A tradition resumes in warm winter conditions

Saluting the new year 2022 and resuming a long-standing CRR tradition (in a socially-distanced way) were Dave Edwards (the first “two”), Shannon Lennon-Edwards, April Anderson, Bruce Hubbard, Emily Rose (the “zero”), Doug Repetti, Bill Rose, Vic Kaliakin, Amy Shay (the second “two”), Steve Tague, Ben Schultz, Christine Schultz, Dave Schultz (with Dakota and Bandit), Mark Deshon, Bob Opila, and Shuang Liu (the third “two”).
photo of Mark Deshon giving pre-run directions

Thanks to CRR Bill Rose and his wife, Karen, for helping renew us this New Year’s Eve day event—“Wring Out the Old, Ring in the New” Trail Run—at the Fair Hill Resources Management Area.

photo of runners beginning the run

It began with CRR Mark Deshon welcoming 16 participants, including five “Wring Out the Old” rookies—CRR Doug Repetti, CRR Dave Edwards, CRR Shannon Lennon-Edwards, CRR Shuang Liu, and Emily Rose. Deshon then provided some general directions about the course layout before sending everyone off on the run.

photo of last runners beginning the run
photo of walkers April Anderson and Bruce Hubbard starting

As the group headed north on the long gradual uphill, it quickly split into a lead pack, which was chasing the youngster Ben Schultz, and the rest of the field. CRR Christine Schultz, CRR Amy Shay, CRR April Anderson, and CRR Bruce Hubbard opted to take the strategic shortcut up the middle road, the latter two choosing to walk half of the loop.

photo of Ben Schultz, finishing first

Ben Schultz continued to run faster than anyone else, even after stopping several times to make sure he would make the proper turns along the way, and eventually pulled away from everyone for good.

The small chase group featured CRR Dave Schultz and his dog Bandit (who was pulling him along), CRR Steve Tague, Deshon, Edwards, and Lennon-Edwards. For most of the rest of the run, these five (six, if you count Bandit), alternated positioning within the group. Lennon-Edwards and her husband summited the big hill first with Tague in tow. On the homestretch, Deshon caught up with Tague, and they picked up the pace and caught Edwards. But they couldn’t catch Lennon-Edwards.

photo of Karen Rose setting up refreshments table

While the runners and walkers were out on the course, Karen Rose busily prepared the refreshments table so donuts, coffee, and hot chocolate would be ready for the tired finishers.

photo of Amy Shay posing

After a lengthy time gap, Emily Rose and CRR Vic Kaliakin (a veteran of so many of these runs), appeared on the horizon and finished together.

Having taken the middle road, Christine Schultz and Shay were there at the finish to welcome everyone—except Ben Schultz—and help out with photographs and general reverie.

photo of Bill Rose, Doug Repetti, Shuang Liu, and Bob Opila finishing

Bill Rose ushered in the final group, which included Repetti, Shuang, and CRR Bob Opila.

photo of Ben Schultz

We “crowned” Ben Schultz the winner (even though it’s not a competition), and everyone stuck around afterward to chat.

photo of event organizer Bill Rose (right) with Shannon Lennon-Edwards and Dave Edwards

Bill Rose, who organized the event again this year after having to abandon it last year due to Covid-19, and Deshon, who organized the initial 20 annual events, were happy to see such a healthy turnout, particularly since another wave of the pandemic seems to be running rampant throughout the country. After a while, everyone went their separate ways, having endured the somewhat challenging 4.67-mile loop.

photo of Steve Tague and Mark Deshon on bikes

Tague and Deshon went on to complete their mini-biathlon by biking home, having biked to Fair Hill from Newark.

photo of Dave and Christine Schultz with their dogs

Both dogs had a good workout too!

Many thanks to Shay and Deshon for their photographs.