directors will be much obliged!

Reach out to Michelle Henry (KrisKringleRace@gmail.com) and let her know your availability!

Or…you could always sign up to run the race! And if you’re thinking about doing that, the time to pull the trigger is now! The price is about to go up!

Register now and/or purchase this year’s hoodie before the $5 price increase on December 4th!

The Kris Kringle 5-Miler is Berks County’s most popular race!

This year’s race will take place on Sunday, December 29th, at 10 a.m.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Berks County Cross Country Coaches Association.

The races starts and ends at the Berks County Agricultural Center at 1238 County Welfare Rd in Leesport.

This is the end of the December ’24 Newsletter.

Next Membership Meeting: Thursday, November 14

** 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.

Despite What the Weather Says, It’s Almost Time to Shiver

The SHIVER by the RIVER 5K & 10K is NOW. (And by “NOW” we mean a little over a month away.) The first one is Dec 8th, at Jim Dietrich Park, in Muhlenberg Twp.  Registration opens at 8:30 a.m.; both races start at 10 a.m. If you can’t run all 4 races, run 3, run 2, or run 1.  

The Shiver is unique in that at the end of a 5K loop, runners can decide if they want to go through the chute and finish the 5K or continue and do the loop a 2nd time, completing a 10K. Runners can run different distances each month or the same distance each month.

So come out and join us; it’s a great way to maintain your motivation to run through the winter. See old friends; meet new friends; and see your time get faster from month to month! 

Snacks and hot soup will be served after each race. An awards banquet will take place after the March race; it’s free for all runners who have completed at least 3 races.  

Runners can register online at Pretzel City Sports, or they can mail in an old-school registration form with a check.  As always, we will have race day registration. The deadline for pre-registration is 11/15

The ’24-’25 swag is a tank top. Racerback is available for women. Both are in bright colors. Register early to guarantee a tank top; we will have a very limited number of extra tank tops at the race!!  

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 – 8:15 a.m. If you can help with the race itself, please arrive no later than 9:30a.m. Look for one of the race directors somewhere around the farmhouse. Thank you in advance for your support!

Hope to see you there!!!

Sue Jackson, Georgine McCool, Tiffany Pantoja

Race Results (October 2024)

important change!

Amy Bird is stepping down as Race Results Coordinator. Please join me in thanking her for all the time she has put in over the last couple years, scanning through race results looking for the names of Pacers, compiling her findings, and sharing them with all of us!

Moving forward, we will ONLY be publishing race results of Pacers who e-mail us. We will NOT be compiling results on our own.

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.

Daniel Boone Dash 5k

25:34Roy Bieber1st M 60-69 & 3rd Overall
26:09Donny Mengel2nd M 60-69
41:05Richard Showers
41:40Bruce Cronrath2nd M 70+
44:47Dianne Showers
45:12Rose Hagy1st F 70+

Musser Madness 3/6/12 Hr Trail Race

Curtis Musser3 laps in the 3 hr/2:16:10
David Evans3 laps in the 3 hr/2:27:39
Amy Bird2 laps in the 3 hr/2:28:51
Andy Styer6 laps in the 6 hr/5:36:45
Michelle Henry4 laps in the 6 hr/5:47:57

One Day at the Fair 48 Hr

118 milesTania Salaneck1st Female, 4th Overall

Black Forest 100k

18:25:43Tod Slabik

Red Barn Challenge

24 hrBrian Krantz33 miles
12 hrAndy Styer50 miles (5th OA)

Blues Cruise 50k

5:07:00Kelly Ammon3rd Female
6:05:23Lisa Zwierzyna
6:11:19David Evans
6:22:36Tim Kirk
6:39:59Laura Werner
7:22:02Heidi Wojciwchowski
7:45:42Brittni Harris
7:56:04Aaron Kreider
8:03:34Julia Hager
8:13:20Megan Sheriff
8:23:31Lisa Good

Evansburg Challenge Trail 7k

45:59Joanne Patti1st F 60-69
1:17:25Jacque Brown

Evansburg Challenge Trail 14k

1:22:25David Brown
1:45:34Amy Bird
1:51:28Shawn Weller

Oil Creek 100 Mile

30:35:34Curtis Musser

Third Thirsty Thursday (Race 7 of 7)

21:58Brian Stoltzfus1st M 60-69
24:04Sheri Golembiewski2nd F 40-49
26:24Jason Glass1st M Clyde
27:51Kevin Monaghan4th M 60-69
29:09Blair Hogg
32:29Julia Hager4th F 50-59
33:03Melissa Balthaser3rd F Clyde
33:24Lisa Good4th F Clyde
34:16Larry Drogo
36:39Steven Holgate
41:40Bruce Cronrath2nd M 78+
42:31Rick Showers
45:29Rose Hagy1st F 70-77
50:24Dianne Showers
59:05Charlie Crowell Sr
59:10Helene HornSweep