2003 Report

Report

Nine new virgins were initiated into the Fellowship of the Ring. In great weather, nine runners completed the complete circuit of the 71 mile Massanutten Trail on September 7, 2003. There are now 17 members of the Fellowship of the Massanutten Ring — the six finishers of last years run, the nine newbies, and the two who did it first.

Even though this is a no fee, low key run, the many volunteers catered to just about every whim of the runners. Volunteers included James and Rebecca Moore, Greg Power, Keith Dunn, Bunny Runyan, Gary Knipling, John Dodds, Bob Phillips, and the many support crews for individual runners. Scott Mills sort of helped, too. Sorta.

The run is long and hard, but the views were beautiful. All, again, universally dispised the rocky Signal Knob section. Most needed new feet by the end. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. At least, they said they did!

As usual, the Fellowship met the night before the run at Jalisco’s in beautiful, downtown Front Royal. Several runners competed for the best blood award. The front of the pack saw Randy Dietz and Jaret Seiberg catch Ryan Henry so that the three could share the victory. Among new members of the Ring was Ed Demoney who, dispite having managed three ultra events in the Massanutten Mountains, got lost not once, but twice. Others, who should have known better, also earned “bonus miles.” Some runners had crews. They were the lucky ones.

Some went to creative lengths to have an excuse to avoid the run. One runner, a JMU employee, claimed he could not do the Ring because he had to watch the VT-JMU game. He would have been happier at the Ring!

Ring directors, Chris Scott and Anstr Davidson, are already planning for next year.

Results