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THE PAGODA PACERS A.C. PRESENTS A CHALLENGING CHANCE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY CHUCKLE, CHASE AND CHAFFE; THE 19TH ANNUAL
MT. PENN MUDFEST
15k Trail Run, Sat, March 30, 2013(day before Easter)
10 AM-Reading, PA-Limited to First 800 Entries
"ONE OF TOP 10 TRAIL RACES NEW TRAIL RUNNERS MUST DO"- Oct/10 Issue: Runner's World
“ONE OF THE 5 U.S. TRAIL RACES YOU MUST DO”- Nov/00 Issue: Runner's World
“ONE OF THE TOP 21 TRAILS RACES IN THE U.S.”- Oct/98 Issue: Runner’s World
“ONE OF THE TOP 6 TRAIL RACES IN THE U.S."- Fall/98 Issue: Men’s Journal
“BASED ON APPLE MAPS, ONLY 2013 RACE ON KLINGON"-Aug/12 Issue: Techies & Trekkies Weekly
A Pagoda Pacer Event- entry thru www.pretzelcitysports.com ONLY
No Race Day Entry/No Waiting List/No Bribery (unless it involves candy, massages or Eagle tickets)
Race Held in Memory of Fellow Pacer & Race Co-Director Bill Bradley
Unidentified perpetrators (probably the Taliban) seem to be stealthily initiating a full frontal assault on many of the things that make us "well rounded" Americans. For example, with Tastykake’s move to the South, the price per pack went UP a good 80%+ while the size of a Tandy Take went DOWN at the same time; an unanticipated but highly effective way for the Confederacy to finally get revenge some 147 years later. In addition, due to the bankruptcy of Hostess, our children face the definite possibility of a life without Twinkies, Ho Ho’s and Ding Dongs. And it doesn’t end there! You may have noticed that the number of Girl Scout cookies in a box has almost diminished to the number of weeks that most girls actually STAY in Girl Scouts. And the average size of an M & M has been reduced to almost that of a gnat's nuts. Fortunately, this same “diminishing” of things that make you salivate has NOT impacted something else that makes you salivate; the Mt Penn Mudfest 15k Trail Run. It has weathered the "altering" forces very well over the years and remains one of the top 5 largest trail runs in the Western Hemisphere. Were some water crossings eliminated from the 2011 course? Yes! But new ones were added in 2012. Were some gnarly trails removed from that same course? Yes! But FORTUNATELY, we have a TON of gnarly trails here in Reading and the chance of you finishing without a bruise or two remains either “slim” or “none” The main thing is that, like the products mentioned above, the “core” elements of OUR product still remain; the highly prized pig-themed awards that go 5-7 deep in most cases, the pig-themed door prizes & tech shirts, the stuffed pig blasted into space to start the race, the post race spread where you can pig out on both hot and cold food or the "hams" that man the course/unique aide stations in the race, the Easter eggs hidden on trail that earn you a door prize, the chance to carry a raw egg & win Godiva chocolate, the creative means of recognizing Clydesdales and Clydettes (those that have eaten the items mentioned above a bit more than others) or even the barely-live band that plays there each year? And for that very reason, despite a few adjustments to our formula over the years (but certainly nothing like the magnitude of “New Coke”), runners from 20-25 states set their sites on coming to Reading, PA each year on Easter Saturday and they gobble up the 800 spots available for the event at least 6-8 weeks before race day, just as they have done for the last 14 years. Enter today or run the risk that it will close without you being a part of this great trail "institution". Legal Schmegal: YOU RACE AT YOUR OWN RISK, you alone are responsible for your well being while here! The course will have more marks on it than Kat Von D but if you are so directionally challenged that you STILL get lost, find your way back to the start before the leaves begin to change color. Same goes with injuries. Our EMS's will be there but they'd rather stand near the hot chocolate machine than leave it to drag your corpse out of the woods, so it is your responsibility to drag all your body parts, attached or unattached, to an aide station or road crossing so we can bring you in. This race can be a tuffy at places so entry is closed to 1) runners below 18 (can be 16 or 17 IF a parent or guardian is present-no proof and you're screwed 2) anyone who eats prunes because they actually like them and 3) anyone not amazed that Brittany Spears earned 58 million in 2012, with no identifiable talent whatsoever. WALKERS-NOTE! While we respect your desire to see the course, we can’t ask staff to stay at their posts for 30 extra minutes for the benefit of only 2-3. Entrants should run at least half the course, at worst. Folks getting to the 6.5M aide station after 2 hrs may be asked to end their run at that point (is less than 50 ft from finish).
Awards:
Much-sought-after pig adorned awards to overall M/F 1st thru 3rd and Masters M/F winners plus:
18-29: 7M, 5F 30-39: 7M, 5F 40-49: 7M, 5F 50-59: 7M, 5F 60-69: 5M, 3F 70+: 2M, 1 F
Also, Both Open Clydesdales/Clydettes & Master Clydesdales/Clydettes (40 & over) Awards: 1-5th Male & 1-3rd Female in both (not eligible for age group awards). Men: your weight (in lbs.) divided by your height (in inches) must be at least 2.7 lbs./inch. Women: same formula but your “min” is 2.15 lbs./inch. This method stops the "buff but big's" from taking these awards from the more "StayPuff Marshmallow-like" entries. Sign up is on race day only, honor system but know your weight.
Registration/Packet Pickup: Race starts at 10 A.M at Rotary Park, List Rd., just off Angora Rd. (near the Pagoda) in Reading (MAPQUEST: Use intersect of Angora and List Rds. GPS-AHOLICS: closest home-4 List Rd, Reading, PA 19606). All packet pickup occurs that morning and pickup opens at 8:30. NO RACE DAY ENTRY! NO WAITING LIST! MUST REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.PRETZELCITYSPORTS.COM ; OPENS JAN 1, 2013 at 12:01 AM & CLOSES WHEN WE REACH 800 RUNNERS OR BY MIDNIGHT, MARCH 18TH, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST (check pretzelcitysports.com home page regularly to see if limit was reached). If you view the Internet with the same disdain as an ex-spouse with a court order in their hand or a Lindsay Lohan film, call 610-779-2668 for another way to sign up.
Fee: $35 if entered by midnight, 2/27/13, $40 after that until midnight 3/18 or when we hit 800 entries; whichever happens first (NOTE!!-race closed 4 weeks early in 2012 and 6 weeks early in 2011). Entry fee refunded (but not service charge) if canceling by 3/11/13, no refund after that. Any substitute you arrange by 3/25 is OK, PROVIDING THAT YOU NOTIFY THE RACE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW PERSON'S COMPLETE INFO BY 3/25 AS WELL; ($$$ exchanged is between you & the sub you find & they may be stuck with your shirt “size” & “type”). NO RACE DAY SUBBING-IT SCREWS UP OUR RESULTS! Staff may ask for ID to stop day-of subs. Substitutions or requests for refunds after above cutoffs will be ignored much like the Romney campaign ignored moderate and liberal Republicans, minority groups, women, gays, blue collar workers, etc. No “carry overs” to following year; too cumbersome to track.
Your Goodies? NICE TECH SHIRTS!! No ads on shirt, just the famous “running pig” logo, finisher awards for all, snack bar, hot & cold food, 3-4 water stops, medical help on site, nearby parking, on-trail surprises, results on pagodapacers.com about 24-48 hrs & a course where your friends can tell you how bad you look twice without leaving the assembly area (4 times if we count the start & finish)(sorry, no showers). Race is “on” in any kind of weather; NO MAILED SHIRTS OR AWARDS!! NOTE: Rotary Park strictly forbids alcohol, pets, bikes and bratty kids. If you must bring them, please have a tight leash around their necks and muzzle them if needed, especially the kids. And if the Rotary folks ask you to put them back in the car, please comply without any objection, lest we lose this site for future Mudfests.
Directions: FROM PHILLY: DO NOT USE ANY DIRECTIONS THAT INCLUDE THE TURNPIKE, won’t work with these directions: Go to King of Prussia, take 202 S & pick up Rt 422 W from the onramp toward Pottstown; take it past Pottstown to Reading . When you see Target and Giant on your right side, bear right onto Bus Rt. 422W (Mt Penn). **Go 1-2 miles until you pass a Subway & then Arners Restaurant on your right (bright red roof). JUST PAST ARNERS, go right onto Glen Rd (road sign missing, just before start of bridge). When Glen ends, left onto Hill Rd. Take a right past the Park on the right (home of many Pretzel City events) onto Angora Rd. Stay on Angora (stay to right at all time) until your 1st 4-way intersect: List Rd. Go right on List, take 2nd gate on right (Rotary Field; sign is on left).
FROM LANCASTER: Take Rt. 222 N. to Reading, **After passing Mall on left, bear right onto Rt. 422 East toward Pottstown (is also Rt. 222S). Stay on Rt. 422E past Lancaster Ave exit and Rt. 176 South exit until the Mt Penn Exit. Take the exit, go left at the top of ramp. Go to the 3rd light, take left onto Bus Rt. 422W and follow Philly instructs above after the **.
FROM ALLENTOWN: Bus. Rt. 222 S toward Reading (DON’T take new Reading bypass) Go 2 miles thru shopping areas. 200 yards past Pizza Hut & a Loews, go left onto Rt 12 (old Rdg Bypass). Take 2nd exit; Spring Valley Rd. Go right at end of exit. Take 2nd left (past Crab Barn) up Reading’s unique McKnights Gap Rd. Go straight thru stop sign at top to next stop sign 25 yds ahead. Take left and then an immediate hard right up Skyline Dr. Take 1st left on that hill onto List Rd. At next intersect (List & Angola), go straight across; Rotary Park is 2nd gate on right, (sign is on the left).
FROM LEBANON OR COAL REGION: Leb: Take 422 east and follow Lancaster directions above after ** Coal Region: take Rt 61S or Rt 183S to Rt 222S, take RT 222S to 422E, follow Lancaster directions above after **.
FROM GEORGIA, N.C, VIR., ETC: Go north, bear right. FROM VT, NH, MASS, CONN, ETC: Go south, bear right.
Questions? Concerns? Jokes? Contact Primary Porker Ron Horn at rhornpcs@aol.com or at 610-779-2668
App also viewable on www.pagodapacers.com and www.pretzelcitysports.com
Insurance Provided By Road Runner Clubs of America
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