postseason meet (and 100th CYO track post!)

Here is an email from Mary Ellen about the postseason.

To all,

I have attached directions to the race on Saturday. It took a couple of tries to actually find this place. Parking will be an issue. My guess is that there is room for about 80-100 cars in all the lots at the park. The overflow will be asked to park in the lot for the Bethlehem Baptist Church. The lot is located at the light at Behtlehem Pike and Trewellyn Ave. There will be shuttles taking people from this lot back and forth to the park. The overflow lot is located about 0.7 miles from the starting line. It is a walkable distance and you will be walking on roads through a neighborhood and on park roads if you choose to walk. If you find that the lots in the park are full, you can drop the kids off by the flagpole and then go back to park.

The course walk is at 8:30 AM. The courses are all very confusing. They loop and cross over. I think that all athletes must walk the course. In the woods there are multiple trails and I do not know for a fact that marshals will be at all places where turns are made. It will be your responsibility to know the course. I recommend that all athletes be in the park between 8-8:15 on Saturday morning.

The starting line is just off the first base line of the baseball field in front of the pavilion. We have received permission to set up our tents on the infield of this field. We can line them up along the fences on first and third base line. I think that we had 8 tents coming so this would be great. I will have signs made to identify which tent is for which age group.

When you arrive, find the tent for your age group. Find your age group coach and get your number. It would be best to do this BEFORE the course walk. At the moment, I have all the numbers (except the two late entries) and I will give them to the age group coaches on Saturday. I will have pins for all the groups.

The age group coaches are:
Primary Girls (subnovice) -- Nativity of Our Lord

Primary Boys (subnovice) -- St. Stanislaus

Bantom Girls (novice) -- Our Lady of Grace

Bantom Boys (novice) -- Sacred Heart, Oxford

Midget Girls (minor) -- St. Ignatius

Midget Boys (minor) -- St. Agnes, West Chester

Youth Girls (cadet) -- St. Anastasia

Youth Boys (cadet) -- Sts. Philip and James

Intermediate Girls (high school) -- see Mrs. Malloy

Obviously, if someone would like to assist the coach, that would be greatly appreciated. Some of the age groups are rather large. I will have updated team lists for each age group coach because there have been numerous changes made.

You will walk the course with your group. PAY ATTENTION TO THE COURSE! Bring extra shoes and several extra pairs of socks. The course is very soft and muddy. If it rains at all between now and Saturday, it will be even worse. If your shoes or socks are wet after the course walk, put on dry ones. If you are wet after the warmup, put on dry ones for the race and the same for after the race. Spikes are definitely recommended for this course.

Warmup with your group. Make sure that you have the red CYO shirt and black shorts or tights. The weather forecast for Saturday is possible chance of showers with the highs in the upper 50s to low 60s. This meet will take place no matter what the weather. Come prepared. No one should be racing in sweats or long sleeved t-shirts. No hats should be necessary. You want to be light and quick.

Awards will be given out in the chute after the race. At least the top 20 in each race will be given awards. When I left today, they were discussing if they wanted to give out more. I guess that we will know on Saturday. Any team awards should be given to me by the end of the day.

The majority of the paperwork for nationals has already been handed in. There are a couple of folks who need to finalize some things. If anyone who is running as an individual decides to go to the national meet, I MUST KNOW ON SATURDAY. Saturday is the last day for paperwork and fees for nationals. You are permitted to change your mind and go but I need to know before I leave on Saturday.

I will be working in the finish chute all day so you know where you can find me.

Good luck and have a good time on Saturday.

Mary Ellen Malloy

Penllyn Woods Directions

From PA Turnpike:
Exit Turnpike at Fort Washington Exit (#26). Take Route 309 North to Spring House / Norristown Road Exit. Turn left onto Norristown Road. At the third traffic light (Bethlehem Pike), turn Left. At the next light turn Right, Blue Bell Penllyn Pike (Harleysville National Bank will be on the corner). Take Blue Bell Penllyn Pike to the next traffic light, which is Trewellyn Ave. Continue on Blue Bell Penllyn Pike make a right at the second street on your right, which is Township Line Road. If you are going to Penllyn Woods stay on Township Line Road and DO NOT TURN, follow the signs (1/4 mile to flagpole turnaround).

From Route 73 (East or West):
Take Route 73 to Blue Bell Penllyn Pike (Blue Bell Inn and Blue Horse Inn intersection), if you are coming from the West make a Left, if you are coming from the East make a right. Continue on Blue Bell Penllyn Pike thru the next light at Morris Rd. Once you go past the Cedarbrook Country Club the road will slope down, Lantern Lane will be on your left, cross over bridge and the next left is Township Line Road. Make a hard Left. Follow the signs to Penllyn Woods (1/4 mile to flagpole turnaround).

Route 309 North:
Take Route 309 South to Bethlehem Pike. Continue on Bethlehem Pike going past the Genuardi’s Shopping Center (on your right). Go through the traffic light at Moore Drive. At the next light go straight, at the next light make a Right onto Blue Bell Penllyn Pike (Harleysville National Bank will be on the corner). Take Blue Bell Penllyn Pike to the next traffic light, which is Trewellyn Ave. Continue on Blue Bell Penllyn Pike make a right at the second street on your right, which is Township Line Road. Stay on Township Line Road and DO NOT Turn, follow the signs (1/4 mile to flagpole turnaround).

From the Blue Route:

Take last exit Germantown Pike West. Follow Germantown Pike past the Plymouth Meeting Mall. The road will rise and get over to the right lane to turn onto Walton Rd.

Take a right on Walton Rd and follow past two traffic lights (2nd light is Township Line Rd -Commerce Bank on left) until you come to a fork in the road. Go LEFT at the fork in the road onto Stenton Ave. You will go into a sharp left curve past some blinking yellow caution lights. The road will straighten out for a couple hundred yards before turning sharp right where you will start up a steep incline. The road now becomes Penllyn Blue Bell Pike. Continue on Blue Bell Penllyn Pike across lights at Rt 73 (Blue Bell Inn), and Morris Rd. Once you go past the Cedarbrook Country Club (on right), the road will slope down, Lantern Lane will be on your left, cross over bridge and the next left is Township Line Road. Make a hard Left. Follow the signs to Penllyn Woods (1/4 mile to flagpole turnaround).

If anyone needs red shirts, I have more. They will be in my van on Saturday. If you have not already paid, they are $8 each.

I have five bags of sweats that were ordered and never picked up. Someone please claim them.

From MMR, Seminack and Christian.

From John Chrysostom, Clifton

From Annunciation, Rosini and Walsh. Walsh owes $24 for the late order.

I will have them with me. I want to get rid of them. Please help!

this is my 100th post about CYO track/XC in less than 3 years, which just shows that running folk are far too neurotic.