A DOZEN BEST WISHES FOR A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL EVENT... ... to all Gators chomping donuts and crossing the starting and finishing lines this weekend! This holiday weekend includes a light event schedule (see below) squished in between a huge event calendar last weekend and two upcoming weekends that will feature 15+ Gators taking on IRONMAN and Half IRONMAN events. Fittingly, we do have a "half dozen" athletes in action across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York! While we have a bit of a pause in the action, we'd like to ask for your assistance in a few areas... • 2022-23 Club Officer Nominations: The terms for our current slate of officers expire on December 31 and, as announced by Kerri Brannen last weekend (see top of "Announcements"), we are seeking candidates to run for four 2 year positions with terms that will run from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023. The four positions are club President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary. The nomination period is open now through Sunday, September 26. You can nominate yourself or another club member for any of the positions, so take advantage of this opportunity to become part of the leadership team of the greatest triathlon club on the planet! • IRONMAN Atlantic City Gator Tent Frame Setup: We'd like to ask the assistance of someone that will be in Atlantic City on the day before the race (Saturday 9/11) to transport the tent frame to AC, claim a spot for it (I can provide details about where to do this), and set up the frame. I will be at the event very early on Sunday/race day to support our athletes and put the tent top on plus set up the flags and I can also tear it down and transport it home following the race. If you can assist, please post a comment or message me. • IRONMAN Maryland Gator Tent Frame Setup (and possibly, tear down): This is the same request as for AC... I'm planning to attend the event, arriving early on Sunday/race day, but will need someone heading to the event early, which probably means one of our athletes, to transport the tent frame to Cambridge and set it up in the tri club area that Jason Brannen has reserved. I can put the top on when I arrive on race morning. Depending on logistics (it's very difficult to find lodging in the area), I may also need assistance with tearing it down and transporting it home following the event... If I can work out the lodging situation, I will be able to do this on Sunday, but it currently appears that I'll have to stay quite a far distance away from the race site and will not be in the area on Sunday morning to do so. Now on to this weekend... Here are a couple of workout updates... • SUNDAY SWIM: We are offering our final outdoor swim until next May on Sunday morning at the Spring Valley YMCA... The swim will take place at 11:30am-12:30pm and it will be in the Y's outdoor lap pool area where we will have 2 lanes reserved. • SATURDAY NO GO AT BLUE MARSH: Like last weekend, we had planned to have an OWS/bike ride tomorrow at Blue Marsh, but, also like last weekend, it is canceled due to continuing water condition issues. It's time to cover this weekend's events!... If you have an event this weekend and are not listed below, PLEEEASE post a comment so that we can add you to the calendar and send good Gator vibes your way! Sunday, September 5: • Peter O'Dell Memorial Ride (New Hope, PA to Brooklyn, NY): Both Joe DeNicola and Susan Flavin will complete this 90 mile ride with a route that meanders along the South Branch of the Raritan River, across the Watchung Mts, and down into Basking Ridge NJ, before riding through the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. It then transitions to an urban route through Elizabeth, Newark, and Jersey City before taking the ferry from Hoboken to Manhattan. In New York, the route goes down the Hudson River Greenway bike path and over the Brooklyn Bridge to the final destination, the Nu Hotel in Brooklyn Heights. • Tim Kerr 7 Mile Island Run (Avalon, NJ): Club sponsor, Don Morrison of Chester County Running Store will be taking on this event at the Jersey Shore! Monday, September 6: • CLUB EVENT... Lehigh Wheelmen Donut Derby and Munchkin Mile (Trexlertown, PA): With all of the recent past and future events, we have a lighter than usual group for this unusual and very fun event! Our participants, Gleb Epelbaum, Don Mack, and Paige Miller will enjoy the 36 mile ride that includes two "all you care to chomp" donut stops at miles 12 and 24 with the extra added bonus of time deduction for every donut consumed! There is also an opportunity for kid's (and even adults) to take a spin on the Trexlertown Velodrome's track. Have a great weekend!