Trail Rail runners breeze through rainy weather
Preston Kauder of Moscow, Idaho, ran into the St. Regis Community Park on Saturday during the 2025 Trail Rail Run, completing his first-ever 50-mile ultra marathon. After crossing the finish line, he swiftly sat down on the grass to rest his weary legs. (Mineral Independent/Amy Quinlivan)
The rain held off for most of race day Saturday as the 13th annual Trail Rail Run commenced up and over the pass near Mullan, Idaho.
For the 39 participants in the 50-mile course, their morning started at 6:00 a.m. Idaho time, with the first ultra-marathon runner crossing the finish line at the St. Regis Community Park a little after 1 p.m. with a chip time of 6:26:15.
28-year-old Preston Kauder from Moscow, Idaho, ran on Saturday with a group out of Iowa called Crown Running, a team of pro and elite athletes who are passionate about running and competing in events around the country.
Kauder remarked, “The race was really well put together, easy directions, beautiful scenery, just great overall experience.”
On his run, he saw a bull moose, a herd of elk and a few deer. His go-to refueling choices at the aid stations along the trail were pickles and roasted potatoes.
30K finisher, Paula Lunts, all the way from Tenants Harbor, Maine, wrapped up her race in heavy rain Saturday afternoon. Despite the downpour, she finished third and was thrilled to be running in Montana.
She said, “I am running in all 50 states, so after this one, I am onto the next race in another state.”
Race Director, Tyler Cheesman shared, “For the weather we had forecasted, it was a pretty decent turnout.”
Things went smoothly with start times; the 50-mile race started about 30 seconds behind schedule, and the 5K was a minute or two off. All things considered, the Trail Rail Run 2025 was a great success, with around 167 competitors participating in six different races.
The oldest runner of the day was an impressive 81 years old, while the youngest athlete was only 5 years old. And a DeBorgia resident, Dave Jackson, age 65, took first place in the 5K with a time of 30:25.