The Mountain/Ultra/Trail running (MUT) council of long distance running will select the 2004
USATF Mountain Runners of the year based on nominations received from interested athletes, coaches, and administrators involved in the sport. The
following is the selection criteria for the 2004 USATF Mountain Runners of the Year:
1) Nominated athlete must show top
results in US mountain/trail competitions for 2004 (November 1, 2003 through October 31, 2004) - this will 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 below the ultra distance. (There is a
separate category to nominate USATF ultra runners of the year)
2) The nomination window includes the
period: Nov 1, 2003 through Oct 31, 2004.
3) Show top results in international
competitions for 2004
4) Be an ambassador for the sport -
athlete promotes and supports mountain running
5) Results from Teva US Mountain
Running Team Selection races to be considered - in 2004 these included Mount Washington, and the Teva Vail HillClimb (also the NACAC Mountain Running
Championships).
6) Results from the USA National Trail
Championships (Teva Spring Run Off in Vail, CO) and the USA Mountain Running Championships (Mount Washington)
7) Be a USATF member for 2004 - athlete
MUST have a current USATF membership
8) To be considered for the masters
category, athlete must be a minimum of 40 years of age.
To nominate an athlete, send BY
NOVEMBER 1, 2004, the following information to trlrunner@aol.com and rbolt@emersonecologics.com , and for masters also send a copy to
screel@montana.edu.
You can also fax a nomination to Nancy at (719) 573-4408:
Nominated athlete's name, age or birth
date (if you know it), athlete contact information, brief bio, reason for nomination in 2004.
Nominations received by November 1
will be considered in the selection process. After all nominations are compiled, the MUT council will vote (by November 15) for the
mountain runner of the year from nominations received. The USATF Mountain Runners of the Year will be announced at the annual convention in Portland, OR
on Friday, December 4. Should you have any questions about the procedure, please contact: Nancy Hobbs at trlrunner@aol.com or Richard Bolt at
rbolt@emersonecologics.com.
History of the USATF Mountain Runner of
the Year Award: In 1999, USATF for the first time recognized two athletes as USATF Mountain Runners of the
Year. Colorado residents Danelle Ballengee, Dillon, and Matt Carpenter, Manitou Springs received their awards at the annual USATF convention in Los
Angeles. In 2000, USATF presented USATF Mountain Runner of the year honors to Dave Dunham, MA and Cindy O'Neill, CO at the annual convention in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2001 Eric Morse, VT and Kari DiStefano, CO received the honor at the Mobile, Alabama USATF Convention. In 2002 masters
runner of the year was introduced with Craig Fram and Kari DiStefano sharing the honors with Paul Low and Anita Ortiz garnering the open awards in
Kansas City, KS. In 2003 Paul Low and Anita Ortiz were again the mountain runners of the year with Kari DiStefano and Bernie Boettcher earning the
masters mountain runners of the year awards presented in Greensboro,SC.
