Race Through New River Gorge National Park

The highball was used in early railroads to signal the track was clear.  When the ball was hoisted, trains were cleared to proceed!

We're raising the ball on this unique 50 Mile & 50K event, encouraging athletes to proceed on this epic destination, trail race, ultra marathon adventure.

Participants run through New River Gorge National Park and finish in Thurmond, West Virginia.  With a population of 5 at the 2010 census, it is the least populated railroad town in the nation.  Participants in all events can choose to take the train back to the 50 Mile start line. The last call whistle is at 6:45 pm!  We'll see you on May 18, 2025!

50 Mile & 50 Mile Relay

The 50 Mile starts at 4:45 AM EST in Montgomery, WV and finishes in Thurmond, West Virginia.  This gives athletes enough time to catch the train from the finish line back to Montgomery!  The train leaves at 6:59 PM EST with the last call whistle at 6:45 PM EST.

This course is a mix of paved road (about 12 miles), awesome mountain dirt roads, and gorgeous trails with a spectacular view through New River Gorge National Park.  With about 5,000' of elevation gain, athletes will earn their finisher medal, post race food, and awesome awards.

The 50 Mile Relay can be run with 2-4 people.  Athletes can run as many or as few legs as they want as long as each member of the team runs at least one.  You have the freedom to hand off at any official aid station.  Just make sure to say "choo choo!" for the hand off to be official!

50 Kilometer

This will be a full daylight event starting at Hawks Nest State Park and finishing in Thurmond, West Virginia.  This point-to-point course takes participants along the beautiful New River Gorge trails.  With 3,100' of elevation gain, the race is both manageable and challenging. This trail 50K is well-aided, extremely well-marked, and a beginner-friendly ultramarathon with a very reasonable cutoff time!  Finish before the train leaves to earn your medal, post race food, awesome awards, and catch your ride back to the 50 Mile starting line in Montgomery.

What's Included in Registration?

• Highball to Thurmond Ultra & Relay finisher medal
• Custom 2025 Highball to Thurmond hoodie
• Race photos
• Unique awards for top 3 overall men and women, age group awards, and the top 2 person, 3 person, and 4 person relay teams.
• Well-stocked aid stations along an epic & well-marked course
• Opportunity to add-on a train ticket
• And more!

2025 Hoodie Design