After a long hiatus, MMS is once again hosting the Mary's Loop Run on Saturday, August 26 at 7:30am. The run will be the original 8.5 mile course starting at the main Kokopelli Trailhead, running a clockwise loop and ending with the road back to the main trailhead.
Mary's Loop Run History-
The idea for the race came from Dewayne Deaver, Denise Shirmer and Jo-Riley Epps. The first
race was held in 1993. They had no shirts, not porta potties and no permit. Dewayne worked at
the BLM and the event became a fundraiser for the Employee’s Association. The first shirt was
in 1994 and the artist behind it was Kathy Voth. All Dewayne’s shirts were pictograph art like.
Dewayne got a transfer with the BLM to Salmon Idaho in 2001. He handed the race off to
Striders past president Robb Reece. Robb was running races in the Himalaya at that time. The
event helped with funding. It was low key. Prizes were painted rocks. One year he ran out of
time, so Jay Krabacher and I put the event on, low key of course.
Robb was with Mesa County Search and Rescue then. S&R was interested in taking the event for
a fund raiser themselves. So, we handed it off to them with the stipulation that if they ever
decided to give it up, that we would take it back. Denise tells me that while she and Dewayne put
it on, it was a springtime event. That the Indian paintbrush were out. I don’t recall when it
changed to the fall, but do remember it was after Imogene in slightly cooler weather.