Monday, August 25, 2008

Mountain Team Members compete at Challenge Stellina

Susa, Italy --- At today’s 20th annual Challenge Stellina Race the USA contingent of Joe Gray, Simon Gutierrez, and Rickey Gates fared well finishing fourth, seventh, and ninth respectively.

According to the jet-lagged Gutierrez who arrived in Italy on Thursday just shortly after winning the Pikes Peak Ascent on August 16, “The race went overall pretty good. There was additional entry of three top road racing Kenyans who are based in Italy which added some flavor to the early pacing. Through the first half of the 15.4 km race Rickey, Joe, and I worked together in fourth, fifth, and sixth position. One Kenyan came back, and we were joined by Robert Krupichka of the Czech Republic. No sight of Jonathan Wyatt or the two other Kenyans. At the finish and as expected Wyatt won hands down in 1.17.59. Second place went to a Kenya runner in 1.20.50, third place was Krupichka running 1.20.06. Joe Gray, team USA, in fourth with a time of 1.21.10. I was seventh in 1.22.20, and ninth was Rickey Gates running 1.23.24 (4min better than last year when he finished in fifth and not quite up to top speed today).

“Overall, a good showing for our team and a good solid international tune up for USA for the trophy in three weeks. Joe will be a top-10 threat. Just landing here I was a bit fatigued by Sunday race day, but I still ran better than 2004 when I was 17th in the World and training dictates I am fitter than 2006. Rickey has made the wise decision to ease up on the bike tour and do some specific running for the next three weeks...he will be ready for a top 10-15.”

Next up for Gutierrez is the La Sportiva Mountain Cup series finale race in Vail, CO, on Sunday, August 31. Joining Gutierrez at the roughly 6 mile uphill La Sportiva Vail Trophy Race will be Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team members Brandy Erholtz and Laura Haefeli. Former team members also expected to compete include Lisa Goldsmith (’97 and ’06), Andy Ames (’04), Shiloh Mielke (’06, ’07), and Payton Batliner (’07).

The Challenge Stellina Race starts in the town of Susa at an elevation of 500 meters and continues across the streets of the town until it reaches Urbiano at 2.3 km. Here the asphalted road ends. From Urbiano starts the uphill mule track that first reaches Madonna dell'Ecova (710 m asl) then Borgata Braida (870 m asl) and Nicoletto (1094 m asl); from here, leaving the old mule track, the race goes to Chiamberlando through a steep path leading near Cippo Ricordo (1375 m asl). The race continues on a dirt road, on an apparently flat ground going slightly downhill and it goes first through frazione Sollietto (a small hamlet 1300 m asl) and then through "case Fago inferiori e superiori" (a small hamlet 1280 m slm). It then starts a demanding uphill mule track which reaches Servel (1618 m asl) and then from Servel begins a short, steep descent until an altitude of 1562 metres asl. From there starts the most demanding and difficult part of the race. First there is an uphill path reaching Grange Sevine (1762 m asl) and then starts a very demanding uphill grassy slope which reaches alpe Arcella (2000 m asl). Apart form the last 250 meters before the arrival to Costa Rossa (1960 m asl), which are on a grassy downhill slope, the final part of the race is mostly on a dirt road. The total length of the race is of 15.420 m with a difference in height of 1.500 m.

For additional details and results from Stellina, please visit: www.atleticasusa.it/en_default.asp

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Teva U.S. Team in Norway!

Well Rickey and I finally met up in Norway for the race this past weekend. The hotel was amazing the spa, the food, the scenery, wow! The race, I only I have one word to say about it, brutal. Rocky, muddy, and a relentless climb that never seemed to end. The race had some big time climbers in it including Rickey, Jon Wyatt, Jon Tvedt and another Norwegian climber Ouestein Sylta I think is how you spell it. From the gun Wyatt took it out, as the course was a bit cleaner and not so rocky at the bottom. A pack of Rickey, Tvedt, two other Norwegians, and I ran together for a bit then Tvedt made a move and I followed him. It was a good idea but once we got to the rocks I experienced first hand how great the guy is on rugged courses. He and I were a few minutes behind Wyatt at the begginning of the rocks I would say and Tvedt actually caught and passed Wyatt before making it out of the rocky area. Of course, Wyatt with the better speed passed him once the course got a bit smoother near the peak to miss the record by just a few seconds and also missing the chance at a huge bonus check. I ended up fourth right behind Sylta as I fell quite a bit behind him and Tvedt during the rocks, thanks to my poor choice for racing shoes that day. Rickey had a strong finish to pass a few guys and finish up just behind me for fourth. The great part about the race was we got the pleasure to walk all the way down a 20 plus percent grade for a few hours, great huh. After that walk I really started to appreciate the fact that at Mt. Washington we at least get a lift down. But, it was nice, took a few nice pics. Well we are off to Italy now, and hopefully meeting up with Simon. Hopefully the USA team can win the challenge next weekend! Until next time.........

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Current and former team members race at Pikes Peask Ascent

At today's Pikes Peak Ascent (an all uphill climb of more than 7,800 feet in 13+ miles), Simon Gutierrez, 42, Alamosa (Teva athlete and team member) was victorious in just over 2:18. He beat former Teva US Mountain Running Team Member Tim Parr (2004) by about one minute. Third place was 2007 team member Payton Batliner. Newcomer to the team this year Zach Freudenberg raced in third for the first portion of the race and fell to 11th place by the summit.
For the women, first-time Teva US Mountain Running Team member Brandy Erholtz, 30, won by nearly 10 minutes (timed in 2:41) over two-time ('97 and '06) team member Lisa Goldsmith who raced to a 2:51. Fourth place was five-time team member Anita Ortiz in just under 2:54 followed three minutes later by 2000 team member Cindy O'Neill.
The weather was "epic," according to multi-time finisher Doug Laufer (who runs under the moniker Rufus T. Firefly), "It was so cold and wet. I had trouble getting my gloves off and switch to a dry pair at A-Frame (3 miles from the summit) Now I'm going home to rest and get ready for tomorrow." Laufer does the double -- the Ascent on Saturday and the round trip Marathon on Sunday.
Former Teva US Mountain Running Team member Kevin Tilton made a good showing to the A-Frame running just out of the top ten (in fact he was in eighth place just below Barr Camp -- the halfway point in terms of mileage) , but turned around and got...as he said after the race, "A good 20 mile run. It was just cold up there." Tilton raced in a singlet and shorts and when he reached A-Frame the altitude was giving him a little trouble, but more so the weather.
In fact, more than 1/2 of the field was turned around by 10:30a.m. if they didn't reach the A-Frame. When Ortiz reached the A-frame officials wanted her to turn back, but she pressed on. "After I finished my teeth were chattering for about an hour!" said Ortiz, "It was so cold." James Kahkoska, 48, a Colorado Springs local talked about the weather and although he had his PR on the mountain today (roughly 2:51), he said an official had to help him take his gloves off at the finish line so he could change into warm and dry clothes before he took the shuttle back to Manitou.
Vans and buses transport the runners off the mountain, but weather conditions made wait times longer for the athletes. Snow plows were on the mountain shoveling in front of vans -- some of which got stuck going uphill. The toll road was closed to tourists for much of the day.
Tomorrow is the full marathon, providing the weather doesn't turn much worse.
A good day today for our team members - past and present!

Friday, August 8, 2008

Bodoe, Norway

Greeting from Bodoe, Norway. This is the first of my stops in Europe. So far so good. Fish is pretty popular up here so I have had a fair share of the great assortments of sea food in Norway and also cheeses. The cheeses here are pretty amazing, I could easily gain like 30 pounds here if I was not a runner. However, that would be expensive. Norway is very very expensive I have come to find out. The American dollar is about 5 Norwegian kroner. You would think that bringing US dollars to Norway would offer you some sort of benefit, but oh no. The prices for many products are almost twice the price here in Norway as they would cost in America. For examply, a gatorade, a small one at that like 14 oz is about 18 kroner. Do the math, that would be over 3 bucks for a small swig of gatorade. In America this same bottle would cost maybe 1.50. Training has been pretty good and looking forward to running a very tough race in Loen, Norway where I will meet up with US team member Rickey Gates who is also traveling around Europe, except he is on a bike, braver than I must say lol. Bodoe has some pretty good trails for running and mountains surrounding the landscape at almost every degree you turn your head. The Ocean is pretty close and many small Islands can be seen right off the coast. Well thats it for now, after the Skaala race, off to Italy for me!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Team 2008

Congratulations to 2008 Teva US Mountain Running team members -newcomers and veterans. We're looking forward to great events at the World Trophy in Switzerland. Train smart and stay focused on a top finish at Worlds.

Joe Gray wins 12K Canadian Mountain Champs in North Vancouver

2008 Mountain Team Member Joe Gray of Lakewood, WA bested a field of the top Canadian Mountain Runners to win this 12km race in a time of 1:01:56.

Full Results here:
http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2008/run/PeakChallenge2008Championship.html

Monday, August 4, 2008

Gutierrez and Cuellar win at La Luz Trail Race in New Mexico

2008 Teva US Mountain Running Team Members Gutierrez and Cuellar Victorious at La Luz
Albuquerque, NM -- At today's 43rd running of the La Luz Trail Race, 2008 Teva US Mountain Running Team members Simon Gutierrez, 42, Alamosa, CO, and Rachael Cuellar, 26, Albquerque, NM were victorious. This is the 10th win at La Luz for Gutierrez. "I ran about the same time as the past three or four years (approximately 1:22), and this year it felt really easy. My training is going really well," said Gutierrez who bested the second place finisher by more than seven minutes.

Today's win marks Cuellar's sixth victory in the past seven attempts at La Luz. She hasn't lost the race since 2003 when Erica Baron (formerly Larson) was the winner. Baron, who was a member of the 2004 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team, also raced today and finished 2nd. Cuellar's time was about one minute faster than her winning effort of 1:35:57 in 2007.

The nine mile course at La Luz boasts an average grade of 12 percent and offers 4,578 feet of elevation gain. This point to point course starts on 1.8 miles of pavement followed by 7.2 miles of dirt trail. The route includes some rockslide areas and lots of switchbacks. The race finishes at the Sandia Crest at an elevation of 10,678 feet. The race fills to its 400 runner capacity annually. For more details and complete results: http://www.laluztrailrun.org/index.htm

Gates 3rd at Telfes Grand Prix Race

Rickey Gates finished 3rd at the European Grand Prix race in Telfes, Austria.

Results are here:
http://www.wmra.ch/files/results/grand_prix/2008/4th_race.pdf

Read Rickey's Blog Post about the race here:
http://mostlypaved.blogspot.com/2008/08/slovenia-into-italy-race-in-austria-on.html


Gates 1st at Grintovec Race

Team Member Rickey Gates was first at the Grintovec Mountain Race, which served as the Slovenian Mountain Running Champs. He posted the 3rd fastest time ever. Make sure you check out the course photos below. A very impressive and steep course.

Results are here:
http://www.kgtpapez.com/eng/2008_results.pdf

Photos here:
http://picasaweb.google.si/pipidesign2008/Grintavec2008_2/

Course and Race info here:
http://www.kgtpapez.com/eng/index.asp

Rickey's race Report Here:
http://mostlypaved.blogspot.com/2008/07/bike-arrives-500k-of-biking-2-races.html

2008 Mountain Running Team Selected - 16 members hail from 9 states

2008 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team Announced
Nine States Represented Among the Sixteen Athletes
Colorado Springs, CO -----The 2008 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Teamwill compete at the 24thWorld Mountain Running Trophy in Sierre Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Sunday, September 14, 2008. This year’s senior team includes five former team members and five newcomers ranging in age from 24 to 42.

Only one former team member is on the six-member junior squad (athletes must be at least 16 and not yet 20 in the year of competition), while the rest are first-time team members. At the World Trophy, the junior men, like the senior women, will run an eight kilometer course (8.38 km) with 733 meters of ascending. The junior women run 4.72 kilometers with 314 meters of ascending, and the senior men run 12 kilometers with 1046 meters of ascending. Each of the courses consists of only uphill terrain. In oddnumbered years the World Trophy is held on an up/down course.

Senior Men: (alphabetic order with age listed at year end)
Eric Blake, 29, New Britain, CT, is a four-time team member. He earned his spot on this year’s team with his win at the Mount Washington Road Race, theUSA National Mountain Running Championships. Blake also won the championships at Mount Washington in 2006. In 2005
Blake finished second to Simon Gutierrez at Mount Washington and was third in 2004. Blake was fifth at the USA National Mountain Running Championships in Vail in 2003. On June 24, 2006 Blake set the treadmill marathon world record of 2:21:40 in Farmington, CT at Malibu Fitness. (The former world record was 2:23:58.) He was 28th in the 2004 World Mountain Trophy in Sauze D'Oulx, Italy, 23rd in the 2005 World Trophy in Wellington, New Zealand, and 11th at the Trophy in Bursa, Turkey in 2006. He was the second American at the 2007 NACAC Mountain Running Championships in Canada. He was 33rd in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. In Lyman Memorial High School in Lebanon, Connecticut, he was the 1996 state open cross-country champion. He is a member of the Boston Athletic Association and is the Assistant Men’s Cross-Country and Track and Field Coach at Central Connecticut State University.

Matthew Byrne, 33, Scranton, PA, is a first-time team member. He finished sixth at theMt. Washington Road Race and second at theVail Berry Picker Race to earn an at-large berth on the tem. In addition to top finishes at this year’s team selection races, Byrne has a strong road race
resume. In the past 18 months he has run 2:25:48 (Boston Marathon), 1:06:01 (Houston Half Marathon), 2:21:50 (Steamtown Marathon). He is a two-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier (2004 & 2008). His 10 km track PR is 29:49, and his 5 km PR is 14:31. Byrne is a graduate of St.
Joseph’s University where he earned his degree in Marketing. He is employed full time at the Philadelphia Runner.

Zac Freudenberg, 30, St. Louis, MO, finished seventh at this year’s Mt. Washington Road Race which earned him an at-large berth on the team. Freudenberg excels at long distance events, yet possesses the speed necessary to race well at shorter distances. His 1500 m PR is 3:58, his 3000 m steeplechase PR is 9:12, his 5 km PR is 14:48 and his 10 km PR is 30:35. In 2008, his times
include 24:30 (5 miles) and 2:24:46 (marathon). He ran 3:56:00 to finish third overall at the Pikes Peak Marathon in 2006, and ran the 2007 Jungfrau Marathon in 3:14:48 to finish eighth. He competed at division III indoor and outdoor track and cross country for Beloit College and was a two-time national qualifier in cross country and once in track in the 3000 m steeplechase. After his undergraduate studies, he lived in The Netherlands for four years where he earned a master’s degree in computer science. Freudenberg is a PhD candidate in Computer Science
at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. “I plan to run the Pikes Peak Ascent this year. I can't train for the altitude in St. Louis, but I have been running stairwell once or twice a week pretty consistently for the past two years and I added treadmill incline training to get ready for Mt. Washington this year.”

Rickey Gates, 27, Boulder, CO, made his third consecutive team this year with his third place finish at Mount Washington. He also finished third at the 2006 Mount Washington Road Race to make his first mountain team. He won this year’s Teva Mountain Games Lara Bar 10 km up/down race in June. He had a stellar season in ’07 and earned a spot on his second team with back-to-back weekend wins at the USA Mountain Running Championships and the USA 10 km Trail Championships and was also named the 2007 USATF Mountain Runner of the Year. Gates was born and raised in the Roaring Fork Valley and is a 1999 graduate of Aspen High School. In 1998 Gates finished fourth in the 3A State Cross Country Championships running 16:48. Gates won the 2005 Imogene Pass Race, an 18 mile race from Ouray to Telluride, Colorado ascending for the first 11 miles and downhill for the final seven miles. He won the Run the Register Stair
Climb in Denver this past February (47 floors, 1,014 steps). His 10km PR is 31:43 recorded at the Bolder Boulder in May of this year. He competed in college one year while at Lewis and Clark in Portland, OR, and is a graduate of the University of Colorado/Boulder where he studied Sociology and Photography. In 2004 Gates completed a 15,000-mile solo-motorcycle journey
from Aspen to South America on a 1979 Honda CX500 that he bought from a friend for $500. He once won America’s Uphill (held annually in March) on Aspen Mountain racing in a clown suit. Gates left for Europe in July to compete in several mountain races recently winning the Grintovec Mountain Race in Slovenia on July 27.

Joe Gray, 24, Lakewood, WA,made his first team this year with his fourth place finish at Mount Washington. Gray was a collegiate steeplechaser at the University of Oklahoma and ran his first mountain race last year in Steamboat Springs where he led the pack for the first climb and eventually slipped to an eleventh-place finish. Gray finished a much-improved third at the Lara Bar 10 km in June – his second mountain race. Gray has PRs of 3:58 for 1500m, 8:44 for the 3 km Steeplechase,14:15 for 5000m (indoors on 200 meter track), 46:20 for 15 km. Gray was presented the Arthur Ashe Sports Athlete Award in 2007, and was an Academic All American, 2006-2007. He is a six-time NCAA Championships Qualifier and was a member of the USA Junior Pan American Team 2003 (3000m Steeplechase).

Simon Gutierrez, 42, Alamosa, CO, is a seven-time Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team member (2002-2008) and was the first American at three World Trophy events where he finished 17th overall in 2004, 10th in 2005, and 10th in 2006. He was the 2005 and 2006 USATF Mountain Runner of the Year, and the 2006 and 2007 USATF Masters Mountain Runner of the Year. Gutierrez is a nine-time winner of the La Luz Mountain Race and three-time Mt Washington Road Race champion. He is the reigning World Masters Mountain Running Champion having won the event the past two years. He finished fifth at this year’s
Mount Washington Road Race, won the Vail HillClimb and the Vail Berry Picker the following month. He is a three-time USA world cross country team member and a 1983 High School cross country All American. At age 17 Gutierrez set the still standing road 10Km record of 29.45. He works at the San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center as an outpatient manual /orthopedic physical therapist and works closely with the Adams State men's and women's cross country and
track teams.

Senior Women:

Rachael Cuellar, 26, Albuquerque, NM, was selected for the at-large spot on the women’s team. Cuellar has been a scoring member for the gold-medal women’s teams for the past two years; in Bursa, Turkey she finished 10th and at Ovronnaz, Switzerland she finished in 12th. She participated in the Berry Picker selection race this year and placed fourth and also finished fourth at the USA 8km Trail Championships in Steamboat Springs. She has PRs of 17:40 for 5 km indoor track set in 2006 (5,000 feet), 17:14 for 5 km outdoor track a road 5 km PR of 17:27 set in 2006 at 5,000 feet, and ran the 3000 m steeplechase in 10:12. She is a five-time winner of the La Luz Trail Race, a 9 mile uphill race with 4,578 elevation gain and an average grade of 12 percent. She plans to race La Luz again this August. Cuellar attended New Mexico State University and University of New Mexico and is currently enrolled in a master’s degree program.

Brandy Erholtz, 31, Bailey, CO, is a first-time team member having earned her spot with a win at the USA Mountain Running Championships at Mount Washington. She finished third at the Berry Picker. Erholtz started competing on the trails last year when she raced at the Teva Mountain Games 10 km in Vail and finished third. She finished third again at this year’s event. She competed at the 2007 North American Central American Caribbean Mountain Running Championships (NACAC) for the U.S. Team in Canada finishing fourth overall among the women. Erholtz is employed as a schoolteacher.

Laura Haefeli, 41, Del Norte, CO, will represent the U.S. for the fourth time this year having been on the bronze medal winning team in 2004, the top U.S. finisher in 2005, an individual bronze medalist and a member of the gold-medal winning team in 2007. This year she won the Teva Mountain Games 10km, broke the masters’ course record at the Mount Washington Road Race, won the USA 8 km Trail Championships (her fourth USA Trail Championship title) set the course record at the Barr Trail Mountain Race, and finished second at the Berry Picker to earn her spot on this year’s team. She was 15th at the World Mountain Running Trophy (second American) in 2004 and in 2005, she was the top American finisher at the Trophy with an eighth-place finish. Equally talented in summer biathlon (running and marksmanship), Haefeli is a seven time National Champion and a nine-time National Team Member. She was an All-
American during her senior year in college at the University of Dayton and was twice named All-Ohio Runner of the Year and is a two-time USATF Mountain Runner of the Year (2004 and 2005). Laura and her husband Tom are beekeepers and sell honey and wax. She is the mother of three young children and is also a high school cross country coach.

Megan Kimmel, 28, Silverton, CO, is a newcomer on the national mountain running circuit. She finished second at the USA 8 km Trail Champs in Steamboat Springs and won the Berry Picker to earn a spot on the team. Kimmel ran cross country at Cherry Creek High School for four years. She is a past winner of the Kendall Mountain Race and top finisher in the Imogene Pass Run. She participates in nordic ski racing in the winter. Kimmel lives and trains at elevations above 8,000 feet and is a massage therapist practicing her trade in Silverton and Ouray, CO.

Juniors must be at least 16 and not yet 20 in the year of competition. The USA squad includes:

Alexandra Dunne, 17, San Clemente, CA, attends San Clemente High School and will be
entering her senior year in September. Her PR’s include 10:28 for 2 miles, 4:54 for the mile, 2:10 for 800m, and 17:48 for 5km. Her top performances include a first place finish at the 2007 Clovis Invitational XC timed in 17:48, a 28th place finish at the 2007 Foot locker west regional in 18:16, a win at the 2008 Arcadia Invitational in 4:53, and a second place finish at the 2008 Orange County Championships 10:28. Most of her training is done on hilly trails and single track trails. Her training this summer is going strong and included summiting Mt Whitney (14,500’).

Yasmine White
, 19, Arcata, CA, attends Bowdoin College and will be entering her sophomore year in September studying biology. Her PRs include 5:09 for the mile, 10:50 for 2 miles, and 17:58 for 5 km. In 2007 she was named Cross Country All-Region, All-Conference, and Conference Rookie of the Year. Results include a first place finish at the 2007 Frozen Foot 5 km, Boulder CO in 17:58, 37th at the 2007 USATF XC Junior Nationals 6 km, a win at the 2006 junior triathlon national championships, 39th place at the 2006 world junior triathlon championships, fourth place finish at the 2006 National Junior Duathlon championships, and a first place finish at the 2005 North Coast XC Championships. She trains almost entirely on trails on rolling terrain and will spend the summer in Boulder training at altitude.


Junior Men:
Levi Grandt, 19, West Union, WV, recently graduated from Doddridge County High School where he was a multiple time West Virginia State Cross Country Champion. He trains in the West Virginia Mountains, running on hills and trails. His PRs include a 4:26 mile, 9:22 for 2 miles, 5 km in 15:11, and 10 km in 33:25. Results include an eighth place finish at 2008 Nike Nationals 5,000m (15:11), fifth place at the 2008 WV state champs 800m (2:04), wins at
the 2008 WV state champs mile (4:26) and the 2008 WV state champs 2m (9:22). He finished in 20th place at the 2007 Footlocker south regional (15:26). He will attend the University of Richmond this fall where he plans to pursue studies toward a degree in physical therapy.

Paul Petersen, 16, Broomfield, CO, earned a spot on the team placing first among the juniors at the Berry Picker (finishing 12th overall). He enters his junior year at Legacy High School in the fall. His PRs include a 4:50 mile, 10:20 for 2 miles, 17:56 for 5 km, and 35:30 for 10 km. He was the junior champion at the 2008 USATF 8 km trail championships, and was the first junior at the 2007 Mt Evans ascent (14th overall), and sixth place at the 2008 Colorado 5A region 2 mile timed in 10:20. He trains on the trails and hills of the Horsetooth Mountain Park near Boulder.

Tim Smith, 18, Roanoke, VA, recently graduated from Cave Spring High school where he won the 2 mile state title indoors and earned All-American honors in the 5,000m this spring. He will attend theUniversity of Richmond this fall. His PRs include: 4:17 for the mile, 9:16 for 2 miles, and 5 km in 15:28. He finished sixth at the 2008 Nike Indoor nationals 5,000m (15:29), 22nd
at the 2008 Footlocker south regional champs in 15:28, fourth at the 2008 Mid Atlantic track clash 9:20 for 2 miles. Smith was All-State in the 1,600m in 2006, 2007, and 2008, All-State in the 3,200m in 2007 and 2008, and All-State Cross Country 2006 and 2007 (11th and
seventh place respectively).

Jonny Stevens, 19, Vail, CO, graduated from Battle Mountain High School where he captained the cross country team, track team, and ice hockey team. This is his third U.S. team. He will attend the University of Colorado in the fall. His PRs include 4:25 for the mile, 9:18 for 2 miles, and a 5 km in 15:46. He was the second U.S. finisher at the 2007 World Trophy, the second junior at the 2008 Vail Berry Picker (13th overall), first junior at the 2008 Vail HillClimb, fifth at the 2008 Colorado 4a-5a State champs mile 4:26, second at the 2008 Colorado 4a-5a State champs 2mile 9:33, 17th place at the 2008 Arcadia Invitational 2m 9:18, fourth at the 2007 Colorado State XC champs in 16:42, and first junior at the 2007 USA 10 km trail championships.

The Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team staff includes Nancy Hobbs, Colorado Springs, CO, Richard Bolt, Portland, Oregon, Dave Dunham, Bradford, MA, and Ellen Miller, Vail, CO. The staff will accompany the team to Switzerland.

Sponsors of the 2008 Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team include title sponsor Teva, the official
footwear of the team since 2002, SportHill is the official apparel sponsor providing team uniforms, OrthoLite Insoles, the world’s leading supplier of open cell foam insoles in the
performance and footwear category is the official insole, Fleet Feet Sports Boulder, the official
specialty running store, Windermere of Teton Valley, the official real estate company, Wicked
Fast Sports Nutrition, Wicked Fast sports nutrition, the official dietary supplements for pre-exercise energy/endurance (Energ-Ease) and post-exercise recovery (Recover-Ease), and
product sponsors FuelBelt, Inc. (hydration products), Costa Del Mar (performance sunglasses),
and Youth Runner magazine.

Old Press Releases

Old Press Releases for the Team can be found at the old News Page, which is located here:

07/20/08 Gutierrez, Kimmel Win Berry Picker selection race.

07/06/08 Gutierrez wins Vail Hillclimb

07/05/08 US Women win Gold at NACAC Mt. Champs

06/21/08 Blake, Erholz Win at Mt. Washington

06/12/08 Mount Washington Road Race hosts Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team Selection Race

05/06/08 Elite Field Expected at Mt. Washington

02/01/08 Ortholite Joins Team as Official Insole

01/20/08 Wicked Fast Sports Nutrition Joins Team as Official Dietary Supplement

01/18/08 Vail Mountain Winter Uphill Race - in Memory of Team Member Lyndon Ellefson

12/13/07 2008 Teva US Mountain Running Team Selection Information now available

11/20/07 2007 Junior Team Member Maria Dalzot runs at XC Nationals, helps team to top 10 finish.

11/04/07 2007 Team Member Chris Lundy 11th Place at NYC Marathon

10/22/07 2007 Team Member Payton Batliner wins Breakers Marathon in RI. Kelli Lusk 2nd woman

10/15/07 Interview with team member Chris Lundy on 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials

09/28/07 Athlete Profile section of USMRT Website Launched

09/23/07 Gutierrez wins World Masters in Austria, Ortiz 5th, Goldsmith 7th overall (Preliminary Results)

09/21/07 Haefeli Makes History with Bronze Medal Win (Alamosa News Valley Courier, Alamosa, CO)

09/15/07 U.S. Brings Home Gold, Silver & Bronze

09/10/07 Teva US Mountain Running Team Gets Set for Switzerland

09/08/07 Jungfrau Marathon Results - Cindy O'Neill 2000 USMRT Member Top US Woman

09/05/07 Men's Team leader Richard Bolt races at Sunrise to Summit race in Oregon

08/13/07 Rocky Mountain News feature on Anita Ortiz

Payton Batliner & Simon Gutierrez place in top 10 at Pikes Peak Ascent. 2000 team member Matt Carpenter wins, former team members Lisa Goldsmith & Cindy O'Neill go 1-2 in Masters Division.

Paul Low wins $5000 first prize at Herc Open Race in Vermont

Payton Batliner & 2006 Team Member Lisa Goldsmith win Indian Peaks 10K

Gutierrez and Cuellar win La Luz Trail Run

Youth Runner Interviews with Junior Team Members

Rickey Gates 12th on leg of SkyRaid Race for Team Sky GoLite

2007 Canmore Challenge Article

US Wins 2007 NACAC Mountain Championships

Rickey Gates 4th at Grossglockner-Berglauf Eurpean Grand Prix Race

2007 US Mtn Running Team Announced

2007 NACAC Mtn Running Championships

Ortiz Still Not Through (Vail Daily)

2007 US Mtn Running Team Selection Race Results

Reaching New Heights (article on 2006 Team Member, Nicole Hunt) in Conway Daily Sun, Conway, NH

2007 USA NACAC Mtn Running Team Announced

2007 California to host Teva US Mtn.Running Team Selection Race

2007 Teva US Mtn Running Team Selection Process (update)

2006 Nominations for MUT Runners of the year

2006 Teva US World Mtn Running Team Results - Photos

2006 Teva US Mtn Junior Running Team Announced

2006 Teva US Mtn Running Team Announced

2006 Teva Vail Mtn Trophy Challenge Results

2006 Loon Mtn Post Race Release

2006 2nd Selection Race - Loon Mtn Race Jun 24

2006 1st US Mtn Running Team Selection Race

2006 Teva US Mtn Running Team Selection Process

2005 USATF Mountain and Ultra Runners of the Year announced

2006 Mtn. Running Team Staff Announced

2006 Selection Criteria for Junior Team

2005 Nominations Open for Mtn Runner of the Year

2005 US Mtn Runners Battle the World's Best - Photos

2005 Teva US Mtn Running Team Announced

2005 Teva US Junior Mtn Running Team Announced

2005 Teva Mtn Running Team as of Jun 29

2005 Devils Run Press Release, Jun 29

2005 Northfield Race Release, June 25

2005 Results, USA National Trail Running Championships June 4, Vail, Colorado

2005 USA National Trail Running Championships June 4, Vail, Colorado

2005 US Mtn Running Team signs 180s as sponsor

2005 America's Uphill Press Release, March 19

2005 Teva US Mountain Running Team Selection Process

2005 Teva US Mountain Running Team, Jan 1

2004 Sept, Anita Ortiz Wins 2004 WMRA Masters Mtn Running World Championships

2004 World Mountain Running Championships Photos

2004 Anita Ortiz wins 4th Pikes Peak Ascent, Aug 21

2004 Teva US Mountain Running Team Announced, Aug 9

2004 Teva US Mountain Running Team Junior Squad Announced, Aug 2

2004 WMRA Masters Championships

2004 Teva US Mountain Running Team, Feb

2003 Teva US Mtn Running Team Selection Criteria

2002 Teva US Mtn Running Team

2002 Gutierrez earns berth on the Teva US Mountain Running Team

2002 Teva US Mtn Running Team Selection Criteria

2002 Teva US Mtn Running Team - Junior Squad Announced

2002 Teva Named Sponsor of US Mtn Running Team


Combining the Blog and the News Page

Hi All, it's been a while since anything was posted about the Mountain Team. I decided it would make more sense to combine the Mountain Team News Page and the Blog together here at the blog pages, which allows me to keep the blog current all year long and not just info on when the team is preparing.

Lots of excitement for the upcoming Mountain Champs in September in Switzerland for the US Team. Strong mens, womens and junior teams have been assembled as the women look to defend their Junior team Silver Medal and the Women look to defend their Team Gold Medal. Team Member Laura Haefeli is also back to defend her individual bronze medal.

-Paul Kirsch, usmrt.com website guy