Bill Welsh Memorial 5K! - READY TO RUN (POST SNOWFALL) on 2/18!

IT IS WITH A HEAVY HEART THAT WE BID GOODBYE TO A LOCAL RUNNING LEGEND. BILL WELSH [https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/staten-island-ny/william-welsh-11444153?fbclid=IwAR3BFRba8oeOH0hsV9lH4wzA18E2g7_9madB2-JJ5ueTJkncCSCD23MiJ6c] PASSED IN EARLY SEPTEMBER 2023. BILL PARTICIPATED IN THE FIRST 4 YEARS OF THE PCRC, NOW PCTI WINTER SERIES.

THOSE THAT RAN THE WINTER SERIES HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING/KNOWING BILL LATER IN HIS LIFE, ENJOYING HIS COMPANY AND WHAT SEEMED TO BE AN ENDLESS STREAM OF "RUNNING" INSIGHT/STORIES.

TWO YEARS BACK, WITH MY KIDS MOVING ON FROM PCTI [https://pctvs.org/], I THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO CLOSE OUT THE WINTER SERIES HOWEVER ITS LIGHT SIMPLY REFUSES TO EXTINGUISH... KINDA LIKE THE MEMORIES OF BILL...

WITH BILLS PASSING, AND IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP HIS LEGACY ALIVE, IT IS THIS RACE DIRECTOR'S PROMISE TO RUN AT LEAST ONE EVENT ON THE PCTI COURSE EACH WINTER IN HONOR OR HIS MEMORY GIVING ALL THAT RAN THE SERIES AND KNEW BILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECONNECT AND RELIVE BILLS INDOMITABLE SPIRIT.

THE PCTI WINTER SERIES IS THE 5K THAT BILL AND THOSE THAT RAN IT "JUST HATE TO LOVE". THE ELEMENTS (WIND AND COLD) AND SOMETIMES CHALLENGING ELEVATION (LOOONG GRADUAL INCLINE IN THE MIDDLE) CARRY WITH IT AN OVERWHELMING FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT, SOMETHING OF A BADGE OF HONOR YOU MIGHT SAY, ONCE CONQUERED/FINISHED.

THIS YEAR'S EVENT WILL ALLOW THOSE THAT ATTENDED PRIOR SERIES EVENTS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES. WE WOULD INVITE ANYONE THAT KNEW BILL TO JOIN THIS 1ST ANNUAL MEMORIAL EVENT. IF YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND, PLEASE BRINGING YOUR BEST BILL WELSH STORY OR PICTURE OF/WITH BILL [https://runsignup.com/Race/Photos/Location/MomentswithBill/NJ/Wayne/BillWelsh5K] THAT RELIVES A MEMORY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OR REFLECTS HIS LIFETIME DEDICATION AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN/TO THE SPORT OF RUNNING. WE WILL TAKE A MOMENT POST-RACE TO RECALL/RECITE THEM.

AS WITH PRIOR WINTER SERIES EVENTS THE FOLLOWING AMENITIES WILL BE PROVIDED:

REFRESHMENTS: HOT BAGELS, FRUIT, HOT CHOCOLATE, BOTTLED WATER @FINISH, AGE GROUP AWARDS (NO OVERALLS).

AGE GROUPS AWARDS: 19&UNDER, 20-29,30-39,40-49,50-59,60-69,70-79,80-89,90+ .. 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD, M & F. WE WILL LOOK TO FURTHER DIVIDE/ALIGN THE 19&UNDER AG BASED ON PARTICIPATION.

COMMEMORATIVE: A "SUBLIMATED" TEE (SEE INITIAL SKETCH BELOW) THAT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE BILLS TIME ENJOYING THE WINTER SERIES WILL BE PROVIDED TO ALL PARTICIPANTS THAT REGISTER BY FEBRUARY 7TH.

NOTE: THE INVITATION ONLY 5K (ALUMNI SUPPORTED FUN RUN, 1/21) EVENT IS AN ALUMNI HOSTED SOCIAL GATHERING FOR NORTHERN NJ RUNNERS TO RUN THE COURSE, GRAB THEIR TIME AND CATCHUP WITH LIKEMINDED RUNNERS LIKE THEMSELVES. COME GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THE WINTER SERIES WAS LIKE, YOU WILL BE HAPPY YOU DID! THERE WILL BE NO FORMAL AWARDS OR GIVEAWAY. REFRESHMENTS AND A GOOD TIME WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ALL. BILL'S EVENT WILL INCLUDE ALL THE BELLS & WHISTLES AND THEN SOME!

SHARE YOUR PHOTO WITH BILL [https://runsignup.com/Race/Photos/Location/MomentswithBill/NJ/Wayne/BillWelsh5K] AND CONTRIBUTE TO HIS MEMORY...