6/29, North Conway, NH

After a two week hiatus for Mt. Washington, the La Sportiva USATF-NE Mountain Circuit gets back in full swing on Sunday June 29th at the 21st Annual Cranmore Hill Climb. Next to Mt. Washington, Cranmore is the longest consecutive running mountain race in New England. Unlike Mt. Washington, the race is on trails and features an up and down course more like British Fell Running. The race served as the USA Mountain Championships last year and became legendary for it's brutal 1100 foot descent in less than a mile; still referred by New England Mountain Runner Dave Dunham as the toughest race he has ever done.

Since the course has had to change several times in the last few years to serve as a Mountain Team qualifying race, Race Director Paul Kirsch has pledged to change the course each year, giving everyone a chance to explore some more parts of the mountain.
"Everyone gets a new PR at Cranmore every year." joked Kirsch. "I don't know of a lot of races that change the course each year but I thought it would be a fun way to keep the race interesting. Every fall I enjoy getting out the GPS and trail maps and then going out and plotting the course for the following summer."

This year's course will feature 2 laps for all races, with a steeper ascent on some black diamond trails and then a more gradual descent. The descent will still give downhill runners a chance to show their stuff as the course is somewhat muddy from recent rains and includes some more technical singletrack sections that wind through the ski area's glades.

The race started back in the 80s as a fund raiser for the local Cranmore Ski Racing team with a format of "First to the top, you pick your own route." Then it was eventually modified to an uphill-only race that ran up the dirt service road on the back side of the mountain. The local running club, the White Mountain Milers, took over Race Directing duties in the 90s and but the race almost faded out of existence in 2003, when less than 40 runners competed. In 2005 the race got a much needed boost by becoming part of the LaSportiva USATF-NE Circuit and changed to its current up and down course format. Since becoming part of the Circuit, the race has increased to 200 runners, with around that amount expected for 2008.

"Mountain Running is stronger than ever here in New England" noted Kirsch. "One of the great benefits of being part of the La Sportiva Circuit is you get built in publicity and a core group of runners who come out to all of the races." This extra attendance benefits local students as well. The race is a fundraiser for the White Mountain Milers Scholarship Fund, which has given out over $55,000 in college scholarships to local high school scholar-athletes who excel in academics and the sport of running.

In 2009 Cranmore will again host the USA Mountain Championships, with a new course to mimic the WMRT. What that course looks like is still in Paul's head right now, as he waits to hear the layout of the 2009 WMRT course.

The La Sportiva USATF-NE Mountain Circuit will continue at Loon Mountain in July 6th and conclude at Mt. Ascutney on July 12th. The Circuit is in its 13th year and was founded by current Circuit statistician, Dave Dunham. Runners who complete all six races and become USATF members are awarded the coveted "Mountain Goat" title, which gives them a LaSportiva Mountain Goat shirt along with a bypass to the 2009 Mount Washington Lottery.

Registration is still available for the race and will be available on race day as well. www.whitemountainmilers.com/cranmore for more registration info and course maps.

PHOTO: Anita Ortiz, winning the USATF Mountain Championships at Cranmore last year.

http://www.mountainrunning.com/features/march_06/index.html

7/2, Vail, Colorado

Vail, Colorado – Colorado’s premier trail running series offers new additions this year yet continues some of the traditions that has made the series a success during the past ten years.

“We strive to have the best race series in Colorado by providing great courses and excellent organization. Going into our second decade of racing, we have a revamped series which will attract new participants to the start line alongside the runners who support the series year after year,” said race director Joel Rabinowitz.

The series, title sponsored by La Sportiva, runs June through September and includes events from 5 miles to just over the half marathon distance.

“Vail is the perfect location for trail running, so La Sportiva is naturally very excited to help make exciting and fun trail racing available. Vail has always done a great job, and as a world-class resort, people can come from all over the country for the entire weekend, or they can drive up from the Front Range for a refreshing summer day in the mountains. Each of these races is very scenic, they make excellent use of the beautiful natural terrain, all of which fits in perfectly with La Sportiva's 50-year old heritage as the pre-eminent manufacturer of mountain footwear,” says Buzz Burrell, spokesperson for La Sportiva.

Rabinowitz and his staff at Vail Recreation District partner with Beaver Creek Resorts this year to host the first event in the series on June 21 in Beaver Creek. This evening trail race, the La Sportiva Beaver Creek Summer Solstice, will celebrate the summer solstice. The course details will be announced in February.

Second in the series is the 32nd running of the La Sportiva Vail HillClimb on July 6. This 7.5 mile route boasts 2200 vertical ascent from the base of Vail Mountain to the summit and is the largest event in the series and a favorite of locals and visitors alike.

On July 20 runners can choose to race either a 5 mile uphill route with the La Sportiva Berry Picker or the La Sportiva HalfMarathon which is actually a bit longer than a half marathon at just over 14 miles. The Berry Picker also serves as a selection race for the Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team where the top male finisher, the top two female finishers, and the top junior male will all earn spots on this year’s team. Both events will start at Golden Peak Children’s Center.

The fourth event, the La Sportiva 10k at 10,000 Feet will be held on August 10. Runners will take a ride up the Eagle Bahn Gondola for the start of the race at the summit of Vail Mountain. The entire race is above 9,000 feet of elevation with the high points above 10,000 feet.

The final race of the series is the La Sportiva Evergold 10k on September 7. The race starts behind Golden Peak Children’s Center located at the base of Vail Mountain, and traverses the mountain on some of the most beautiful trails at a time of year when the colors are sure to include golden, and bright yellows from the Aspen trees.

Registration opens in mid-January and can be handled online at www.active.com, or by downloading an entry form at www.vailrec.com which can be faxed, or mailed to Vail Recreation District. Runners may also register onsite at the VRD offices. If you are a past series participant you will receive a postcard in the mail reminding you of the race dates and registration details or you may pick up an entry at any running specialty store along the Front Range. You may register for one event, two events, or for the entire series. Register for the entire five-race series by June 8 for $115. Individual race entry is $25 or $35 on race day.

Vail Recreation District provides well marked routes, accurate and timely results, commemorative T-shirts, and great prizes which are presented to overall and age group winners of each event with series prizes awarded after the final event to runners who compete in and finish at least four events. Prizes include certificates for La Sportiva trail running shoes, high value items such as sunglasses, headlamps, technical T-shirts, and other great gear. Raffle prize drawings will be held at each race awards ceremony featuring products from area merchants and national companies. Last year’s series boasted more than 1100 participants with 15 runners completing at least four races in the series.

http://www.vailrec.com

7/4, Oregon

From Rich Bolt, Series Director -

The inaugural Oregon Mountain Running Series (OMRS) kicks off on June 7 in Jacksonville with the Granite Man Mountain Run. Sponsored by La Sportiva and sanctioned by USATF, this series is designed to promote competition in shorter distance trail races with hilly courses.

Oregon has long been home to first class trail / ultra runners with names like Sean Meissner, William Emerson & Meghan Arbogast. Well known trail ultra races in the state include the MacDonald Forest 50k and the Where's Waldo 100k.

The OMRS is designed to put some well established and challenging shorter trail races on the map and see which runners "rule the roost" at the top of the mountain. Run for 31 years, the Mt. Ashland Hillclimb Run features 5600' of climbing over 13 miles giving it more continuous vertical than almost any other race in the USA. The Sunrise to Summit outside Bend may be the shortest race in the series at just 3 miles, but with 2600' of vertical, it's a monster challenge with a big, rewarding view from the summit of Mt. Bachelor. Held in scenic Jacksonville, the Granite Man Mountain Run is just one of 7 races well organized by the experienced folks at Rogue Multi-Sport. Capping off the series will be the Northwest Mountain Running Championships run on the slopes of Oregon's biggest pile of rocks - Mt. Hood.

At the end of the series who will be the kings and queens of the mountains? So far this year we've seen first class performances from Andy Martin of Bend who won the Peterson Ridge Rumble 30k in April. Andy also won several big West Coast marathons this spring and ran the US Olympic Marathon Trials last Fall in a blazing time of 2:26. What about Kami Semick from Bend, will she show up at the shorter mountain series races? Kami won the Peterson Ridge Rumble 60k and has been a top finisher at the famous Western States 100 Miler.

Top runners in the Oregon Mountain Running Series races will be competing for more that bragging rights. Men's and women's winners in each race who are USATF members will get a free pair of shoes from La Sportiva. USATF Oregon is sanctioning the series races and supporting grass-roots advocacy for mountain, ultra & trail runners and race directors. USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.

http://www.usatf-oregon.org/node/322

7/13, Manitou Springs, CO

The BTMR is simply the lower half of Pikes Peak. All single track, straight up then back down - simple, classic, exciting. Long enough to be hard, short enough so you can run the whole thing. Its also the 5th event in the La Sportiva Mountain Cup, competition for the $25,000 in overall cash prizes will be heating up. What really sets this apart however, is the extraordinary attention to detail by race organizer, Matt Carpenter. While other races barely seem to get the course marked adequately, this one now has a Google Earth flyover on it's website! The free race shirts are technical wicking fabric, the aid stations are over the top, and the 400 slots filled in one week. The BTMR is also notable for its high level of competition. This is in part due to Matt directly; he never likes to lose, really doesn't like to lose on his home turf, and so defends this one like a badger. The crumbs left for everyone else are worth fighting for though!

http://www.runpikespeak.com/

8/1, North America

Sponsored by La Sportiva, the Trail Runner Trophy Series is the world’s largest off-road running series, encompassing 121 races held between March 1 to September 30. Kicking off this year’s series on March 1 are the Foot Pursuit 5k in Valparasio, Indiana, Old Peublo 50-Mile Endurance Run in Sonoita, Arizona, and Seneca Creek Greenway Trail Marathon and 50K in Damascus, Maryland.

Throughout the series, over 20,000 trail runners will earn points for completing races and bonus points for winning age-group or overall categories. Runners clash in two divisions: (1) marathon and shorter and (2) ultramarathon (races longer than 26.2 miles).

Trophy Series participants can earn credits towards mountain-running shoes from La Sportiva and a chance to become an honorary member of the La Sportiva Mountain Running Team. This person will receive four pairs of La Sportiva mountain-running shoes and a team apparel package including socks, headlamp, singlet, t-shirt, shorts, warm-up jacket and headwear. “La Sportiva makes footwear specifically designed for the kind of the obstacles and terrain found in Trophy Series races, so this partnership is a great fit,” says team manager, Buzz Burrell.

The top male and female finishers in each age group are awarded prize packages containing products from Original Buff, Trigger Point Therapy, Amphipod, Gore-Tex, Suunto, Pro-Tec Athletics, Moeben Sleeves, GU Energy Gel, GlacierGel, Injinji, Julbo, PowerSox, La Sportiva and Kahtoola. The season’s male and female Trail Runners of the Year in the marathon-and-under and ultramarathon categories will be featured in Trail Runner’s January/February 2009 issue.

Monthly updated Trophy Series points standings, a list of Trophy Series races, press releases, race reports, profiles of past winners and details about the prizes and promotions available only to Trophy Series participants can be found www.trailrunnermag.com.

http://www.trailrunnermag.com