Blue
Ridge Running:
Blue Ridge Running is now entering its 22nd year. For
the 16th consecutive year the camp is based on the campus
of Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA.
Harrisonburg, located at the very heart of the historic
and beautiful Shenandoah Valley, provides easy access
to both National Forests and Parks.
History:
In 1986 Woodbridge, VA Senior High School cross country
and track coach Ron Helmer and James Madison University
distance coach Bruce Coldsmith gathered a group of coaching
friends and their athletes together and hosted the first
annual Blue Ridge Running Camp. Seventy-two athletes
from various parts of Virginia participated in that
first week at the "rustic" facilities of Camp
Massunetta Springs. Thirteen years later the Camp has
grown to over four hundred seventy-five athletes and
fifty high school coaches along with a camp staff of
more than twenty individuals. Camp staff has come to
include college and Olympic coaches, Olympic and international
athletes as well as highly acclaimed motivational and
instructional speakers. All these people come together
each summer in an effort to provide a safe, educational,
and motivational week for all involved.
The evolution is ongoing. Coach Helmer is now in his
21st year at Georgetown University. Assistant camp directors
Pat Henner, former head coach at Blacksburg, VA High
School and now distance coach at Georgetown University,
and Gene Walker, former head cross country and track coach
at Marion, VA High School have worked virtually year
round to insure that Blue Ridge Running is always improving.
In 1989 Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg,
VA became the Camp’s new home. Eastern Mennonite
provides the campers and staff with modern and beautiful
facilities that are an enormous step up from our meager
beginnings.
Although campers and staff now come from numerous states
our success is still due to those loyal coaches and
campers who return year after year for the "highlight"
week of their summer. |
