Well folks, that’s a wrap for the 2017 Winter Chill 5k series. Between the four races, we had some nasty cold in Chill #1, late April sunshine and warmth in Chill #3, and some pretty typical January weather for weeks two and four. For many, the series was a way to kick off the year on a positive note and to keep active when Mother Nature fails to cooperate.
Many thanks to the 102 different runners (and at least five dogs) who completed one or more Winter Chill race! We had 14 runners complete all four races to be eligible for the overall series win. The series came down to the wire in the fourth week, with Gerrit Van Loon and Yvette de Boer separated by a mere two seconds after the first three races. When the dust finally settled, Gerrit earned the top spot with an overage time of 20:38.4 over the four 5k races.
Following Winter Chill #4, runners and volunteers met for brunch at Kelly’s Dock-Side, race director Bob Talda handed out some fun awards. The costumed runners from each week—sports apparel, pajamas, animal costumes, and colors of the rainbow—were eligible for a raffle to win some fun shwag. If anyone wishes to share their race photos on social media, don’t forget to use #WinterChill5K and tag @FLRCithaca on Instagram and Twitter.
As always, our Winter Chill volunteers were amazing—from the timing crew, to the course marshals, to registration, to post-race cleanup, and anything else we might have missed. These folks gave up part of their Sunday mornings to stand in the cold and help us put on the race each week. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Week 3 pajama party. PC: Bob Talda