After another exciting season of mountain, ultra & trail (MUT) racing it’s time to recognize outstanding runners who are members of our Athletics federation – USA Track & Field.
Nominations are now OPEN for athletes who are current members of USA Track & Field and hold US Citizenship. Many athletes have been nominated automatically based on performances in select USATF National Championships and World Championship events. Anyone can nominate an athlete for these MUT Runner of the Year awards.
Nominations must include at least one 2018 race result. Additional supporting race performances can be submitted to strengthen the case for an athlete. Awards are given in open and master categories (open runner is up to 39 years – master runner is 40+ years). Master’s athletes can be nominated for open awards.
Performance consideration period – November 6, 2017 to November 5, 2018.
Only members of USATF’s Mountain, Ultra & Trail (MUT) Running Council will vote from the nominated athletes. There are over 40 council members from all MUT running disciplines, from every region of the United States and including many active athletes.
The nomination form for Runner of the Year and Contributor of the Year can be found here:
https://goo.gl/forms/XQAYLzDn6oc71Z2g1
Nominees Joe Gray & Andy Wacker at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Poland.
Nominations will be accepted for the following 17 awards:
- Men’s Mountain Runner of the Year – Lyndon Ellefson Memorial Award
- Men’s Master Mountain Runner of the Year
- Women’s Mountain Runner of the Year
- Women’s Master Mountain Runner of the Year
- Men’s Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year
- Men’s Master Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year
- Women’s Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year
- Women’s Master Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year
- Men’s Ultra Trail Runner of the Year
- Men’s Master Ultra Trail Runner of the Year
- Women’s Ultra Trail Runner of the Year
- Women’s Master Ultra Trail Runner of the Year
- Men’s Road Ultra Runner of the Year – Ted Corbitt Memorial Award
- Men’s Master Road Ultra Runner of the Year
- Women’s Road Ultra Runner of the Year – Ruth Anderson Award
- Women’s Master Road Ultra Runner of the Year
- MUT Contributor of the Year
Mountain awards automatic nominations go to: Winners of the USA Mountain Running Championships. Top American man/woman at the WMRA World Mountain Running Championships, WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge & WMRA & WMA World Masters Mountain Running Championships, NACAC Mountain Running Championships.
Automatic Mountain nominees include: US Mountain Running Champions: Joe Gray & Allie McLaughlin (pictured top of page), top Americans at the WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Champions: Joseph Gray & Addie Bracy, top American man/woman at the WMRA Mountain Running Championship: Joseph Gray & Annie Bersagel; top American man/woman at the World Masters Mountain Running Championship: Richard Ferguson & Suzy West.
Nominee Addie Bracy at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Poland.
Sub-Ultra Trail awards, automatic nominations go to: Winners of the following USA Trail Championships; 30k , ½ Marathon and Marathon.
Automatic Sub-Ultra Trail nominees include: USA 30k Trail Champions: Joe Gray & Ashley Brasovan; USA ½ Marathon Trail Champions: Joe Gray & Megan Roche: top Masters: Greg Hexum & Brandy Erholtz; USA Trail Marathon Champions: Anthony Costales & Rachel Drake; top Masters Olivier Vrambout & Janel Lanphere.
Nominee Anthony Costales at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Poland.
Ultra Trail awards, automatic nominations go to: Winners of the following USA Trail Championships; 50k, 50 mile, 100k and 100 mile Trail. Also the top American man/woman at the 2018 Trail World Championships.
Automatic Ultra Trail nominees include: 50k Trail Champions: David Sinclair & Kasie Enman & top Masters:Uli Steidl & Trisha Steidl, 50 mile Trail Champions: Tyler Sigl & Sabrina Little & top Masters: Ian Schouten & Christin Doneski; 100k Trail Champions: Mario Mendoza & Camille Herron & top Masters: Chad Laseter & Colleen Jay; 100 Mile Trail Champions: Sabrina Little & Ronnie Delzer & top Masters: Wade Barrett & Kimberley Pilcher; top American man/woman at the Trail World Championships: top US: Mario Mendoza & Clare Gallagher.
The 2018 U.S. Trail Team including nominees Clare Gallagher (far left), Mario Mendoza (above right) and Sabrina Little (far right).
Road Ultra awards, automatic nominations go to: Winners of the following USA 2018 Ultra Road Championships; 50k, 50 Mile, 100k, 100 Mile and 24 Hour. Also the top American man/woman at the 2018 IAU 100k World Championships.
Automatic Road Ultra nominees include: 100 Mile Champions and top masters: Jon Olsen & Traci Falbo. 50k Champions: Eric LiPuma & Gabrielle Russo & top Masters: Aaron Heath & Laura Kline. 50 mile Champions: Zach Ornelas & Keely Henninger & top Masters: Mark Thompson & Luana Pesco Koplowitz; 100k Champions: Anthony Kunkel & Liza Howard (also top Master) & top male Masters: Thomas Reiss; 24 hour National Champions: Olivier Leblond (also top Master) & Megan Alvarado along with top female Master Jasmine Chiaramonte. Top American man/woman at the 2018 IAU 100k World Championship: Geoff Burns & Caroline Boller.
Nominee Geoff Burns at the IAU 100 km World Championships in Croatia (photo by iRunFar).
Contributor of the Year (COY):
Anyone can be nominated – athlete, staff member, sponsor or race director in the mountain, ultra & trail running community. Nominations must include a written explanation of why this person or organization is worthy of the award. Must be for contributions made in 2018.
Additional nominees for outstanding performances during the qualifying period in non USATF Championships include:
Ultra Trail
Open: Max King (Way too Cool 50k), Tim Freriks (2017 The North Face 50 Mile); Camille Herron (Tarawera Ultramarathon); Cole Watson (Chuckanut 50k); Tyler Sigl (UROC); Michele Yates (Run Rabbit Run 100 mile) and Patrick Reagan (Javelina Jundred 100 mile)
Masters: David Johnston, (Iditarod Trail 350 miles)
Ultra Road
Open: Mike Bialick (Tunnel Hill 100 mile) Will Riviera (Spartathlon),
Masters: Bob Hearn (Spartathlon)
Sub Ultra Trail
Andy Wacker (Pikes Peak Ultra 30k, Moab Trail Marathon, Birkie Trail ½ marathon)
Mountain
Josh Eberly (Black Canyon Ascent); Tara Richardson (Black Canyon Ascent); Eric Blake (Mt. Washington Road Race); Ashley Brasovan (Mt. Evans Ascent).
2018 Runner of the Year Awards Timeline:
Performance Qualification Period: November 6, 2017 – November 5, 2018
Announce & post ROY criteria: November 9, 2018
Nomination period: November 10 to November 17, 2018
Voting period: November 18 to November 23, 2018
Announcement date: November 24, 2018
Awards presentation December 1 at the USATF Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio.
For questions about the Runner of the Year nomination process please contact USATF MUT Council member Joe Fejes at [email protected]
Nominee Sabrina Little at the Trail World Championships in Spain.
