Weather not lucky for Shamrock Shuffle
HARMONY — Textor Hill Road near Harmony has become infamous for runners of the Shamrock Shuffle half-marathon, but the race’s organizers give those who can summit the incline an immediate reward.
“The jello shots,” said Caleb Ritenour, who traveled from Grove City to run the half-marathon. “That’s always a plus.
“It’s so steep and it just goes on forever. You think you’re done because you can see the crest, and then you go around the bend and then there is another solid 200 yards of uphill," Ritenour added.
Ritenour was just one of about 50 runners who ran the half-marathon Saturday, March 25, and said the hill — and the jello shots at its peak — are the most memorable parts of the annual event.
The Rotary Club of Zelienople hosts the Shamrock Shuffle each year, which features half-marathon, 5k and 1-mile races. Despite the rain and predicted temperatures Saturday morning, Kathy Corcoran, public relations chairwoman for the Rotary Club of Zelienople, said the races have gone ahead in worse conditions.
Corcoran said the Shamrock Shuffle is typically the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Through the event, the club funds six scholarships worth $1,500 each for high school students who live in Harmony or Zelienople, she said.
Corcoran also said the prizes for the races included a gift card for the Zelienople Area Business Association, which can be used at any of the member businesses, as well as T-shirts and bread for those who participate.
For some of the runners, however, the real prize of the race was seeing the Harmony area.
Joe Kubas came from Bridgeville to run the half-marathon and said he enjoys the Shamrock Shuffle for its tour of Harmony.
“I ran it in ’19 and I just loved it so much, it just took me a while to get back,” Kubas said. “It’s kind of for the town, it’s just a beautiful area.”
Joella Baker, the race’s director, said the course has remained the same for about eight of its 14 years, and it has become famous, or infamous, because of Textor Hill Road, which is a challenge not found in most of her other holiday-themed races. (Baker also organizes Firecracker 5K and the Christmas race.)
“The biggest thing is that it goes out Textor Hill Road and you have to run up, and it’s very, very hard, it’s very steep,” Baker said.
Rachel Silvey, of Sewickley, was pleasantly surprised by her result in the race, having returned to compete in it Saturday because of the good past memories she had of it.
“I got third female overall two years ago so I wanted to hold onto that — did not expect to get first,” Silvey said. “I love this race, it’s so well-run and the people are all so nice, I love it.”
Some runners planned to take on all three races Saturday, making a full day of the St. Patrick’s Day-themed festivities. Ritenour said he was happy to run the half-marathon, even though it was a difficult challenge.
“This one, it’s a famous hill, and also there are just so many good vibes,” Ritenour said.
