Roger Allison--Memories

I was privileged to run last year's Quad State Quad Buster with Roger. His genuine love of the trails and his sincere contributions to the sport were an inspiration. With the VHTRC I have been fortunate to have run with many outstanding individuals as well as runners, Roger was one of them. His unique and unselfish love for the sport was certainly an encouragement for young runners like myself. He made each run not just a run but an experience, something special, something to look back on and cherish. Thank you for all your kind words, Roger I will miss you.

(I wrote [the following] earlier this year about the enjoyment and friendships I have made on the trails. I would like to formally dedicate this piece to runners like Roger that bring so more to the sport and each start line than they could ever take with them.)

Chris Scott

Roger was a "favorite place." We all have them, and appreciate them most when we miss their routine in our lives. As with favorites, we assume they're always there, because when we anticipate going there / doing that / seeing them, they ARE always there. They're the venue through which other experiences enrich our lives, when in fact, with a little reflection, we realize it's THEM who enrich. Your favorite pub: you wouldn't enjoy the people there as much if it weren't for the pub itself. Your favorite ultra: the personality of the event itself, over time, stands above the individual year's experiences. Your favorite friend(s): the consistency of their appeal, across the years, glues them to you.

Roger was one of my favorite people, and "place," too. The former for his resilience to nuances in my own life, the latter for his consistency in how I experienced him, year after year after year (yet in no year often enough). Always a smile that erupted before I could get my own out. A handshake anxious to make contact. Some of the shortest long miles I've ever spent on trails, as his warmth and frivolity warped our time and distance in the dirt. Such an incredibly inviting soul, perhaps best evidenced by his ease in soothing fang-bearing dogs on Virginia's back roads.

I wish I could say I'm looking forward to again sharing trail with him at Quad State, Laurel, TRAC, Bull Run, the AT on any given day... And I can. He's there now, waiting, with his smile, a handshake, and shoes laced up. Can't wait to get out there...

Phil Anderson

Roger was a good trail buddy and I personally enjoyed my times on the trail with him. He was always there to help out and assist other runners.

He was a six (6) time finisher of the Hinte-Anderson 50 K trail run with finishes in 1990, 93, 96, 98, 99 and 2000.

Roger entered this years race (2001), and although he didn't finish it, he hung around after he dropped out to help out at the aid stations.

Bill Gentry

I'll never forget Roger's Julie Moss-like finish at the 1998 Old Dominion 100. Ben Clark and I finished in 22:51, just three minutes ahead of him -- because he missed the turn coming into the fairgrounds.

Roger came staggering across the finish line bent over and foaming at the mouth. He had spent 20 minutes or so wandering around the area trying every which way to find his way in.

In all the time I'd known him, this was the first time I'd seen him really pissed. He was ranting about how screwed up the finish was and how screwed up the race was and how screwed up the world was. When he saw me lying in the grass near the finish line and said, "Oh my God, I didn't see you all day. YOU didn't beat me, did you?!" Then he cracked into his award-winning smile and walked off.

David Horton

Roger was always one of the most upbeat runners and friend that I have ever known. He came down with Don Lookingbill in the early 80's to run the MMTR and the Trans-VA. races. He was always a lot of fun to be with and he was a tremendous encourager of others.

He will be missed by the running community. He was a class individual who cared about those around him.

Phil Young

On my rookie ultrarun in 1993, Roger was the first person to be close by to catch me veering off course and put me back on track. (A routine that would make me many-an acquaintance with this new-found community for me.) I also remember Roger selflessly crewing for us on one of the quad-state quad-busters (the one with all the ripened Paw-Paws). It was this run that cemented my fondness for ultra runners and ultra running.

Like others, I remember routinely seeing Roger at many other runs and events over the years. In trying to understand my feelings when I read the news, I had to admit to myself that it was for me that I felt sorry. Knowing and being on a run with Roger was a privilege that I, (after taking for granted for so long), will miss very much.

If I could give a tribute to Roger, I'd have to say that, although his death has diminished us all, he made me realize that I shouldn't take my friends for granted. I feel lucky to have known Roger, and thanks to him, I'm reminded of how lucky I am to know so many other wonderful people, like yourselves.

Randy Snyder

[Randy and Roger ran a lot together before Randy moved to Reno, Nevada. The picture below is from a June 2000 run. Some of us had planned to meet at the Dickey Ridge trail head. Roger and Randy had separately planned to run that day also. We all got to the trail head at the same time. Roger and Randy ran with us. In the picture, Roger is second from right, and Randy is on the far right. Also in the picture are Jeanne and Larry and Gary Knipling on the ground.]

When I was still in Virginia, Roger and I used to get together pretty regularly to run. Venues were near Front Royal, the AT, the tow path or parks in Maryland. Our move to Nevada was tough in some ways, and one way it was tough for me was not running with Roger. I've been missing him as a running buddy, but the loss to all of us is profound.

Roger taught me to be patient since he was such a steady mover on the trail. He was always experimenting with equipment and food for the trail and so passed on lots of helpful hints. His sense of humor always made the time go by quickly during long runs. Roger always gave more than he received.

Roger Allison

1940-2001

"Bye Guy!"