What great weather we had for the 10th Rocky Racoon 100 miler. On top of that we added a fifty miler as an experiment. It seemed to work so we will keep it for next year. The limit will still be fifty runners and 140 for the one hundred.

Next year should be the last year for me, Mickey Rollins, as race director. I am handing over the reins to Joe Prusaitis. While I will still work the race as an aid station captain, the responsibility will be Joe’s. For those of you who don’t know Joe Prusaitis , he has been a race director of several runs here in Texas including his own fifty k. We will be working together next year so the transition will go smoothly in 2004. The Coon will remain in Huntsville.

With this being the first year for a fifty miler with the 100, I was pleased with the numbers, 42, especially since this was on the Sunmart course. I had a large contingent from the West – 18 runners and one Canandian.However, as is often the case, local (Texas) runners led and won the race. Amanda McIntosh and Craig Robertson led throughtout the race until the last loop when Ryan Loehding caught up to them and passed them. Ryan ran a fine 7:32.30 which was a PR for him on this course. Amanda and Craig crossed together in 7:44.25. Bill Gardner was third male and Cathy Tibbetts of New Mexico was second female with local runner Carol Schmidt third. There were 40 starters and 29 finishers.

The course was about 3 tenths longer than Sunmart.The course was fairly dry for both race courses. Weather was in the low fifties and clouded up during the day. This allowed for warmer temperatures during the night still being in the forties.

For the 100 mile run we had a chance for some very good competition among both the women and men. Laast year’s winners , Blake Wood and Michelle Burr returned. We also had Scott Eppleman, Greg Loomis and Chris Clarke among the men and Ann Heaslett, Anong Pustow, Karen Scott and Sue Johnston among the women. For only the first time since the inception of the Coon did we have four women break 19 hours and two under 17 hours. Quite a race.

We start at 6 AM. Scott Eppelman led this year from start to finish going by each 20 mile loop. Scott had recently won the Arkansas Traveller as well. What is interesting is that both Scott and Blake ran PR’s on this course and both under 15 hours. Scott ran the fourth fastest time behind Eric Clifton and Ben Hian. One hell of a race, Scott! At this point only seven runners have broken 15 hours in the ten years the race has been run(include Jim Garcia and Don Aycock). I am very impressed by the times as well as the very supportive demeanor of both Scott and Blake- two class runners. Scott ran 14:41.41 and Blake ran 14:51.05. Greg Loomis was third with 16:28.12.

In the women’s race I was not sure who would lead or how the race would go. I knew Ann Heaslett had been showing some very fine times in other parts of the country. Sue Johnston has a great race history of being a stayer who runs quality times in the 100. Anong Pustow had run an 19:19 a couple of years ago and I knew Michelle should be a threat having won last year and knowing the course. At the end of the first lap(20 miles), Ann came in in the lead with just two minutes separating her from Sue Johnston. Michelle was 8 minutes back. These were the front runners throughout the race. As it turned out, Ann led the entire race loop by loop with Sue and Michelle both running fast. Ann would set a women’s course record that I thought would stand for a while(Janice Anderson’s 16:03 in 2000) of 15:57.20 breaking the old record by about six minutes and finishing third overall . Sue Johnston ran a fine 16:51.42 with Michelle breaking her own best time of 19:33.55 with a super 17:23.35. That’s one hell of an improvement in one year. I am duly impressed. Anong Pustow finished with a 21:20.20 with a pulled muscle in her right leg. Her husband , Bill, has let me know she will be fine. Tough kid.

There were 54 runners with sub 24 hour times and of them eleven were women! There were 91 finishers which gives us the third highest number of finishers.2001 had 94 finishers! One hundred and thirty-nine entered and 132 started. That is a 69 % finish rate. The highest finish rate(2001) was 76%. Six runners were up for the five year placque and four finished; Rolly Portelance, Cynthia Daniels, Bob Williams , David Richards and Frank Probst.

This brings to a close another successful Rocky Racoon 100. I owe an apology to David Richards for not figuring out that it was his fifth Rocky finish. Placque’s in the mail , David!

I must thank all of the super volunteers! It is almost impossible to list everyone but I will mention some special ones : Wayne Lauritzen(several years), Larry Sbar(10 years), Wayne Webb (6 years) and Jay Norman(6 years) as aid station captains, Butch Buckner (7 years finish line), Karen Richards(8 years), John Stowers (7 years) Phil Ziegler(9 years), Don Griffiths Assist R. Dir.(7 years), Louise Hilton, Roger Boak, Erick Moortgat, Antje, Mark Henderson/Stacey Carlson, Sheila Brock, Wes Monteith, Ron Dunbar, Jane Marsh(9 years), Leonard Dempsey, Jennifer Johnson, Robert Beck, Caryn Honig, David Hughes, Terry Fanning, Joy May & Doug Beagle, JP & Diane Reed(ten years), Monica Montes, Nick & sister, Gigi Wark ,Pamela Willman, Ralph & Yong Collins, Joel Dubois, Linda Corry, Ginny Morrow, Kathy Vidal, Brenda Reed & Dad, Dennis & Gaye, Gina Monteith, Peter Frey & Michael McGilberry(medical), Ken Johnson, Lee Topham , Tom Wilson, and anyone I forgot. Thanks to the volunteers from Metal Sawing Technology. See you in 2003.

Mickey Rollins (The Old Fatman)