T
alk about highballing it for the long haul. Dozens of athletes from around the United States completed the Highball to Thurman Ultra and Relay this past weekend, running and rucking their way from the upper Kanawha Valley to the New River Gorge.
The name of the May 18 event pays homage to the area’s railroad history and the race’s stretch between the rail towns of Montgomery and Thurmond. A “highball” – not to be confused with a cocktail of the same name -- was used in early railroads to signal the track was clear. When the ball was hoisted, trains were cleared to proceed.
Sunday’s competition, which included both a 50-mile run and a 50K, began in the still-dark early morning hours. Some participants in the 50-mile excursion departed from Montgomery. More than 50 runners were listed on race result rosters in two 50-mile competitions.
“Runners left ...around 4 a.m. and took a 50-mile run to Thurmond,” Montgomery officials noted in a weekend post on their official Facebook page. “[T]hey then caught an Amtrak train back to Montgomery to celebrate.”
Amtrak’s Cardinal line, which travels between Chicago and New York, runs through the Kanawha Valley and into the New River Gorge. The train makes stops in both Montgomery and Thurmond, providing a respite for runners returning from their Saturday destination.
Participants who completed the race were greeted with a whistle, a medal, and a champagne toast in Thurmond. Runners were then able to catch the train back to Montgomery around 7 p.m. Sunday, arriving in the upper Kanawha Valley community roughly an hour later.
Once back in Montgomery, participants were invited to a “Welcome Back” party at the city’s Third Avenue Community Center, complete with pizza, snacks, and plenty of electrolytes.
Overall winners of the 2025 Highball to Thurmond Ultra and Relay include:
- Laura Pahren, 33, from Mason, OH, first place in the 50K, with a time of 4 hours, 57 minutes, 39.8 seconds;
- Andrew Waters, 38, from Richmond, Va., first place in the 50K Ruck, with a time of 11 hours, 34 minutes, 16.89 seconds;
- David Conrad, 45, from Ooltewah, Tenn., first place in the 50-Mile 14 Hour Limit, with a time of 10 hours, 42 minutes and 17.28 seconds; and
- John Blasingame, 28, from Washington, D.C., won first place in the 50-Mile 12.75 Hour Limit, with a time of 7 hours, 31 minutes, and 20.55 seconds.
The Lincoln Mile Splitters (James Phelps, Jeffrey Skaggs, Thomas Claycomb, and Travis Martin) won the 50-mile relay team race in 7 hours and 22 minutes.
More information on the Highball to Thurman Ultra and Relay is available online.
