2017 Hall of Fame!
What kind of crazy things happened during TARC's first Ghost Train race?
Explore below and see for yourself, with your own eyes:
The 2017 Ghost Train Hall of Fame is as follows:
But first, a picture of the new RD Josh Katzman:
(photo courtesy of Surjeet Paintal).
1) Best collages (is this a thing now? If so, I like it.
I guess that 2017 wasn't a complete bust after all).
Melissa Arnold shows how it all went down with her supernatural friends.
Yuki Minami Chorney chronicles, amongst other things, proposing to a
skeleton with what may be the cutest look ever on her face (he said "yes"
so save the date!).
Jennifer Forsythe at her first ultra!
(Raise your hands if you're sure!).
2) Best Heroic Save
Kelly Bastis Pailonia and Caitlin Rossi stopped their race
to assist a 70 year old lady who had fallen.
3) Best 100 mile turnaround selfie:
The typical silliness associated with the little rascals known as
Shannon Plesh, Prannee Terry, and David Drebsky.
4) Best Fastest Guys and Fast Gal
Patrick Caron and Alexander Jinks have no need for food or water, only air.
Clair "Honey Badger" Gadrow is so fast that cameras
are unable to properly capture her form. (Fortunately,
Honey Badger don't care).
5) Best "I am so done with this" pose:
Identification of this person is iffy at best.
.
6) Best Timing System that is Electronical,
Methodical, and Periodical.
Norm Sheppard brings the NTS (Norm Timing System) to Ghost Train
for the first time! I couldn't find a photo, so here is what I imagine it was like:
David Metsky took a real photo. I am leaving the one above anyway.
7) Best Buckles:
Adam Dodge is kind enough to continue the madness Lou Loban started:
8) Best "My Daddy is a Hero" moment:
Dean Barbera crosses the finish line.
9) Best Flying Cape with "The Vermont Gang" Pic:
Jen Delmonte insists that you must respect the cape:
10) Best Nighttime Balloons on a Chain Link Fence:
Jill Delmonte captures the rare migration pattern of balloons
during mating season.
11) Best Skeleton Make-out pic:
Elise Miller is sad to see Heidi Brennan kissing
Yuki Minami Chorney's Fiance. That two-timing
bastard. Still, a skeleton is only human(ish) after all.
12) Best Pumpkin Conga Line:
Heidi Brenna captures Brookline yet again pulling out all the stops!
13) Milford's New Stairs!
Heidi Brennan spent more time taking photos
than running.
14) Best Wow Moment:
Kelly Bastis Pabilonia and friend at her first 50 miler!
Another wow moment with Shannon Plesh and David Drebski.
15) Best Flintstone Moment:
Yabba dabba doo with Darrell McTague and Benjamin Manning
Google Translation: Yạạbạ blunder doo!! (True story).
16) Ghost Train Killed Fred!
Now for the awful duty of telling Wilma. (Best
to let Josh handle that).
17) Best Landowner quote:
"Looking forward to seeing the headlamps bouncing through my backyard!"
-Melissa Woelflein. Thanks for letting us use the trail!
18) Missed Connection Thank You:
"Huge shout out and thank you to the random stranger who carried my drop box
from the finish line to my car over by the covered bridge at 930pm. It was a huge
help after running my first 50 miles". -Kelly Bastis Pabilonia.
19) Cool Dude on a Mission:
Charlene Shaver captures the start. The Dude abides.
20) Best Profanity and Ears:
Another fine pic courtesy of Charlene Shaver.
21) Best Sleepyhead Runner:
What would this page be without Charlene Shaver?
22) Best Guy Running the Wrong Way
at the Race Start:
Charlene Shaver catches someone
sneaking in extra miles before the race.
23) Best Smorgasbord:
Kelly Cote Clark's favorite restaurant in Brookline.
24) Best Post-Race Hallucination:
Patrick Caron knocks out a win and then
makes an imaginary friend.
25) Best Pre-Race Car Ride Selfie:
Kelly Cote Clark and Debra Ramini are rockin' out to
Steppenwolf on the car ride up (but I don't judge them
for their taste in music...much).
26) Best Pre-Race Milford Aid Station:
Julie Olsen captures the magic.
27) Best "Time for a little Nappy Nap Selfie":
Steve Jackson earned some down time.
28) Best 15 Miler Pre-Race Speech:
"Welcome to Ghost Train. You will not be running in the direction
I am pointing. Why am I pointing in this direction at all? Because
I talk mostly with my hands and cannot help myself. Thank you for
coming and have a good race." -Josh "Count Samuel" Katzman.
29) Best Spaghetti Dinner:
Eat, gentle runners. Jordan Bailey Captures the fun.
30) Best Pre-Race Pic:
Jennifer Forsythe and friends will not bail on us.
31) Best Pre-Race Food Pic:
Gail Martin calls this still life "Hope".
Fruit-related art is her passion.
32) Best Pre-Race Packing Photo
Shannon Plesh never disappoints.
33) The Old School Ghost Train Team:
Jordan Bailey:
Chris Costantino (in like the only extant photo of her):
John and Lise Bigl:
Steven Latour, Cindy Lou Dougherty, Buddy Dougherty, and
Jordan Bailey (her again! She is so vain. She probably thinks this
website is about her).
34) Best Pre-Race Car Art:
Michael Walen Didn't Realize it was Permanent Ink!
35) Pre-Race Gear Check:
Barbara Bass is neither obsessive nor compulsive... right?
Perhaps she and David Phillips can form a support group:
36) Best 100 and 15 Mile Finisher's Awards:
Lori Kingston can put away her paint for another year.
37) Best Pumpkin Carvin' Party:
Brookline spares no effort for you race satisfaction.
38) Pre and Post-Race Smiles
Patrick Caron enjoys running, smiling, and imaginary friends.
39) Skeleton Selfie:
Some Skeletons get all the luck. Lisa Kelly and
45 miler friends pose with a playa.
40) What Sunday 3pm looks like:
Jordan Bailey captures the true meaning of Ghost Train.
41) Best Crew:
Melissa Arnold knows some good people.
42) Best Tunnel Pic:
Melissa Arnold spelunks with the best of them.
43) Best Group Photo of Runners Who
All PR'ed for Distance:
Danielle Mackowiak and pals.
44) Best quote of Shari Kraut Yard (runner)
to Heather Wahlquist Neeley (pacer):
“Quit blowing sunshine up my ass".
Follow-up quote: "Does anyone want a pacer, we will sell you ours...
a belt buckle...money...just take her".
45) Best Jazz Hands:
Heather Wahlquist Neeley captures the moment (and the
next five moments are her pics as well).
46) Best Pose with Undead Couple:
Meredith Lazaroski Nash and newfound friends:
47) Best Candid Running Gesture:
Michael Lo Presti runs with style and aplomb.
48) Best Day of the Dead pic:
Caitlyn Rossi and a former finisher.
49) Best This Must be the Start of the Race pic:
Caitlyn Rossi and David Pelletier have too much energy right now.
50) Best BFF's Start Photo:
Always take a photo at the start while you
still look pretty. (Debbie Dorman, Donna Hawkins-
Wallburg, Kristin Hotchkiss).
51) Yuki and Skeleton are Reconciled.
It was all just a misunderstanding.
52) Best Giving the Finger Pic:
We get one of these every year.
53) Cutest Buckle Handling
Michael Whalen get a buckle and some cuteness.
54) Best Angled Race Start Selfie:
It kinda makes my head hurt, though.
55) Best "Come at me, Bro!" pose:
Davina McNaney is spoilin' for a fight.
56) Best Nostromo Moment:
Y'know. The spaceship from "Alien?" A reference to the
Joseph Conrad novel? No? Okay then. Fine.
At least Steve Jackson gets it.
57) A First Time Runner with a Non-Engaged Skeleton!
Helice Gillis makes a new friend.
58) Some More Pumpkin pics!
Courtesy of Jen Perrin Bergstrom
59) Why run 100 miles?
To binge eat afterwards, naturally.
Chris Casey eats, Jennifer Jean Jellybean takes pics.
60) This is not a time for photography.
But just try and tell that to Jellybean.
61) How many calories can I eat for recovery?
Benjamin Manning can afford an extra snack.
62) Jessica Goldman gets maced!
She had it coming.
63) Overheard by Shannon Plesh
on the pumpkin bridge:
"They were out all night, look pretty rough, and they
smell. Just like us."
64) Ultra Cray-Cray Collage:
Every step after 26.2 is a PR!
Gustavo Zajia Jr, Jennifer Forsythe, and Jamie Celentano.
65) I believe I can flyyyyy!!!
Shannon Plesh and David Drebski break the bounds of Mother Earth.
Photo by David Metsky.
66) Best ink:
Photos courtesy of David Metsky.
Julie Hicks O'Mara during a rare walking break.
Marie Gryszowska
67) I don't know what to make of this.
But it definitely belongs here.
Faith Raymond Strafach, Laura Bachiochi,
and a sexy hula-man.
68) Best Text Four Years Ago
Jennifer Jean Jellybean has the best friends.
69) Best Existential Crisis:
Chris Straub understands the theatre of the absurd.
70) Best Scary Care Bear:
James Pechette and Laurie Gardner lived
to tell the tale.
71) Skeleton is at it again!
But you really can't blame him.
And howsabout rounding it out with another RD pic?
This photo by Carolyn Mankiewicz-Shreck.