USATF Runners of the year

USATF announced the Runner’s of the year for 2012.  I was named “Male Masters Mountain Runner of the Year”, needless to say I’m very happy to get this honor.  All of the various ROTY are listed below, including my teammate and friend Tim Van Orden who got his third consecutive Male Masters Trail Runner of the Year.

                MUT Contributor of the Year

Northeast Delta Dental/Tom Raffio

Northeast Delta Dental has been the primary sponsor of the USA Mountain Running Championships for the last 3 years and has committed again in 2013 to be the title sponsor.  This translates into $6000 in cash prizes for 2012 for the championship, along with additional funding.  Through their multi-year commitments in the past and moving forward, Tom Raffio, CEO, and the whole organization, has been instrumental in their support of our USA Mountain Running Championships.

                Female Masters Mountain ROY

Laura Haefeli
Top master at Loon Mountain (7th overall) – USATF world team qualifier
Top master at Mt Washington (4th place overall & Age 44 course record) – USA national championship

             Female Mountain ROY

Morgan Arritola

-Set new course record at Mont Ventoux race in France

-Bronze Individual Medal at World Mountain Running Championships

-Leader of Gold Medal Women's Team

-Winner of USA Mountain Team Qualifying Race at Loon Mountain race

-In head to head with USA Mountain Running Champion (Kim Dobson) at Vail Half Marathon, Morgan won the race.

1st at 2011 World Xterra Trail Championships (December 2011 in voting period), 10th place overall. 

In head to head with any other potential nominees or mountain runners, she is undefeated.  Other than Worlds, where she was a bronze medalist, she was won every race she entered in 2012.

2006-2011 - US Cross Country National Ski Team Member 2010 - Cross Country Ski Olympian

2011 - X-terra Trail Running World Champion

Teva Mt Games Vail Pass 1/2 Marathon (1st Place)

Mount Ventoux, France Trail Race (1st Place)

                Male Mountain ROY

Sage Canaday

2nd place Chuckanut 50k (ultra/trail debut, got lost and ran an extra mile, fell and got 5 stitches)

Won Mt. Washington Road Race (fastest American time ever, became 2012 US Mountain Running Champ)

Won White River 50 (debut 50 miler on trails, broke Anton Krupicka's course record by 9 minutes)

4th place at Pikes Peak Ascent

12th place at World Mountain Running Championships 14km course in Italy (2nd for US team).

5th place at Jungfrau [Mountain] Marathon...leading the US mountain team to a 2nd place team finish.

2nd place at UROC 100km Ultra Race of Champions (debut at 62 miles).

Olympic Trials Marathon (2:18)

Jungfrau Marathon - Long-distance World Mountain Running Challenge 5th (led US team to 2nd place team finish)

Sage brought great enthusiasm to the mountain and trail scene. I believe he will continue to be a force in US mountain running.

                Male Masters Mountain ROY

Dave Dunham

Silver medal at the US Mountain running championships (Mount Washington) in the 45-49 age group

Top 45-49 finisher in the USATF New England Mountain running series

Top 45-49 finisher in the USATF New England Mountain running championships (Cranmore Mountain N. Conway, NH)

Top 45-49 finisher at Wachusett Mountain (MA)

Top 45-49 finisher at Pack Monadnock (NH)

Top 45-49 finisher (2^nd place overall) at Mount Ascutney (VT)

Top 45-49 finisher (4^th place overall) at Loon Mountain (NH)

Top 45-49 finisher at Sleepy Hollow Mountain race (VT) – also USATF NE trail running championship

In addition to Mountain running:

Gold medal at the US 10km trail championships (Continental Divide-Laurel Springs, NC) in the 45-49 age group

Bronze medal at the US masters outdoor track championships (Lisle, MO) in the 5,000 meters 45-49 age group

9^th place in the 45-49 at the US Cross Country championships (St. Louis, MO)

1^st place in the 45-49 at the Northeast USATF indoor track championships in the 5,000 meters (Providence, RI)

1^st place in the 45-49 at the USATF NE indoor track championships in the 3,000 meters (Cambridge, MA)

2^nd place in the 45-49 at the USATF NE 10 mile road championships (Amherst, MA)

3^rd place in the 45-49 at the USATF NE ½ marathon road championships (New Bedford, MA)

2^nd place in the 45-49 at the USATF NE 12km road championships (Bedford, NH)

3^rd place in the 45-49 at the USATF NE 10km road championships (Newton, MA)

3^rd place in the 45-49 at the USATF NE 5 mile road championships (Carver, MA)

7^th place in the 45-49 at the USATF NE 5km road championships (Lowell, MA)

1^st place (5^th place overall) in the 45-49 at the New Hampshire 5km road championships (Portsmouth, NH)

                Male Ultra ROY

Mike Morton

Winning world 24 hour championships. Breaks American 24-hour record with 172-mile

Winning Badwater. 

Multiple sub 14 hour finishes and course records domestically.

                Male Master Ultra ROY

Roy Pirrung         

10-23-11, Tussey USATF 50-mile Championships, 1st 60-64.
3-3-12, Caumsett Park USATF 50K Championships, 1st 60-64.3-31-12, Mad City 50K, 1st 60-64.
7-28-12, Burning River USATF 100-mile Trail Championships, 1st 60-64

                Female Ultra ROY & Female Master Ultra ROY

Connie Gardner

Gold Medal at the USA T&F 50 Mile National Championship (Same race Gold Medal for Masters)

1st place overall, Green Jewel 50K in 3:52 (First Masters)

1st place overall, J.C. Stone 50K in 3:53 (First Masters)

1st Place overall The North Face Mohican 100 Mile Endurance Run (First Masters)

Gold Medal at the USA T&F 100 Mile Trail National Championship (First Masters)

2nd Overall North Coast 24-Hour Endurance Run 142.3 Miles (USATF National championship)

Silver Medal IAU 24-Hour World Championship (American Record 149.3)

Gold Medal IAU 24-Hour World Championship (Womans Team)

              Female Trail ROY

Stevie Kremer

Accomplishments/Results/Reasons for Nomination:

Jungfrau Marathon, Schweiz Switzerland (World Championships) September 8, 2012 Place: 1^st Time: 3:22:42

28th WMRA World Championships, Ponte di Legno Italy          September 2, 2012      Place: 7^th          Time: 48:54

Sierre Zinal,  Switzerland   August 12, 2012            Place: 2^nd           Time: 3:04:33     Type: 31k Mountain running race

Megan Kimmel

USA 10Km Trail Championship 1st CR

USA Half Marathon Championship 2nd (just 2 seconds behind 1st)

La Sportiva Mountain Cup Series winner for 4th consecutive year

She won all four races that she ran:           Don't Fence Me In 30K, Jemez Half Marathon, Rothrock Challenge 30K, Jupiter Peak 16 miler

               Male Trail ROY

Max King

Half Marathon Trail Champs 1st - June 10

USATF 50K Trail Champs 1st - Sept. 22

Xterra National Champs 1st - Sept. 23

Ultra Race Of Champions 100K 1st - Sept. 29

Gorge Waterfalls 50k 1st CR - Mar. 25

Horse Butte 10 mile 1st CR - Apr. 7

Siskiyou Out Back 1st CR - July 14

Transrockies 3-Day 1st - Aug. 14

Speedgoat 50k 2nd - July 28

Mountain Running Champs 7th - June 16

Zegama Marathon 16th - May 20

Other notable non-trail performances:

Olympic Trials Steeplechase 6th - June 26

Olympic Trials Marathon 19th - Jan. 14

Max has had such a positive influence on trail running. He always brings his joy of running

and especially being on the trails. I noted him to be supportive and involved with runners at

all levels as he interacts with everyone in the trail community. Max has also encourage

several elite road runners to try the mountain, ultra, and trail racing.

                Male Masters Trail ROY

Tim Van Orden

1st Master (6th overall) US Marathon Trail championships in Ashland, OR

1st Master (7th overall) US Half Marathon Trail Championships in Bend, OR

1st Master (6th overall) US 50k Trail Championships in Bend, OR

1st overall at Savoy Mountain Trail Race in Florida, MA

1st overall at Monroe, Dunbar Brook Trail Race in Monroe, MA

1st Master (5th overall) USATF Adirondack XC Championships in Saratoga, NY

1st overall at Dodge the Deer Trail Race in Schodack, NY

2nd overall at Merrimack River - 2 minute Masters Course Record

3rd overall - 3rd Master at USATF Masters XC Championships in Fairport, NY

12th Master at US XC champs in St. Louis

16th 40-44 at World Mountain Running Championships in Germany

1st overall at Constitution Hill snowshoe race in Lanesboro, MA

1st overall at Curly's Record Run snowshoe race in Pittsfield, MA

12th at World Snowshoe Championships in Quebec

            Female Masters Trail ROY

Julie Thomas

Gold medalist 40-49 at the US trail marathon championships (9^th place overall)

Silver medalist 45-49 at the US trail 50km championships (8^th place overall)

USATF Runners of the year

USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Council Announces Runners of the Year


Indianapolis, IN ---- The Mountain/Ultra/Trail Running (MUT) Council of long distance running has named the 2009 USATF Mountain Runners of the year, Ultra Runners of the Year, and Contributor of the Year. The following individuals will be recognized at the USATF National Convention in Indianapolis, on Saturday, December 5, at an awards breakfast.

Mountain men open: Joseph Gray, 25, Lakewood, WA, wins his second consecutive USATF Mountain Runner of the Year title. He started out the mountain season in Vail, CO, on the weekend of June 6 running an uphill half marathon (Saturday) and a 10km trail race (Sunday) finishing in third and second respectively. Later that month he finished third at Mount Washington Road Race and won the USA Mountain Running Championships at Cranmore earning a spot on his second Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team. He was the second U.S. finisher at the World Mountain Championships in Madesimo-Campodolcino, Italy, finishing in 16th place. Gray spent much of the summer in Europe racing and was fifteenth overall in the WMRA Grand Prix standings with only two WMRA Grand Prix race finishes (out of seven) to his credit.

Mountain men master: Dave Dunham, 45, Bradford, MA, took home the gold in the 45-49 at the US Mountain Championships at Mt Cranmore. He was also the USATF New England champion (45-49) at Northfield Mountain and was the masters USATF NE Mountain running series champion. Mountain results included: 1st 45-49 at Wachusett Mountain, 1st 40-49 at Pack Monadnock, 1st 45-49 at Northfield Mountain (USATF NE championship), 1st 45-49 at Mt Washington, 1st 45-49 at Mt Cranmore (US National championship), 1st 40-49 at Loon Mountain, 1st 40-49 at Mt Ascutney. In addition Dave continued to volunteer at the Association and National level. He was the official scorekeeper for the USATF NE Mountain series, directed multiple trail/mountain races, and served as the manager for the junior runners on the US Mountain team. Dunham was the USATF Mountain Runner of the Year in 2000.

Mountain women open: Brandy Erholtz, 32, Bailey, CO, is a repeat winner in this category having also won in 2008. In June, she finished first at the Native Eyewear Spring Runoff 10k in Vail, first at the Mount Washington Road Race, and finished second at the US Mountain Running Championships and was a member of the gold-medal winning Team USA at the NACAC Mountain Running Championships. She earned an at-large spot on her second Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team and was the top American woman finisher in Italy at the World Mountain Running Championships finishing 10th to lead the U.S. Women to a bronze-medal finish. She finished second at the USA 10km Trail Running Championships. She finished fifth at the Cheyenne Canon Mountain Race, first at the Barr Mountain Trail Race where she set a new women's course record, and won the VAC Vail Mountain Winter Uphill Snowshoe. She was first at the Montrose 10k uphill road race setting a course record and in international competition in Switzerland raced to a third-place finish at Thyon-Dixence, and fifth place at Sierre-Zinal, (top US finisher at both of these events).

Mountain women master: Laura Haefeli, 42, Del Norte, CO, was the 2004 and 2005 open mountain runner of the year and has earned masters’ recognition for the second consecutive year. She finished third overall at the Cheyenne Canon Mountain Race, was second in the Native Eyewear Spring Runoff 10k in Vail, and was the USA National Mountain Running Masters champion and a member of the gold-medal US Team at the NACAC Mountain Running championships.

Ultra men open: Michael Wardian, 35, Arlington, VA, wins his second consecutive Ted Corbitt Memorial USATF Ultra Runner of the Year Award in 2009. Wardian finished ninth at the 2008 (November 2008) IAU World Cup 100km in Tarquina, Italy, and at the 2009 IAU World Cup 100km in, Torhout, Beligum, he finished in sixth position and was the first US finisher. Wardian earned a bronze medal at the IAU 50km World Championships in Gibraltar and was the first US Finisher. He was the US 50km Road National Champion, and the US 50 Mile Trail Champion. Wardian showed his prowess in shorter distance competition with his finish at the US Cross Country National Championships in 46th place overall. At the Marathon Des Sables-Sahara Desert, Morocco, Wardian finished in eighth place overall which was the highest finish ever by a U.S. competitor. He was fifteenth overall at Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, just eight days after finishing sixth overall in the IAU World Cup 100km. He posted a third place finish at The North Face Endurance Challenge-50 Miler, Washington, DC and ran eight marathons in 2009 and set a PR in the marathon in 2009 of 2:21:09.

Ultra men master: Roy Pirrung, 61, Sheboygan, WI, is a repeat winner in this category having won this award in 2007 and 2008. Pirrung’s results included in November 2008, first 60-64 finisher and a pending 60-64 American record in the open race held concurrently with the IAU World Cup 100km in Italy, and at the 24 Hour Championships in McKinney, TX, a fifth place overall, first 60-64. In 2009 Pirrung won his age group at the following events, the USA 50km Road Championships, the Mad City 50km, the Door County Fall 50-mile, and the Ice Age Trail 50-mile. He finished second in his age group at both the USA 50 Mile Trail Championships and the USA 100km Trail Championships. The Door County 50 was Pirrung’s 150th Ultra race. Pirrung serves as the vice-chairperson of the USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Running Council and is active in his local USATF association.

Ultra women open: Kami Semick, 43, Bend, OR, is the Ruth Anderson USATF Ultra Runner of the Year 2009 having posted an outstanding year on the road and trails. She was the USA 50km Road Champion, and the USA 50 Mile Trail Champion. At the IAU World 50km Road Championships Semick finished first overall. Semick won the individual gold medal at the IAU World Cup 100km to lead Team USA to a gold-medal performance. She also won the American River 50 mile and the Miwok 100k. In addition in 2008 at the IAU World Cup 100km Semick earned a silver medal to lead Team USA to a silver-medal podium appearance.

Ultra women master: Anita Ortiz, 45, Eagle, CO, won the Moab Red Hot 50k, was first at 12 hours of Moab (team race), finished second at the Miwok 100km, turned in an outstanding first place finish (setting a “rookie” record) at Western States 100 Miler. She won the Pikes Peak Marathon and finished first at the San Juan Solstice 50 mile. Ortiz was a two-time USATF Mountain Runner of the Year (2002 and 2003) and two-time USATF Masters Mountian Runner of the Year (2004 and 2007).


Contributor of the Year – Paul Kirsch. Kirsch was the race director for NACAC/USA Mountain Running Champs where one of his duties was to coordinate housing and transportation for elite athletes (more than 30 in total from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico). Kirsch serves as the USATF-NE Mountain Ultra Trail Chairperson. He provides website design and maintenance for the US Mountain Running Team website & blog (usmrt.com). He headed up the USATF-NE Mountain Running Circuit which saw increased participation this year, and he was the Co-Race Director for the Loon Mountain Race. He also coordinated housing and transportation for elite athletes for the Mount Washington Race. He successfully recruited the Rhode Island 6 Hour Ultra to be USATF-NE Ultra Championships and attended as volunteer liaison from the mountain ultra trail council of USATF NE. Kirsch is President of the White Mountain Milers Running Club. He served as race director for the Inov-8 Summer Series in North Conway, NH, and the USSSA Snowshoe Race (National Champs Qualifier). He provided timing/results and course setup for a number of races in New England near his home in Madison, NH.







In order to be considered for the USATF Mountain and Ultra running awards an athlete must show top results in U.S. competitions for 2009 (November 1, 2008 through October 31, 2009) to include mountain races (these may be on paved/gravel surfaces as long as there is significant elevation loss or gain) and trail races of varying lengths, as well as road races for the ultra category (distances beyond the marathon). International results are also considered. The nominee must be an ambassador for the sport. Nominee must be a USATF member for 2009, and to be considered for the masters’ category athlete must be a minimum of 40 years of age. For a list of past winners in the other categories, please visit www.usatf.org.