Wednesday Night Runs (May 2024 Locations)

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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!)

May 1:  Charlie Crowell’s residence (151 Alleghenyville Rd, Mohnton) — Post-run to follow at Stampede Barbecue

May 8: SRT: Brentwood Trailhead — Post-run to follow at Mimmo’s

May 15: Blue Marsh: Old Church Rd Trailhead — Post-run to follow at Blue Marsh Italian Restaurant

May 22: Nolde Forest: Sawmill Trailhead — Post-run to follow at Oakbrook

May 29: Monocacy Hill — Post-run to follow at Island Pizza

All runs start at 6:15 p.m

This is the end of the May ’24 Newsletter.

Letter from the President (April 2024)

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I hope your Spring is starting better than the Phillies’ season. If not, there’s still time to turn it around for your goal races later in the year. We have longer days and better weather ahead of us.

There are several interesting topics for the April monthly meeting (scheduled for Thursday, 4/11, at 7pm — click HERE for details and to RSVP):

  • The Scholarship Committee will report on the 2024 scholarship awards.
  • The club will consider contributing toward the registration cost for the softball team.
  • We will hear a proposal for an 8-week series of group runs intended for beginner runners.

Come out to the meeting if you want to be part of the discussion, or send me an email if you have input but can’t attend.

Steve

president@pagodapacers.com

Shiver ’23-’24 Recap

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The 34th Shiver by the River is complete!!!! We had 469 individual runners, with 202 runners completing the series. In looking at all of the months, our fastest runners for the series were Samuel Good (16:35 5k, Feb race); Ty Diaz-Cruz (19:49 5k, Feb race); Jonathan Thrush (33:42 10k, Dec race); Amy Stoltzfus (38:35 10k, March race). This year we ran the course in the opposite direction (as a result of survey requests), and it was well received. We plan to switch the direction each year, so next year, we will run in the original direction. We thank every runner and volunteer who joined us!

In March we had 252 5k runners and 77 10k runners.  Congratulations to the top M/F 5k runners: Aiden Konetsky (17:08) and Ty Diaz-Cruz (20:02); and the top 10k M/F runners: James Weaver (35:02) and Jen Esposito (42:56).  

Results of each race, plus the series results, can be found on pagodapacers.com. Awards which were not picked up at the banquet are at Fleet Feet (705 Penn Ave, West Reading), and they can be picked up any time during normal business hours, until April 10th.   

As always, THANK YOU to all the Pacers who participated either by running, volunteering, or both! We sincerely appreciate all of our volunteers, whether you helped us at one race or every race; whether you have helped us for years, or this was the first time you volunteered for Shiver. Everyone was so willing to do whatever was needed to make this series another success! I don’t want to mention specific names for fear of forgetting someone, but volunteers, you know who you are and runners, you know who they are – you see so many of the same volunteers parking cars, at the water stop, at the same registration table, at the same intersection, or inside the farmhouse supplying soup and pretzels. THANK YOU!!!!!!!  

Thank you to Andrea Thrush who created and hid small rocks along the course, each with a Shiver by the River design. 

The awards ceremony was again held at the Temple Fire Company, in Muhlenberg Township.  THANK YOU to the following folks for the donation of door prizes:  

Joanne Patti 

Ron Horn & Pretzel City Sports 

Fleet Feet 

Victor Emmanuel 

Larry Drogo

Joy & Space (Yuriko Beaman)

Alecia Bradley

Janine Biedler

Giant Food Markets 

Sloan Manheim Pharmacy

Chic Fil’a

Kenzie Pantoja

Tiffany Pantoja

Georgine McCool

THANK YOU to our sponsor:  

Dieffenbach’s

Please contact Sue Jackson at shiverdirector@pagodapacers.com if any door prize donors were missed.

If anyone has any comments, concerns, or questions concerning the series, please feel to contact one of the race directors. We do value your input, and we do read the surveys, making modifications when possible.   

Once again, thanks for all of the Pacer support, both runners and volunteers!!!!!!!!!   We hope to see all of you next year.

Sue, Georgine & Tiffany  

Draft Minutes from the March 2024 General Membership Meeting

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Pagoda Pacer A.C. Monthly Membership Meeting

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Mohnton Fire Company 

Steven Vida presided

Mihai Sanchez recorded minutes

20 members in attendance 

Call to order at 7:05 p.m.

Minutes from February meeting were accepted

REPORTS

Treasurer Report was given by Steven Vida in place of Shaun Luther. Account balances are 134% of current target. A spending plan for 2024 was presented.

Shiver by the River race report was given by Sue Jackson. Overall, the series was a success, but some minor changes are in the works for next year.

Run for the Ages race report was given by Donna Hey. Donna will step down after this year, and Blair Hogg may need a co-director. Members who are interested should contact Blair or Donna.

Oley Country Classic race report was given by Steven Vida, in place of Lenny Burton. This year’s race will be on Sunday, November 3, at Oley Valley High School.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS

Matt Brophy moved to form a mixed-gender Pagoda Pacers Softball Team and register it with Heyday Athletic’s new “West Reading / Lehigh Valley” Spring league. The motion was approved after discussion.

Meeting adjourned at 7:43pm.

Race Results (March ’24)

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Want to see your race results in the next newsletter?

Email your race results to Amy Bird at ruseenamy@gmail.com.

Chambersburg Half Marathon

1:48:09Nicholas DiMascio1st M 65-69

Shiver by the River 5k (Race #4 of 4)

18:41Charlie Fries
20:04Ray Ingaglio
22:34Sheri Golembiewski
23:19Steve Vida
26:02Janine Beidler
28:06Peter Schlegel
20:01Joanne Patti
30:35Joanne Beard
30:45Yuriko Beaman
32:26Larry Drogo
32:40Blair Beard
32:48Dianne Showers
33:29Aaron Kreider
36:19Julia Hager
37:00Scott Scheidt
41:13Rick Showers
44:47Barbara Raifsnider
49:03Jerrold Atwell

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

38:46Curt Minich
51:24Elaine Cook
52:35Matthew Brophy
54:56Andrea Adam
55:36Kevin Monaghan
58:50Jonathan Foley
59:34Michelle Foley
1:04:33Tony Agentowicz
1:04:46Kristen Rothenberger
1:04:52Ellie Alderfer
1:05:11Donna Hey

Shiver by the River Series Final

Andrea Adam4th F 40-44
Sheri Golembiewski2nd F 45-49
Julia Hager2nd F 50-54
Elaine Cook2nd F 55-59
Joanne Patti3rd F 65-69
Joan Koch1st F 70-74
Janine BiedlerOverall Master F Clyde
Donna Hey2nd F Clyde
Mihai SanchezOverall 3rd M
Charlie FriesOverall Master M
Matt Brophy3rd M 40-44
Brent Sparks2nd M 45-49
Steven Vida2nd M 50-54
Curt Minich2nd M 55-59

Garden Spot Village 10k

1:34:12Rose Hagy1st F 75-79
1:36:13Bruce Cronrath

Garden Spot Village Half Marathon

1:51:55Emily Trudel
2:04:42Lisa Domeshek
2:09:46Jenn Guigley

Quarter Wit Half a Half Trail Race (6.55 mi)

51:25Charlie Fries1st M 40-49
2:43:26Evette Vega

Half Wit Half Marathon Trail Race (13.1 mi)

2:04:44Kelly Ammon2nd F Overall
2:07:56Chris Fisher

Long Runs on 4/14 AND 4/20!

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The Long Run Committee has decided to double its efforts!

Moving forward, our goal will be to offer 2 group long runs per month–one that is local (somewhere in Berks County), and one that is more “exotic” (someplace a bit further away that we don’t get to often).

Here’s what’s coming up for April:

Sunday, April 14, 8:30 a.m.: Meet at the Shed Road trailhead for a 10-mile loop around French Creek State Park!

…and then…just 6 days later…

Saturday, April 20, 9:30 a.m.: Meet at the Hawk Rock Parking Area in Duncannon, PA for a tough, rocky, technical 10-miler on the “Susquehanna Half Pipe.” We’re also planning to get lunch and some beers at Pizza Boy Brewing after!

Wednesday Night Runs (April ’24 locations)

by pagodapacers

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!)

April 3: Shillington Park — Post-run to follow at Paolo’s

April 10: Wyomissing Quarry Soccer Fields — Post-run to follow at Schaylor

April 17: Trout Run — Post-run to follow at Liberty Tap Room

April 24: Blue Marsh, Justa Rd Trailhead — Post-run to follow at Ganly’s

All runs start at 6:15 p.m

This is the end of the April ’24 Newsletter.

Letter from the President (March, 2024)

by pagodapacers

The Wednesday Night Runs have always been one of my favorite Pacer activities, and I don’t miss many of them. On the last Wednesday in February, I was looking at the weather forecast (rain with 20 mph winds), and my wife said, “You know, you don’t have to go.” Haha. She was (half) joking – she knows I’m drawn to the worst weather conditions. I think they offer extra running satisfaction.

Rain usually lowers turnout for WNR, but 20 people came out that night! The wind and rain weren’t bad at the start, and we had a normal, chatty good time. But near the end, we were finally hit with a 3-minute downpour that I can only describe as exhilarating. No one around me sounded too miserable about it either. The mood boost carried over to the post-run refueling – it felt like we won something.

I can’t promise running nirvana every Wednesday. But the next time you’re on the fence about WNR, just show up. No one ever finishes a run and says, “I wish I hadn’t done that.”

At the March membership meeting we will review our spending plan for 2024. It looks a lot like 2023 spending, but come and have a look and ask questions about the details. If you want to get something on the meeting agenda, please email me or see me before the meeting begins.

Steve

president@pagodapacers.com

Ps.

The March Membership Meeting will take place on Thursday, March 14, at the Mohnton Fire Company Social Quarters. All members are welcomed to attend. Food will be served at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 7 p.m. The meeting is upstairs. Enter the front door and the stairs are on your left. No need to ring the buzzer for entry. Please let us know if you will attend, so we can plan for food. We submit a headcount on the Tuesday before the meeting. You can mark yourself “going” to the FB event, comment on the event, or contact president@pagodapacers.com.

Next Pacer Long Run: Saturday, March 16

by pagodapacers

The next Pagoda Pacer Long Run will take place on Saturday, March 16, at 9:30 a.m. The run will begin and end at Charlie Crowell’s residence (151 Alleghenyville Rd, Mohnton). The course will be an out-and-back run on the Horse-Shoe Trail. Run out for an hour (or as long as you want), and then turn around and head back! Like Dorothy, just follow the yellow-blazed trail!

Post-run refueling to follow at Stampede Barbecue on Morgantown Rd!

This group run is also an official training run for the Charlie Horse Trail Half Marathon! Don’t miss it!!

Draft Minutes from the General Meeting (February 2024)

by pagodapacers

Pagoda Pacer A.C. Monthly Meeting

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Mohnton Fire Company 

Called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Steve Vida

35 people in attendance 

Agreed to agenda

Accepted minutes as corrected from the January 2024 meeting

Treasurer Report:

  • 140% on target
  • $2000 donation to Oley
  • $700 donation to Opportunity House for Grings Mill

Pacer Passports:

  • 2024 Passports are available
  • If physically unable to run a pacer race, there are alternatives available
    • Speak to Steve and Michelle
  • People responsible for signing at each event are listed on the passport
  • One week grace period to sign the passport after the event date 

Race Director(s) Report: 

Shiver by the River:

  • Could use more volunteers
  • Thank you to the volunteers
  • If you are debating whether you should volunteer or race, RACE!!!!

Race Donation Policy:

Georgine moved that the club adopt a default policy such that when a club race benefits a charity, the race profits will be split 51% to the club and 49% to the charity.  The motion was adopted after debate.

Announcements:

Race Mates:

  • Working with I AM Able Foundation
  • March 16, 2024 is the I AM Able Bash at the Plex at Alvernia
  • Track Event

Meeting adjourned by Steve Vida at 7:44 p.m.