Highball to Thurmond Ultra Marathon & Relay

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!