About the Event: This marks the fourth year that the greatest race in the history of the world is being held in Anaconda, Montana. Running in the darkness and noise, I launched myself into the air and screamed like a B movie actress, bringing the pipe wrench down on the huddling shape in the corner of the metal building. A dull, moist thud was followed by squealing so loud that it drowned out my own screaming. The wrench flew from my hand after the furry impact, still slippery from the outside rain. More crashing and breaking glass echoed thru the machine shed and I remembered the loaded Ruger at my side. I drew quickly and fired blindly, emptying all but two loads of the 14 round clip into the darkness. Thunder crashed and in the moment of lightning brightness I saw the open back door, swinging loosely in the wind on its one remaining hinge. I ran wildly for the exit, arms flailing, and tripped over the rusty threshold, bashing my already bloodied face into the rough metal of the loose bullet riddled door. As I fell, losing consciousness in slow motion, lightning bolted and I saw my gun flipping through the air and I saw the red eyes of the beast as it turned from the edge of the trees back to see me falling, and I saw it turn back and slide into the soggy forest of tree-like plants and disappear like a red-eyed ghost. Other than the taste of my own steaming red nostril blood, it was the last thing I remembered as my head bounced on the asphalt just outside the building. As always, bring the kids and dogs and enjoy some CRECC family fun! See you on race day.

Race Details: There are plenty of well organized, high-profile races with shiny, glossy entry forms scheduled during the road racing season. This isn’t one of them. Expect little and get less.

T-shirts: Unless I change my mind, you’ll continue to get nothing and like it.

Door Prizes: None.

Split Times: Wear a watch and look at it whenever you want.

Water Stops: The course follows Warm Springs Creek. Help yourself to as much as you like.

Restrooms: A forest is made up of many trees.

Course: Out and back on trail. Run is completely confined to sections of the Anaconda Parks and Recreation Dept trail system. The approximately 4.2 mile run starts on the blacktop portion of the trail sandwiched between the dead end at Polk Dr and the Old Works Golf Course, and follows the trail to its end at Galen Road. The end of the trail signals you, the runner, that it is time to turn around and run back before the cookies are all gone. Trail conditions vary. Less than 3/4 mile is on blacktop. The rest is on loose gravel. Footing may not be ideal, so don't whine about it like the Iowans do. Be prepared. You're on your own. Also, any Iowans thinking of crashing this gig should realize that there are black bears, grizzly bears, mountain lions, mountain goats, elk, moose, rattle snakes and other friendly animals in Montana. All of them thrive on human contact and love to be nuzzled and spoken to in baby talk, so feel free to approach any or all of them during the run, should they appear.

Food: Hard, inexpensive, preprocessed cookies (and tap water if I can find a bucket in the garage).

Parking: I would suggest the intersection of Polk and Deer Lodge Drive. (Not in it, but near it.)

Race Results: Will be announced during awards ceremony and posted online whenever I get around to it. Check the CRECC website for past photos, results, and articles: http://www.websaylor.com/creccb0002.html

Prize Money/Awards/Age Groups: Trophies to overall male and female winners. Small trophies to first three places in each age division. Largest trophy goes to the ONPRRF (pronounced “ahhnperf”, meaning an otherwise non-prize receiving random finisher). No duplicate awards. $1.14 to the overall winners. Double the cash for a course record.

Course records:

Ray Hunt 22:51 (2003 in Montana)

Erin Moeller 28:22 (2001 in Iowa)

Age Divisions: LT 15, 15-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40, 41-44, 45-49, 50-56, 57-62, 62-82, 83+

Entry Fee:

Postmarked before February 10, 1908:

$1.50

CVRA Members:

$75.00

All other entrants (including race day):

$10.00

Registration closes 8:40ish.