When most ultramarathoners toe the starting line, their primary adversaries are the terrain, the distance, and their own limits. But for the 225 runners lining up in West Virginia’s New River Gorge on May 17, there is another, much louder competitor: the whistle of the Amtrak Cardinal.

Welcome to the Highball to Thurmond Ultra & Relay, a 50-mile, point-to-point footrace where the ultimate prize isn't just a finisher's medal—it's catching the train back home.

"I love all of our races, but this is special," says Megan Warzecha, a veteran race organizer and runner who tackled the course herself. "There's not a lot of races where you get to run straight through a National Park. This race is really cool; having the train as part of it is so unique."

For passenger rail advocates and outdoor enthusiasts alike, the Highball to Thurmond showcases how existing rail infrastructure can do more than just connect cities, it can breathe life into historic corridors and provide unparalleled access to our nation's wildest spaces.

The Starting Line: A Small Town Goes "All In"

The journey begins before sunrise in Montgomery, West Virginia, a small community that fully embraces the early-morning chaos. Runners participating in the 50-mile ultra and relay teams gather near the train platform to prepare for the grueling day ahead.

"Montgomery is pretty small, but they are all in," Warzecha notes. The town's enthusiasm sets the tone for the event, with the mayor personally coming out to send the runners off into the Appalachian dawn, while locals prepare to support along the trails.

Into the Wild

From Montgomery, the route plunges into the New River Gorge National Park. Organizers Rich and Libby intentionally designed the course as a challenging point-to-point journey to ensure participants truly "feel like they've done something."

The logistics are as extreme as the run itself. To support the athletes, volunteers must hike supplies into remote areas. One aid station is situated six miles deep into the woods with no road access; staff literally carry the water and gear in on their backs.

Along the rugged singletrack, runners pass the remnants of the region's rich industrial past. Old coal mining equipment and abandoned mine entrances serve as silent milestones through the forest, connecting the athletes to the deep history of the region.

The Finish Line: Breathing Life into a Ghost Town

The race's namesake is the "highball" railroad signal, which traditionally indicated that the track ahead was clear and the train could proceed at full speed. Runners need that full speed to reach their destination: Thurmond, West Virginia.

Once a booming coal and rail hub where more freight passed through than Cincinnati, Thurmond is now a legendary railroad ghost town with a population of exactly five residents. But on race day, the town roars back to life.

All five residents get involved. Local organizations, like the Friends of New River Park, rally to man the aid stations. Instead of finishing and packing up to head home, finishers and the community spend the rest of the day grilling burgers and hot dogs as participants trickle in.

Some of the participants "legitimately worry about beating the train to the finish line," Warzecha says. The finish line stays open until 6:45 PM. Exhausted runners, operating on deeply tired legs, then, must make a final trek across a historic trestle bridge to reach the train station.

The Ride Home

For those who beat the clock, the reward is a seat on the Amtrak train departing at 7:30 PM. For this event, Amtrak adds an extra car to accommodate the runners, resulting in the highest single-day ridership out of the Thurmond station all year. The 85 available tickets sell out months in advance.

"What makes it so special is, this is hard, it's a long day on your feet, but really so life-changing," Warzecha explains.

Instead of climbing into a car to drive home, finishers sink into their seats and look out the windows at the New River Gorge they just spent the last twelve hours running through. They finally get to take in the sweeping scenery they missed while staring at the rocky trails. A "Rails and Trails" guide joins them on board to speak about the National Park, and glasses are raised for a champagne toast as the train rolls back to Montgomery.

The Future of Transit to Trails

For All Aboard Ohio and advocates across the region, events like the Highball to Thurmond highlight the massive, untapped potential of unique tourism tied to passenger rail. The Amtrak Cardinal line, which runs through Ohio directly to the Gorge, already provides a vital link to this outdoor playground.

However, frequency remains a hurdle. Warzecha, who lives in Detroit, noted that she originally wanted to take the train down for the race, but the current schedules made it difficult.

"You really could take the train in," she points out. "If they had it every day, a lot more people could ride the train in."

Work is underway to bring daily passenger rail service back to the region, but for now, the Amtrak Cardinal will continue to be the most memorable race finish at the Highball to Thurmond.

Learn more about the race at Highball to Thurmond Ultra 50 Mile, 50K, & Relay | Trivium Racing