BEST WISHES FOR A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL LOW AQI EVENT... ... to all Gators and Jr. Gators who are runwaying, rocking, riding, escaping, or otherwise competing this weekend! We seem to be headed for clearer skies just in time for the 40 event starts on our calendar planned for tonight through Sunday! They'll be making appearances in 11 events taking place in Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, New Jersey, and California! Before we get to our start list, here are a few notes and our weekend workout schedule... Mark your calendars: Sunday, July 16, late afternoon/early evening - Prime Rib Party: It's time for us to celebrate Keith Ho's amazing recovery as well as all of your accomplishments in the Gators Surf & Turf Club! To get an invite to the party, all that you need to do is achieve AND log at least one Surf & Turf club badge. So how do you do that?... Gators Surf & Turf Club Badge logging: Log your accomplishment any time you earn a new badge (or baked potato topping). To date we have 105 badges and toppings claimed! Here's the post where you can check off your accomplishments... https://www.facebook.com/.../msgators/posts/2243028729215220 Weekend Workouts: We have three workout options (and three opportunities to earn a badge!) over the weekend... • Saturday 6/10, 8:30am, Keystone Running Store, 200 E. High St, Pottstown: Group run (earn the Shrimp Cocktail badge!)... https://www.facebook.com/groups/479291044416772 • Sunday 6/11, 8:00am, Steel City Coffeehouse, Phoenixville: RUNegades group run (earn the Porterhouse badge!)... https://www.facebook.com/groups/2270225076335823 • Sunday 6/11, 11:15am-12:15pm, Spring Valley YMCA indoor pool (earn the Filet Mignon badge!): Uncoached group swim Weekend Events: So, who's doing what? As always, if your name is missing from our best wishes list, PLEEEASE post a comment so that we can send Good Gator Vibes your way! Friday, June 9: • CLUB EVENT: RUNegades' RUNway Mile (Pottstown, PA): At least a half dozen of us will see how fast they can run a mile in what is traditionally the briefest running event on our club event calendar! Formerly known as the Saucony Mile and the Creative Health Mile, the format of the event is the same... Go that way for about a 1/2 mile, make a wide U turn, and come on back! There will be four waves starting with a youth race, then an elite race, and ending with male and female races. Keith Ho makes his miraculous return to action along with Katie Ho and they will be joined by Kristie Bruno (and her niece), Whitney Chadwick-Lessar (and her 4 daughters), Jennifer Gehret, and Don Mack. Go Gators! Saturday, June 10: • Million Dollar Bike Ride (Philadelphia): In this cycling event that raises funds and awareness for rare diseases such as CDKL5 (Avery Kozera) there will be three Gators riding including Kristin Kozera, Joe DeNicola, and Susan Flavin. Go Kristin, Joe, Susan, and Avery! 💚💙 • Laurel Highlands Ultra (Ohiopyle, PA): This limited entry field includes just 210 runners in the main event, a 70 mile run. The event also includes a 50K plus relays at both distances. Representing the Gators and continuing her build towards a 100 mile ultramarathon later this summer is our club running coach, Karen Dunn! Go Karen! • New York Mini 10K Women's Race (Central Park, NY): Angela Epelbaum heads to the Big Apple for her birthday weekend and Sara Dansbury will be joining her! Go Angela and Sara! • Tour de Lebanon Valley (Lebanon, PA): Fresh off of some serious riding in Killington, Vermont, Tim Truckley takes on the Metric Century, 100km (about 62 miles)! The event also features 26 and 33 mile routes plus a family ride. Go Tim! • Cincinnati Spartan Trifecta Weekend (Lawrenceburg, IN): In the first day of this weekend long event, Jon Crosby is back at it starting with the "Beast" that covers 21K (about a half marathon) and includes 30 obstacles along the way! Go Jon! Sunday, June 11: • Cincinnati Spartan Trifecta Weekend (Lawrenceburg, IN): In day 2, Jon Crosby returns to complete both the "Super" (10K and 25 obstacles) and the "Sprint" (5K and 20 obstacles)! In total Jon will encounter 75 obstacles on his way to 3 finish lines! Go Jon! • CLUB/SPONSOR EVENT: Scoogie Events' Kids Rock Spring Triathlon/Duathlon (Ambler, PA): We will be represented by our Jr. Gators and Gator Tots at the first of two Scoogie Events triathlons taking place over the next 3 months. Several will be completing their first triathlon! And our Gators tent and flags will be there along with many parents in support! At last count 13, close to 50%, of our youth Gators are participating including Sophie Fazekas in the duathlon and the following in the triathlon: Austen Fong, Rylee Gartner, Teigan Gartner, Giana Herbine, Juliana Kelecic, Kaitlyn Kelecic, Claire Sabatino, Nora Sabatino, Belle Stone, Lily Stone, Avery Swiech, and Paige Swiech (who will be celebrating her 10th birthday!)! Go Youth Gators! • SPONSOR EVENT: DelMo Elite Sports' Escape the Cape Triathlon (Cape May, NJ): On the adult side we'll also have a strong presence at this event with 5 Gators participating! First year Gator Jim Young will be making his leap into triathlon as a first time triathlete in the sprint event! And Seth Homan will be doing his first open water tri, also in the sprint event, following up on his first triathlon that he completed in May (Upper Dublin Tri). Joining Jim and Seth will be Holly Beauchamp, Joyce Williams, and Jens Sydor who will all be making their 2023 triathlon debuts in the Olympic distance event! Go Jim, Seth, Holly, Joyce, and Jens! • Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon (San Francisco): On Sunday we have athletes escaping on both coasts! In one of the most iconic triathlons on the planet, Christina Pitchford! This will be Christy's first event since the 2022 IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. The event features a 1.5 mile swim in frigid mid-50sF water from Alcatraz Island to the shores of the St. Francis Yacht Club, a grueling 18-mile bike ride, and a demanding 8-mile run through the trails of the Golden Gate Recreational Area. Go Christy! • French Creek Iron Tour (Kimberton, PA): We also have strong representation at another popular local cycling event with lots of hills throughout. The event features road courses of 11, 20, 32, 50, 62, 75, and 100 miles and gravel courses of 60-70 miles and 80-90 miles. We have 5 Gators participating including Joe DeNicola and Susan Flavin, who make it back-to-back cycling events; they will be riding the 50 mile course along with Maureen Hoffman. And taking on the 100 mile challenge will be Deb Rocco completing her first century ride along with Don Schlichtmann. Go Joe, Susan, Maureen, Deb, and Don! Wow, what a weekend! Have fun, Gator Done, then drink a beer! 💚BK🍺