Being a race director can be a tough gig sometimes. But it can also be really rewarding. This week I’m heading into the last race of the 2026 season and getting ready for the 14th running of the Icebox. Honestly, I’m still a little amazed that this race thing we started has stuck around this long.
It started at someone else’s start line.
I still remember standing at the start of the Afton 50k while John rambled on about the day ahead. Everyone around me was bouncing with nervous energy. And I stood there wondering what it would take to be the guy on the other side of that start line.
Turns out it takes a lot more than sticking a few flags in the ground and yelling, “Go.”
The firehose became a garden hose.
Parks. Insurance. Bathrooms. Swag. Registration. Volunteers. Food. Water. And on and on. Those first years felt like drinking from a firehose. With practice, experience, and a whole lot of help, it’s settled down to a garden hose.
I figured the Icebox would last a handful of years and quietly fade away. I never imagined it would grow into five races: Willow, Kinni, In Yan Teopa, Trout Brook and the Icebox.
And I definitely didn’t get here on my own.
It starts at home.
Ann, Rylee, Brianna, my brother Matt, and my mom, Pam. Some years we have a family sleepover the night before Icebox, and it’s become one of my favorite parts of the whole season. Before the first runner shows up, before the first loop and before the cold sets in, we’re all under one roof.
They’ve given up weekends, put up with race gear taking over the house, and listened to more race talk than anyone should ever have to. Thank you. None of this works without you.
Some people beat me to the race.
Steve and Deb have become a fixture at my events. Most of the time, they’re already there when I pull in. If you’ve run one of my races, you’ve probably met them, and you’re better off for it.
And to every volunteer who has filled a water jug, marked a trail, cheered at a turnaround, or stood out in the cold so someone else could run: thank you. The runners see the course. I see you.
Here’s hoping you never need her.
Chalayne is our medical representative. She’s great, but I hope you never meet her for the reason she’s there. Over the years, she’s become a mainstay at our events, and we’re honored to have her. Just knowing she’s on site lets me and every runner out there breathe a little easier. So if you do meet her, I hope it’s just to say hi.
Good advice is only a phone call away.
John and Cheri Storkamp and Jeff Allen have always been a call or text away. They’ve shared bits of wisdom and lent a hand more times than I can count. That’s how the trail community around here works. The people who could treat you like competition are usually the first ones to help.
One more race this season.
On Saturday, November 7, the 14th running of the Icebox starts at Whitetail Ridge. It’s the last race of my season, and I can’t think of a better way to wrap it up than with the people who made it all possible.
If you’re running, I’ll see you at the start line. If you’re not, come out and cheer, volunteer, or stop by and say hi. Either way, thanks for being part of this.