Nominated athletes for Runner of the Year (ROY) must be current members of USA Track & Field and hold US Citizenship. Some athletes will be nominated automatically based on performances in select USATF National Championships and World Championship events. See the full list of automatically nominated athletes at the bottom of this article. Anyone can nominate additional athletes for the MUT ROY awards.
Nominations must include at least one 2017 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 12, 2016 to November 5, 2017.
Only members of USATF’s Mountain, Ultra & Trail (MUT) Running Council will vote. 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 at this link:
https://goo.gl/forms/WQIhRcdwuT5bcLqC3
Nominations will be taken for the following 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
Tayte Pollmann finishing 3rd at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships.
For Mountain awards automatic nominations go to: Winners of the USATF 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 and NACAC Mountain Running Championships.
Automatic Mountain nominees include: USATF Mountain Running Champions: Joe Gray & Addie Bracy, Top US at the WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships: Tayte Pollman & Kasie Enman, Top US at the WMRA Mountain Running Championships: Joe Gray & Allie McLaughlin; Top US at the World Masters Mountain Running Championships: Chris Grauch and Sarah Wagner; Top US at the NACAC Mountain Running Championships: Mike Popejoy and Megan Roche.
Allie MacLaughlin at the World Mountain Running Championships.
For Sub-Ultra Trail awards, automatic nominations go to winners of the following USA Trail Championships; 10k (no 2017 event), Half Marathon and Marathon.
Automatic Sub-Ultra Trail nominees include: USATF Half Marathon Trail Champions: Joe Gray & Ashley Brasovan: top Masters: Chris Grauch & Brandy Erholtz; USATF Trail Marathon Champions: Mario Mendoza & Renee Metivier; top Masters Chris Grauch & Corinne Walton.
Mario Mendoza lead the men’s team to a 3rd place finish at the IAU Trail Championships.
For Ultra Trail awards, automatic nominations go to: Winners of the following USATF Trail Championships; 50k, 50 mile, 100k and 100 mile Trail. Also top American man/woman at the 2017 IAU/ITRA Trail Championship (49 km).
Automatic Ultra Trail nominees include:; USATF 50k Trail Champions: Max King & YiOu Wang & top Masters:Jean Pommier & Jen Pfeifer, USATF 50 mile Trail Champions: Chris Raulli & Dani Filipek & top Masters: Ben Nephew & Kehr Davis; USATF 100k Trail Champions: Stephanie Howe Violett & Justin Ricks & top Masters: Chad Laseter & Denise Bourassa; USATF 100 Mile Trail Champions: Sabrina Little & Ronnie Delzer & top Masters: Chad Laseter & Stacy Shaw; Top US at the ITRA/IAU Trail Championships: Mario Mendoza and Ladia Albertson Junkans.
Ashley Brasovan winning the USATF Half Marathon Trail Championships in Hayward, WI.
For Road Ultra awards, automatic nominations go to: Winners of the following USATF 2017 Ultra Road Championships; 50k, 50 Mile, 100k and 24 Hour. Also the top American man/woman at the 2016 IAU 100k World Championships and the 2017 IAU 24 Hour World Championships. There was no IAU 50k Championship for 2017.
Automatic Road Ultra nominees include: USATF 50k Champions: Tyler Jermann & Camille Shiflett (also top Master) along with the top Master male Boyd Carrington.; 50 mile Champions: Anthony Kunkel & Elizabeth Howard (also top Master) & top Master male Jean Pommier;100k Champions: Jesse Davis & Caroline Boller (also top Master) along with the top male Master: Jean Pommier; USATF 24 hour National Champions: Harvey Lewis (also top Master) & Tara Langdon along with top female Master Jasmine Chiaramonte. IAU 24 hour World Championship (top US): Olivier LeBlond & Katalin Nagy, and the 2016 IAU 100k World Championship (top US runners): Patrick Reagan & Pam Smith.
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 2017.
Joe Gray leading the USATF Half Marathon Trail Championships.
Additional nominees for outstanding performances during the qualifying period in non USATF Championships include:
Ultra Trail:
Hayden Hawks (Moab’s Red Hot 55k), Tim Tollefson (UTMB), Courtney Dauwalter (Run Rabbit Run 100), Camille Herron (Tarawera Ultramarathon).
Ultra Road:
Rich Riopel (Riverside 24 hour), Jon Olsen (Run4Water 24 hour), Bob Hearn (Run4Water), Phil McCarthy (Spartathlon), Gina Slaby (Desert Solstice), Courtney Dauwalter (Riverbank 24 hour & Desert Solstice 24 hour), Camille Herron (Comrades Marathon).
Sub-Ultra Trail:
Brett Hales (Xterra Nationals), Maggie Gurterl (Brazos Bend 100 mile), Amy Sproston (UTMB), Devon Yanko (Leadville 100).
Mountain:
Andy Wacker (Yading Skyrun), Shannon Payne (Mt. Washington Road Race), Nathanael Williams (Mt. Evans Ascent), Eric Blake (Zermatt Marathon).
ROY Timeline:
Performance Qualification Period: November 12, 2016 – November 5, 2017
Announce & post ROY criteria: November 10
Nomination period: November 11 to November 18
Voting period: November 19 to November 23
Announcement date: November 24
Awards presentation at the USATF Annual Meeting (Columbus OH) December 2, 2017
