 In 1993 and 1994 , Thunder Run was cited by Amusement Business as the " Most Terrifying Roller Coaster " on a top 10 list . The American Coaster Enthusiasts ' Inside Track magazine ranked Thunder Run as the " fourth best of its kind in the nation " . In 2007 , the Lexington Herald @-@ Leader described the ride as having " a few nice drops and that jerky , clicking wooden coaster feel that some people love , but it never gets too wild " . Tim O 'Brien , formerly of Amusement Business , rode the inaugural run of the ride in 1990 , as well as the first cycle of the refurbished ride in 2013 . O 'Brien describes the updated ride as " a better ride today than it was back then " , commending the ride 's ability to give a classic wooden roller coaster feel , yet run smoothly . He states Thunder Run " is one of the top wooden roller coasters in the world " . 
