Owing to some remarkably unreasoned opposition by Alaska Railroad management
to the continued use of their Tanana River Bridge as part of The Annihilator
race course, what would have been the 10th Anniversary running of The
Annihilator was celebrated as a Fun Run by a small group of 12 runners and 4
walkers. The presence of armed Pinkerton security guards at the southern
approach to the Alaska Railroad's Tanana River Bridge, as well as the threatened
arrest and jailing of any trespassers, resulted in the 16 celebrants using the
Tanana River highway bridge in both directions on the Fun Run. The modified
course started and finished at the Nenana Visiotrs Center and, with the
exception of the first mile, followed the remainder of The Annihilator's
traditional course. The total length of this year's route was approximately 7
miles.
The continuation and future of The Annihilator was discussed at length both before and after the run by all the participants. While no decisions were reached on any details, the unanimous consensus was that the race must be continued. While the race start and end points remain undecided, a course change on the first half mile climb up the hillside, in the vicinity of the Nenana City Cemetery and the letter "N", was tentatively agreed upon. A trail clearing party will meet at 10AM at the Monderosa, on Sunday September 15, 1996, to prepare this new section of trail. All are welcome with their heavy clearing tools (chain saws, shovels, axes, etc).