Tag: Races

Time to Pass the Torch

by pagodapacers

by Tom Chobot

Gwyn and I have been members of the club for roughly 35 years. During that time, we have run and/or been involved in countless club races and club functions, and cherish every memory of every one of them. Moreover, the Pacers have become a second family to us, as we have been blessed to have formed a boatload of close friendships which, in our hearts, are indeed considered family. When we retired three years ago, we moved into the home where I grew up in Susquehanna County in Northeast PA. It was a shock at first, as we started with only a small handful of folks whom we knew here. However, little by little, we began getting involved in the local community, including establishing a kids’ fun run at a local community fair, starting a run/jog/walk club, and volunteer coaching with the local high school cross-country team. This brings us to the point of this article. It’s time to start cutting our ties with our Berks County involvements – a very difficult decision indeed. 

In 2009, Phil Lechner, Gwyn, and I approached the club with the idea of hosting an all-county junior high cross-country meet which would mimic the Berks high school XC championship meet. The club instantly embraced the idea, and has continuously supported the race ever since. Additionally, Gwyn and I began to co-direct the high school championship race in 2014 and have approached the club for volunteers each year since, and the club has always come through. 

This year will be our last for both. Most likely, Phil will take over the junior high race, and he will need lots of help. I plead to the club to continue this race as an official club event, and I wish to emphasize the importance of this event with respect to the future of our sport in the Berks area. Nearly every Berks County cross-country runner over the last 16 years has participated, averaging 200 runners each year. In terms of community service, this event has arguably given the club the greatest return on investment over that time frame. 

The BCIAA will be looking for directors and volunteers as well for the high school race. Might be something to consider. 

Letting go of these races is no easier than watching your child leave for college or the military, but when it’s time, it’s time. We will be asking for volunteers once more this year for October 14th at Kutztown U. and October 18th at the Reading Fairgrounds (email me at chobot7957@msn.com if you’re interested), and we hope to see many of you when we volunteer at Blues Cruise. As always, we wish our Pacer family all the best.

Registration Is Open for the ’25-’26 Shiver Series!

by pagodapacers

Online registration for the 25-26 Shiver by the River series is open and can be found at Pretzel City Sports!    

As always, pre-registration is only for the series. We have day-of registration for the individual races. 

Dates:  2nd Sunday:  Dec 14th, Jan 11th, Feb 8th, March 8th

Time:  10:00 am; Registration opens at 8:30

Location:  Jim Dietrich Park, Muhlenberg Twp.

Come out and join us for the best winter series in the area!! If you have never run a Shiver race, or if it’s been a few years, this is a great reason for running through the winter, not to mention seeing runners you haven’t seen for years! If you are one of the many runners we see year after year, we look forward to seeing you again.  

Once again, we are not mailing apps!  However, we will accept mail-in registrations.  Apps can be printed by CLICKING HERE, or you can pick one up at any of the many races timed by Pretzel City Sports. We plan to also have copies at our monthly meetings 

This year’s swag is a running waist belt.  

Each race includes a post-race buffet of soup, pretzels, and snacks. The end-of-year party includes a hot and cold buffet, plus lots and lots of door prizes; overall awards and 5-year age group awards. As always, this buffet is free to any runner who registers for the series or runs at least 3 races. (There is a nominal charge for all others.)

Come out and join us for our 36th season!!!!!!

Race Directors,

Sue Jackson, Georgine McCool, Tiffany Pantoja

Time to Register for the Oley Valley Country Classic on 11/2/25

by pagodapacers

This year’s Oley Valley Country Classic will be held on Sunday, November 2nd at the Oley Valley High School (17 Jefferson Street Oley PA). The 10-miler will go out at 9AM and the 6k run/walk around 9:05AM. Don’t forget that this is the 1st day after Daylight Saving Time ends, so you’ve got an extra hour to sleep in before coming out. As many of you now know, this year we are honoring and remembering the original and longtime OVCC Race Director Barry Goodhart who passed away this past winter.  

Course distances are 10 miles and, new this year, 6K! Both races will start and finish in front of the high school. Given the usually perfect early November running weather, this is a great opportunity to work toward your 10-mile PR or PR a new distance (it’s only 1 more K). If you’re planning for a late fall marathon, the 10-miler course is a perfect way to tune up. If you’re looking for a nice Sunday morning long/short run or country walk, this event is just for you. Getting ready for the Shiver 5K/10K series or Kris Kringle 5-miler, the 6K is a great place to mark a baseline pace. Both courses are set in the picturesque Oley Valley where the leaves can still be near peak color, which makes for a beautiful late fall run. Click here for the 10-miler  course map, or click here for the 6K course map. (Note that these are estimates, as we’re still tweaking the finish.) 

Registration/Cost: The mail-in print application is on Pretzel City Sports here and on-line registration is here via RunSignUp. Fees are $40 for the 10-miler and $35 for the 6K if completed/received/postmarked before October 17th with shirt guarantee (afterwards will be  $45/$40 with no shirt guarantee). Online registration closes on October 31st, but day-of-race registration will be available. 

SWAG

This year’s swag is a long-sleeved shirt like previous years, but now with a hood!!! AND it’s available in both men’s and women’s sizes!!!! Additionally, instead of the usual hex sign, this year’s logo pays tribute to Barry.  

AWARDS: 5-year age groups (including 80+) are available in both the men’s/women’s categories of each race, and the 6K has added an under-14 category. Also, the 10-miler is an RRCA Eastern Regional Championship, so there’s a chance of double awards for some people. 

Post Race Spread: There will be complementary light fare consisting of Philly soft pretzels / bagels / bananas / water. Also, Munchiez and Fresh Frenchy’s food trucks will be on site for those who want to purchase additional food. 

Course Build-up Runs & Preview: Starting this month, we will be having regular build-up runs on the course for anyone who’s run a 5K/10K and is interested in building up to the 10-mile distance. These will take place both Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, with the first couple of weeks shown below. (Follow the Pagoda Pacers Facebook Discussion Group for updates & course routes). We’ll meet in front of the Oley Valley High School gymnasium.  

Wednesday, September 3rd 6PM 3.5 miles 

Saturday, September 6th 8AM 3.5 miles 

Wednesday, September 10th 6PM 4.4 miles 

Saturday, September 13th 8AM 4.4 miles

20th Anniversary Blues Cruise Just a Month Away!

by pagodapacers

The 20th anniversary of the Blues Cruise Ultra is October 5, 2025!

This event features both the classic 50k solo race and the newer 50k relay option!

Lots has been going on at race headquarters! By the time you read this, we will have over 200 runners registered for the 50K, plus at least 12 relay teams! 

As always, we are in need of lots of help. Volunteers are needed for trail maintenance the week before the race, and for course marking on October 4th. There are lots of opportunities to help out from 6am-6 pm on race day, including post-race cleanup and pre-race course check. While some volunteers devote their whole day to helping out, shifts are available for those who can only spare a couple hours! Please log onto UltraSignUp and click the VOLUNTEER Tab and pick the assignments that interest you: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=123699 

If volunteering for an aid station, please put your preference in the comments (or Elaine can place you where there is a need).  Any questions, please contact Elaine Cook directly: bluescruiserd@gmail.com. 

Registration Is Open for the Kris Kringle (12/28/25)!

by pagodapacers

The Pagoda Pacers Athletic Club is happy to invite you to the 39th annual Kris Kringle 5-Mile Run!

Looking to squeeze one last fun event in over the Christmas break? This race is always a family favorite, with proceeds benefiting the Berks County Cross Country Coaches Association. So grab your friends & family and close out 2025 with us!

Course: The course features a mix of road and easy trail sections through Blue Marsh and the Union Canal Trail. We’ll be running clockwise this year. Strollers and walkers are welcome. Dogs are not permitted at this event. 

Registration Fees: ALL registration fees are RACE ONLY 

  • $25 per runner through November 27th, 2025
  • $30 per runner from November 28th to December 15, 2025 at midnight
  • Day-of registration: $30 (hoodies will NOT be available for purchase)
  • ONLINE REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON DECEMBER 15th at 11:59PM EST

Option to add a hoodie for an additional cost during checkout.

Hoodies: 

  • This year’s hoodie color will be revealed in August
  • Hoodies are not included with the race registration cost but can be added to your order during the checkout process for $22 until November 27th, 2025
  • Deadline to order: November 27th, 2025
  • Must be picked up at the race; no holds. No additional hoodies will be sold at the event.

Race Day Info:

  • Registration: 8:30 AM  |  Race Start: 10:00 AM
  • Same-day registration will be available at $30 per runner (no hoodie option)
  • Leave your doggy pals at home, please. No dogs permitted at this event. 

Awards:

  • Overall: Top 2 male and female (not eligible for age group awards)
  • Age Groups: Top 3 male and female in 5-year brackets from U14 to 80, plus a 80+ category

Weather: In case of inclement weather on race day, updates will be sent to the email address used for registration. 

Keep up with the latest updates and race fun by joining our Facebook Group: Kris Kringle 5 Mile Run

Register now!

Run for the Ages Is on Father’s Day (6/15/25) This Year!

by pagodapacers

Race directors Blair Hogg and Kristen Rothenberger would like to invite you to make your way to beautiful Nolde Forest this Father’s Day in order to race or volunteer at the club’s unique “age-graded” 10k trail chase! You can also do both!!

The race will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 15 at Nolde Forest (2910 New Holland Road, Reading, PA).

You can register and/or sign up to volunteer via UltraSignup. Click the button below to do it now!

Register or volunteer

race info:

The Pagoda Pacers Athletic Club is excited to present of one of very few trail races on the East Coast with an age-graded start. Race directors Blair Hogg and Kristen Rothenberger are experienced trail and ultra runners and long-time members of the Pagoda Pacers.

Top age group performers have a legitimate shot at the overall title. Even if you aren’t out to win, you can enjoy a challenging yet very runnable trails in beautiful Nolde Forest with virtually no bottlenecks. Challenge your families, friends and coworkers to come out and compete on a “level” playing field. The top 10 overall finishers in recent years have been a good mix of men and women in many different age groups.

What’s an age graded start? Those who have more than a few gray hairs or have yet to hit puberty will get a head start based on age and gender. Typically, the oldest female wave starts first. Then, each following wave will start, based on 5-year age groups, working back toward the younger (faster?) folks. Wave starts bounce back and forth between sexes, as the handicap derived from the World Masters Association dictates. The youngest runners also get a head start. The actual handicap for each age division is posted at https://pagodapacers.com/Pacers.quarternotesys.com/media/Race-Apps/RFTA-2019-Head-Start-by-Age-Group.pdf.

More information about the race:

The top ten overall finishers, regardless of sex or age, plus the fastest uncorrected time, earn awards specially crafted by Nolde Forest Pottery. If participation numbers merit, medals are awarded to two fastest M and F in the following age groups: 12 & under, 13-15, 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75+ Gift Certificates from Fleet Feet (West Reading) for overall top three $50/$30/$20. Team Award for any group of 3 or more (you define family). Extra award to top Berks County XC runner.

REGISTRATION/ENTRY: Race-day registration will be available if race limit of 250 entries is not reached. Race fee is $35 with swag / $30 without until June 7, 2025, $35 after that until race day or capacity is reached, swag not included. We race in rain or other inclement weather. Race director reserves the right to delay the start of the race due to mega foul weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Check http://www.pagodapacers.com scroll bar for postponement info if weather is hurricane-like race day. Award ceremony held at 10 am.

YOU GET: Two water stops, finish place posted immediately & results on Pretzel City Sports, UltraSignUp, and http://www.pagodapacers.com in 1-2 days. Swag will be determined, please follow our Facebook page for updates!

COURSE: A well-marked 10K course over the beautiful trails in Nolde forest. VERY pretty and scenic, with fewer ankle busting rocks than most other Berks parks. You’ll scramble over some rocks and go off trail to get dirty, too. The race will start in front of the Environmental Education Building and head directly into the forest after minimal time on pavement. Most trails are wide enough for easy passing. The finish will be right near the start by the Nolde Mansion. A map of the course is on the Pagoda Pacer website and will be available before the race.

LOCATION: Race held in Nolde Forest, Cumru Township, Berks County, PA, just south of Reading, PA. The race will start and end near the Nolde Mansion. Note: Enter via Main Entrance, NOT the Sawmill Parking Lot!!

DIRECTIONS: 6 miles south of Reading, on PA Rt. 625 (New Holland Rd). 2 miles south of PA 724 and 3 miles North of PA 568. Address: Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center, 2910 New Holland Rd Reading, PA 19607

PARKING: Parking near the mansion is extremely limited. Please, please, please carpool and get there early! We will have volunteers directing you where to park to use every available space. Please follow their directions.

IMPORTANT NOTES: The Pagoda Pacers strongly discourage the use of headphones during any race. Also, parents: If your child is under 18 and wishes to run, you MUST be present for the duration of the race. You may also run (we encourage it!). In the unlikely event your child gets hurt, medical personnel can ONLY treat him/her with your permission. As this is a PA state facility, alcohol is prohibited. Follow our Facebook page for additional information at https://www.facebook.com/RunForTheAges

Triple Trail Challenge

This race is race #2 in both the Triple Trail Challenge and the Triple Trail Starter Kit. If you ran the Charlie Horse Half Marathon or the Dirty Pony 5k, this race is your next step to completing the challenge and earning your special swag!

Charlie Horse / Dirty Pony 2025 Recap

by pagodapacers

We’ve had a lot of rain this spring, but the forecast was on our side for the 28th running of Charlie Horse Trail Half-Marathon and Dirty Pony 5k that took place on May 25th. The weather was great for runners and spectators alike, and everyone stayed dry–until the last 3 miles of the course. (Or, for the Dirty Pony runners, until shortly after they started running, but hey, it’s called the DIRTY Pony for a reason!)

For the Charlie Horse, we had 117 registered runners, and 46 brave souls signed up for the Dirty Pony. With as much rain as we’ve had, the race directors considered providing life preservers and pool floaties for Charlie’s infamous section, but everyone made it through without issue and all who toed the line made it to the finish. 

In the half, Alicia Keeler secured the top spot for women and Raymond Stoltzfus took first place for men. The top finishers for Dirty Pony crossed the line seconds apart with Heidi Bretz taking first place for women and David Goss for men. There were also quite a few people who ran their first official race, achieved distance PRs, or snagged personal bests for the day. Great job runners! 

On behalf of my co-race directors, Shaun and Libby, I’d like to thank everyone who came out to support the race and the Special Olympics of Berks County. Whether you ran, cheered, or volunteered, we really could not have done it without the help of our Pacer community. 

Important note: anyone who completed the Charlie Horse Half is one-third of the way through the Triple Trail Challenge and currently eligible to receive the awesome extra swag! Don’t miss out! Sign up for Run for the Ages 10k (June 15, 2025) to complete the next race in the series. Anyone who completed the Dirty Pony is one-third of the way through the Triple Trail Starter Pack, and Run for the Ages 10k is your next step in completing the challenge, too!

See you on the trails! 

Kelly

Charlie Horse and Dirty Pony Coming Up on 5/25/25!

by pagodapacers

April showers bring May flowers, and what do May flowers bring?? The Charlie Horse Trail Half Marathon and Dirty Pony 5k! 

That’s right, May means your favorite Pagoda Pacer trail half-marathon is right around the corner on May 25th!

What makes Charlie Horse such a great race? It features scenic sections of single-track along the Horse-Shoe Trail–a fun challenge if you want to push your legs this spring, but less intimidating than those crazy long ultras! 

Not sure if you’re up for 13(ish) miles of trail running? No worries–we’ve got you covered with the Dirty Pony 5k! I promise you, the Dirty Pony 5k is unlike any race you’ve run before, and while you might not run away with a PR, you’re almost guaranteed to walk away with a great story. (And maybe some mud.) 

😉

If trails just aren’t your thing, but you still want to have fun with your favorite Pagoda Pacers, we’d love to see you out there volunteering. (Or do BOTH! Just pick an early/late volunteer spot that won’t interfere with your race.) As many of you know, it takes a lot of manpower to put on a race, and we can’t do it without the support of awesome people like you.

Head to Ultrasignup to register for the race and/or sign up to volunteer. Hope to see you there! 

REGISTER

Happy trails from your Race Directors,

Shaun, Libby, and Kelly  

P.S. This is the first race of the popular Pagoda Pacer Triple Trail Challenge. (And new this year: Triple Trail Starter Pack!) Don’t miss out….

35th Shiver by the River Recap

by pagodapacers

The 35th Shiver by the River is complete!!!! We had 854 finishers throughout the series, with 171 runners completing the series. In looking at all of the months, our fastest runners for the series were Glen Heck (16:13 5k at the Dec. race); Brittney Miller (20:06 5k at the Dec. race); Brendan Shearn  (33:20 10k at the Dec. race); and Brittney Miller (42:24 10k at the March race). We thank every runner and volunteer who joined us!

In March, we had 215 5k runners and 61 10k runners. Congratulations to the top 5k runners, Austin Strohl (17:20) and Ty Diaz-Cruz (20:16); and the top 10k runners, Jordan Slifka (36:50) and Brittney Miller (42:24).  

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 West Reading (705 Penn Ave), and can be picked up any time during normal business hours, until April 10th.

Special thanks to Elaine & Alan Cooke and Steve Maguire who brought the Pacer trailer to the races. This is such a huge help!!! 

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!!!!!!!  

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

Joanne Patti 

Fleet Feet 

Victor Emmanuel 

Brittney Miller

Andrea Adam

Alecia Bradley

Janine Biedler

Nate Pantoja

Tiffany Pantoja

Justin Kershner

Amy Hamilton

Isaac’s Restaurant

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.   

We have already begun preparations for next year. Jim Dietrich park is reserved for the 2nd Sunday in Dec, Jan, Feb and March; and Temple Fire Co is reserved for the 2nd Sunday in March. We’ve started conversations about swag for next year. We hope to see everyone next year–bring a friend!!!!!!!

Sue, Georgine, & Tiffany

Final Shiver and Banquet for ’24-’25 Series Set for Sunday, 3/9/25

by pagodapacers

Thank you to the 87 5k runners, 52 10k runners, and the many volunteers who helped us have another successful Shiver by the River on February 16th. Admittedly, it was one of our smaller races, but after postponing a week, and then the rain, we are thankful for each and every one of you who participated. To those who did race, you most likely got a low number of points to count towards end-of-year awards.  

Congratulations to the top M/F 5k runners: Alex Epler (18:03) and Ty Diaz-Cruz (21:05); and to the top 10k M/F runners: Tim Hartung (36:38) and Brittney Miller (43:22). 

Thank you to ALL the runners and volunteers who continue to support us!!!!!!

Shiver#4 will be held on March 9th.   Take note – this is the beginning of Daylight Saving Time!!!  

As always, we need more volunteers for this race. Specifically, we need 3 or 4 people willing to take results off of the board, so that the race directors can calculate results as soon as possible. We also need the usual help with parking, registration, on the road, at the finish line, cleaning up, at the water stop, and within the house serving soup. Anyone helping with registration should plan to arrive at Jim Dietrich Park between 8:15 & 8:30; anyone helping during the race should plan to arrive by 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 via Facebook or Instagram or gmmccool56@comcast.net.   

However, for as much as we need volunteers, we would really like to see more Pacers RUN THE RACE!!!!   

The awards ceremony will be held immediately after the race, at the Temple Fire Company, 4963 Kutztown Rd, which is about 3 miles from Jim Dietrich Park. This is the same location as the last couple of years.

We are looking for more door prizes. If anyone can donate personally, or secure a door prize, please bring it to the race. Donations can be given directly to any of the race directors or dropped off at the front table where we are selling old swag, etc. It would be appreciated if you could let us know in advance if you will be able to donate. 

To be eligible to win a door prize, simply complete the survey at the awards banquet.  A cold buffet, including a hot vegetarian item, will be served starting around 11:00, followed by door prizes and then the awards. Due to the costs associated with the party, we will follow the guidelines we established a few years ago.   

The party is FREE to everyone who has either:

  1. Finished 3 or more races in this year’s series – please bring your race number from the 4th race to the party, it will be your ticket for free entry.  There will be a sticker on your bib, indicating your eligibility.  
  2. Assisted with any of the races.
  3. Paid for the series.  

We will be charging all others (including Pacers who do not fall into one of the above categories) a $13 fee to help cover some of our costs.

Remember, to help us maintain accurate results, DO NOT COMPLETE ANOTHER REGISTRATION FORM if you already ran this year. If you paid for the series, registration is in the front room of the house. If you are paying race-by-race, we have a number for you at the “Single Race Registration” table in the 2nd room. If you have not previously registered for the 2024-2025 series, registration is at a different table, also in the 2nd room.  

Thanks for all the support we have received! We hope to see many of you at the Shiver, either running or volunteering!!!!!

Sue, Georgine, and Tiffany