Back in April I wrote that Second Capital Running was “ankle deep” in the 2023 season. It’s now mid-july and the water is well past the knee with 10 races down and another 6 to go before we even reach summer's end. Summer is always an important time of year for me, mainly because our schedule is very focused around Vineland for most of it, but summer 2023 in particular holds a lot of weight for a number of reasons.
Just over two weeks ago we hosted the 5th annual Running The Ave 5K in Downtown Vineland and it was another successful year of the race. I went into this year planning to dispatch any concerns of how many people will be there on race day and focus only on delivering another quality race, and that’s exactly what myself and my team did. I believe that equally important as the growth of an event is the development of the culture that surrounds it; what people love about and what it is that keeps them coming back. RTA5K has developed a strong culture around it over the last 5 years that people from Vineland and surrounding areas identify with. It’s more than just a race, it’s a yearly tradition in the city that brings our community together to celebrate the sport we love and the city we call home. That energy was so strong on race day that you couldn’t convince me there were any less than 500 people lining up on Landis Avenue 2 weeks ago.
For this I am grateful.
This past Saturday was the third annual Hot Mess Trail Races, but in reality, it was the first year of a new version of the races. Hot Mess was an attempt at delivering a long distance trail race (something very much out of our wheelhouse) for South Jersey, and the first two years of this event certainly lived up to its name, with an emphasis on mess. I have no issue with admitting that I was out of my comfort zone and delivering a sub-par product. The event either needed to be squashed or totally reinvented. I opted for the latter and did it with the help of Pete & Jen from Endless Endurance. Thus it became the Hot Mess Half Marathon & Hour Trail Races, now being hosted at Parvin State Park. The new and improved races were well received and quite possibly my favorite production of 2023.
For this I am grateful.
At the time of writing this, we are two weeks into the Vineland Grand Prix - the best damn thing about Summer. If you’ve never experienced the Grand Prix, you need to ASAP (only 3 more races left if you’re reading this before July 19). This series continues to grow every year and we had a record turnout at opening night with 162 runners taking on the infamous course in South Vineland. The biggest thing that stands out about these races is the massive turnout of families and young runners each week. Over 35% of participants in the Grand Prix are under the age of 18.
For this I am grateful.
To lead, you must be willing to serve. To become wise, you must be willing to learn. To find success, you must be willing to fail. These three statements explain what Second Capital Running is doing and where it’s going. This community keeps us empowered. Gratitude keeps us grounded.
Andre “Andy” Rivera
Founder, Race Director