Ron Herzog 50k Ultramarathon, my first as a Race Director

This weekend I had the honor to take over one of the oldest 50k races in the Northwest. The Ron Herzog / Tanks alot 50k.... Ron Herzog was an ultrarunner that enjoyed tough and gnarly trails and organized some runs up in the Granite Falls area, this run was dedicated to him after he died of ALS, Chris Ralph, his friend, organized the run for over ten years... last year, 2004, I
participated in that run and had a blast (especially in the bushwhack-ish tank trap sections!) and finished 3rd overall... woohoo!
Right after that run she announced it was going to be the last... and so Franklin and I decided to take it over...
So we went out there a few weeks before to test run the course, and a day before to mark the course, Franklin, Liz and I marked it in the most horrendeous conditions of high winds, driving rain, sleet, hail and snow, and then had to sleep in the car to accomodate the racers at 5am to check them in and get them ready... the race went well, all but one person finished, and everyone had a blast especially since there was plenty of snow on top, a thing that had only happened once in the 18 years its been running.... Jim Kerby and Van Phan won their categories and I am sure we ll be back organizing it again next year!



Tony, Van and some other racers enjoy a quick break before heading out for the next 25k of the course... its all downhill from now!


Race Finish Line, Franklin Wood, Bill Ball and Roger Michel