Class Action Classic Report

The Class Action Classic took place near Ranch 321 outside of Bozeman, Montana, and celebrated the greatest conference any historian will ever attend. Although the conference was filled with luminary Wanderers such as Simon Newman, Susan Branson, and Alison Games, it was their performance in the Class Action Classic that everyone will remember. The race was run at altitude, 6,500 feet, on a crystal blue-sky day. The 5k course was a straight out course, leaving some to wonder how they might actually get back to their cars.

The day was a bit chilly, but runners worked up a good sweat in no time as they made their way through the thin air of the mountains. Games, Matt Dennis, and a few others set off at a fast pace that immediately put Newman, Pieman--especially Pieman, Seth Rockman, Gail Gottleib, and Mike McDonnell in arrears. Secretly, the other runners were waiting for the achingly slow pieman. But, this second group did what the first group did not: Newman, Pieman, Rockman, Gottleib, and McDonnell all crested the only real hill in the course on their way to the finish of the 5k course. On the climb up, one runner reported hearing Pieman mutter, "There is not much I can do when I crack like this!" Dizzy with fatigue brought on by nearly constant "conferencing," Pieman was barely able to stay with Newman, who then set a blistering pace to the finish. The other runners did not seem nearly as fatigued, and waited kindly so all could finish together. Allan Kulikoff brought up the rear, having taken the much more sensible approach to the event. He walked and took time to admire his fantastic surroundings.

After a few brief pictures, epic tales of heroic efforts, some water, and the distribution of power beads and amulets provided by Alison Games, nearly all of the runners did what most Wanderers would do: they ran back. Thus, a proposed 5k turned into a fantastic 10k. Many thanks are due all the runners, the organizers of the conference--Billy G. Smith and Simon Middleton, and the sunshine of Montana. For all of the participants, this was an event never to be forgotten or, unfortunately, likely duplicated.

Class Action Classic participants before the start. Click here for a large photo.

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