 | Bull Run Run 2002
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The Tenth Battle of the Bull Run Run 50 Miler saw 289 start in humid and a bit warm weather. Barry Lewis and Michele Burr led the 254 finishers. The two VHTRC teams took the top two team awards with team Crash and Burn getting third. Crash and Burn had a member literally crash and burn. It was awesome. Special Thank You to Runners: I took down ribbons and swept the upstream portion of the course and Scott Mills went out the day after to do the same on the downstream portion. Neither of us found any litter. That is a great achievement. Thank you for not littering! It means a lot. Report from the Turn Around: Chris and I worked the strenuous check point at the upstream end of the course. This task consists of saying, "Turn around here" and flirting with the girls. Speaking of the women, the lead pack at that point was awesome. Michele Burr, Sue Johnston, Amy Bloom, and Georgia Daniels were all together with a bunch of guy hanger=ons trying to get on TV just like in the New York Marathon. You knew it was going to be an awesome race and it was. Courtney Fenstermacher was significantly back at that point but she reeled in all but Michele by the finish. Karen Shiley, who can't spell (but who cares) was a bit off the pace because she stopped to pay her respects. I think some guys also came by our check point but I would not swear to it. There were, however, about eleven thousand GAC'ers. They just kept coming. Boy did the south get invaded! Causality Report: The medical brigade came by to tend to the wounded. Additionally, one soldier lost his regiment and wandered off the battlefield. (To be more precise, he went on what had been the battlefield earlier in the morning. We planned search parties which were on their way out when the lost soldier came back to his unit. GAC'ers and Marines: There were thousands of guys and gals who don't pronounce A's very well and some others who seem to have a very close, personal attachment to their barbers. Yes, Giley had brought his folks. They came with a generous donation to the Save the Nash Rambler fund. The donation will do nothing for the Nash Rambler, but it will help with our significant overhead expenses. You may also have noticed that the GAC'ers donated a license plate from a state I can't spell. Thanks guys. Meanwhile, hordes of Marines streamed across the finish line, stoic, brave, and wearing red. As one person noted, if the bad guys had attacked that afternoon, there would have been few Marines to defend us. But it doesn't take many, does it? Semper Fi! guys (and gals). The Village People: After 10 years, it is amazing how the fantastic Wolf Run Shoals aid station is taken for granted. You know you will get a popsicle or ice cream sandwich. Where else does that happen? And what was the theme this year? The theme is always a closely guarded military secret. Last year, the aid station people were all spacemen and spacewomen. This year, they were the Village People. Ok, it's goofy, but how about that ice cream? And how about that biker woman? The Do Loop: Wasn't that fun! We went back to the old course that includes both cars (the Ford Fairlane, too). The MP's are investigating reports of troops imbibing illegal substances. Did anyone check Karen's spelling down there? Squeamish Need not Click Here: Wanna see some really gross toes? Check these puppies out! Congratulations to Harry Monroe of New York who raised over $12,000 for charity with his run at the Bull Run Run. Ten Time Finishers: All of the nine time finishers were back and all finished. What a group they are. Feel sorry for them. They all have to come back next year! Eleven years ago, six or seven of us went on a run from Fountainhead almost to Hemlock. We went to check out this trail that Betty Sue had told us about. We met Warren Doyle, then the head of Hemlock Overlook. He urged us to have a run and told us we could use his facilities. We thought it a good idea, but it was Chris Scott who picked up the ball and ran with it. When Chris moved to California, Scott Mills took up the reins and took the event to the next level. I like to think that we have been successful because of Chris's creativity, Scotty's attention to detail, and the rest of us working our butts off because we don't want to do a crappy job. The event has come a long way, but I like to think it was always good. Today it is just better. If you want to say thanks to Scott Mills for all he does, send him an e-mail at ILkRunn@aol.com. |
| Division Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| North Open (F) | Burr | Michele |
| North Open (M) | Lewis | Barry |
| North Master (F40+) | Baehre | Susan |
| North Master (M40+) | Mahan | Dave |
| North Senior (F50+) | Bottger | Linda |
| North Senior (M50+) | Campbell | Michael |
| South Open (F) | Fenstermacher | Courtney |
| South Open (M) | Carr | Derrick |
| South Master (F40+) | Culp | Amy |
| South Master (M40+) | McKenzie | Scott |
| South Senior (F50+) | Burley | Marge |
| South Senior (M50+) | Dodds | John |
Gary Knipling's Wildflower Report
Virginia Bluebells - you saw them
Once again , Scott Mills and his long list of helpers and volunteers pulled off having a day-long party under the guise of a trail run. Ther were lots of highs experienced by runners and spectators on the 13th - some were from circulating norepinephrines and some were from other enzyme activity. What a great time !! Thank you Scotty and VHTRC, Gary Knipling ( #162 ) See pictures of Blue Ridge Wildflowers by John Coiner |
Unlike the anticipated cooling and refreshing rain that the BRR runners never got, the plants and trees along Bull Run had been refreshed by several rains in the past month. The wildflowers along the course responded by being more plentiful and colorful this year compared to the past several years. No runner will forget the beautiful blue oasis of Virginia Bluebells on the northern loop of the run that were at absolute peak bloom. ( Home course secret : when you see them again after the do-loop, there's less than two miles to the finish ) The wildflowers that I observed while not being distracted by the rocks , roots , and cheering on of my teammates ( who were all ahead of me ) were as follows :
I looked hard for John Dodd's favorite wildflower : the elusive Bastard Toadflax. My conclusion : wrong habitat , wrong season. John , we'll have a better chance at MMT !
