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WHO THE BLOODY HELL IS DENNIS HERR?

If you don’t know who Dennis Herr is, read up on him before you come. This is his race you're running. Ask your running friends before and during the event, they’ll know.
If you don't have any running friends who know, get some new ones who do, or read this:

Dennis is an athletic animal, hence his nickname Dennis “The Animal” Herr. He created Wild Oak 30 years ago, making it one of the longest-running, grass-roots on-trail ultramarathons in the country. He first ran Old Dominion 100 miler in 1982. He was a Barkley “Fun Run” finisher in 1991, winning by running the furthest distance covered that year. He ran Barkley from 1990-1995 and 1999, completing 1 loop each time. “The Animal” was known as an aggressively competitive athlete with his skill sets ranging from runner to mountain adventurer to road cyclist and triathlete. He expanded his dominance over the East Coast mountain scene to the West Coast where he tackled 14ers. Today, Dennis mountain bikes tens of tens of thousands of miles per year. Wild Oak is only one of many events he has organized and coordinated.

Please kindly note: Because of two severe, life threatening cycling accidents, Dennis lost his hearing and sense of balance. When you speak with him, look him directly in the face and articulate clearly. Do not be surprised if he leans on you for balance. 

Also note: The most important quality of Wild Oak is respect. Respect for race policies and traditions, fellow adventurers, and especially the terra firma you will travel.  

In 2016, Dennis Herr passed the TWOT reins onto Antoinette Landragin, current RD.  Antoinette's raced 8, 12, and 24 hour events, 50k, 50 milers, 100 milers, and finished the 2013 Tom's Run 200 miler. While retired from racing, she is a proclaimed Barkley and TWOT sideline warrior, wine scholar and judge, business owner, and avid international traveler and educator. Expect to be cheered and jeered by her somewhere on the course. She can stay awake longer than anyone you know. 

In 2019, after a lengthy and heated committee review and vetting period,  TWOT veteran Guy Towler was ordained as Assistant RD. Guy is the only runner in TWOT history to hold the crown of being a three-time, consecutive race TWOT finisher. His rare 'repeat offender' status (Cold and Hot TWOT finishes in the same year) was in 2017. He raced all over the eastern seaboard and loves tough mountain courses, crewing and pacing. In addition, Guy is a recent volunteer of the year nominee. He wanders often, but is never lost. He can be reached at guy.towler@gmail.com

SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT

BY DENNIS HERR, last updated 3/19/2021

The Wild Oak National Recreation Trail was created by the Forest Service in 1979 and the fee-based 50 miler was dreamed up in '88.  The original course included 19 miles of roads in the North River Gorge along with The Wild Oak Trail (TWOT) extended on the southwest corner to the edge of Ramseys Draft which included Hiner Spring, Hardscrabble Knob and a section of  the Shenandoah Mountain Trail.  It was morphed into a Double TWOT loop in 1995 and changed to a no-fee event in '01.  

The 1990 fee-based 50 miler on the original course was, competitively, the most blistering one ever with times of 7:42, 7:44 and 7:47 by Dave Drach, Eric Clifton and Tom Bugliosi respectively.  Dave's time of 7:42 was done on the old and faster course of a loop in the valley by one on Wild Oak in the mountains. This also applies to Eric and Tom's loops. Sadly, Dave and Tom are no longer with us. 

Dave Drach's record is from the 1990 on the original and faster course which consisted of a road loop in the North River Gorge followed by an extended loop on Wild Oak while Courtney's and Mike's was done in 1995 on the "new and improved" course of 2 loops on Wild Oak, the first counter-clockwise and the 2nd clockwise. The total climbing on Dave's was 10,000 feet and 16,000 on C&M's

Courtney Campbell and Mike Morton own the mark on the current course of 2 repeating loops of TWOT at 9:27 in 1995. In 2018, John Kelly blazed through the 100 in 23:48.  Guy Towler owns the record with the most consecutive 100 miler completions with 3, challenged by Rob Tidwell and Peter Morgan who both just came shy of 3 consecutive 100 mile finishes. Due to blizzards, TWOT was cancelled in '94, '05 and '10.  The elevation differential for the 100 is roughly 60,000' (gain and loss). 

David Frazier holds the fastest one loop time from 2013 with 4:14.  Along with Dave's 4:14, his brother Mike is #2 with 4:37. Andy Stravers is 3rd with 4:43 instead of Leah Yingling's 4:56.   There are several in the low 4:50s ahead of Leah but too many to identify. 

Yours truly was the initial charter member of the TWOT100 club in 2002 (34:02) at age 55, the only member for 3 years.

The Oct. TWOT was added to the Feb event in 2004 due to a high demand for some Hot TWOT.  My intention was to make it my 4th completion of the year along with Massanutten, Big Horn and Hardrock.  Was stymied by being hit with a. fib. (atrial fibrillation).  It has plagued me for 30 years.