Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile Run

Route 211 Rules

Background

We have had considerable problems over the years with serious crowding at the southern end of the MMT course. While the number of runners has grown, the increase in the number of crew cars has been much greater. The large number of crew cars has become a problem. We have been directed by the state police and the Forest Service to solve this problem. Their main concern is the safety of participants and crews at MMT and for others who travel along US 211E. While we welcome crews at MMT, we need your cooperation to be sure that we can solve the "parking problem." If this problem is not solved, the future of the event could be in jeopardy.

In an attempt to solve this problem, we have changed the course this year, so that there will be three aid stations (the Visitors Center, the Picnic Area, and 211 East) at the southern end of the course not one as we had last year. No one of these aid stations has a parking facility large enough to accommodate all of the crew cars that will be following the runners at MMT. So, we would ask that you instruct your crew to do several things to help us alleviate the pressure on parking.

Guidance

First, tell your crew to linger a bit at Gap Creek and enjoy the atmosphere! It will take the fastest runner over an hour and one half to reach the Visitors Center from Gap creek. Matt Estes' time was 1 hour and 34 minutes in 2005 (The course we are using this year.), and he won the race! The slowest runners will take slightly more than 3 hours to complete that section. Another alternative is for your crew to take this opportunity to feed themselves. This part of the course is the closest to restaurants and stores along the course. Luray is just a few miles to the east and New Market is just a few miles to the west via US 211. Please encourage them to take advantage of this opportunity. Others do not exist along the latter sections of the course.

Second you need to tell them that they will not be able to meet you at all three of these aid stations.

Parking rules

• Each car that parks at the south end of the course will be required to show the "parking pass" that the runner received at check in.
• Crews are not allowed to meet their runner at all three aid stations. These areas are too close together.
• Crews may come to the Visitors Center to park, but since parking is limited, they may be turned away from that station and directed to park elsewhere.
• CREWS CANNOT PARK ALONG US 211 NEAR THE VISTORS CENTER OR THE PICNIC AREA. This is not our rule. This is what we have been told by the State Police. The road make sharp turns in this area, and cars parked along the shoulder present a clear danger. (Yes, serious accidents have occurred due to this behavior.) There is a frontage road near the Visitors Center that you may park on.
• If your crew is turned away from the Visitors Center, it will be directed to go down the mountain to the Picnic Area aid station. Your crew will still be able to see you at the Visitors Center. They will only need to walk 0.4 mile up the hill via a trail to reach the Visitors Center. They should not walk along the road, as it is dangerous. In addition, using the road makes the trip almost three times longer.
• If both of these areas are full of cars, then you will need to go further down the mountain to the aid station that is along the side of US 211.
• Pacers who need to leave a car may not park at the Picnic Area, as this is a gated area. The gate will be locked after the last runner passes through on Saturday night. This is not normally an open area. In order to retrieve a car that is "locked in" will require one to contact the Forest Service to get the gate opened.

Abuse of parking officials may lead to exclusion of the crew from the aid station or, in serious situations, disqualification of a crew's runner.