mountain running a joke?

Yeah, so that race at Aleyska looks challenging for sure but you need to QUALIFY to get there on the US Team...and you can do so by running Mt. Washington or a few others...some trails, some roads. They are all challenging. No need to bash one mountain race to uplift another...those that compete in that venue see clearly as to what the pros/cons are for each course. APPRECIATE, my friend, a different venue for racing. Don't put down. That ain't right.

Even though I always felt fit is fit and the best runners overall will be the best on hills or flats, mountain running is probably in a different category. I remember getting creamed in hill repeat workouts in college by guys who ran a full minute slower than me in the 5000.

It does appear that shorter runners with more muscular legs have an advantage there.

I roomed with a maountain runner, I think from Vermont, at a half-marathon once. Either he was from Vermont or the mountain race he won several times was in Vermont. I think his name was Joe and he was a 1:05 half marathoner also.

Viva La Difference!

I'm not putting Mt. Washington Road Race down. It's a great event too - I like all kinds of races. I'm just pointing out that they are really different types of events... road vs. rough trail. It's hardly a put down to call it a road race when road races are seen as more established here and mountain running seems to need defending.

That's not Alyeska by the way.

Muger Cement wrote:

Africans would absolutely dominate mountain running. Period.

But they dont

The Eritrains got dominated in this race

Nice job this year on Mt Washington, Eric. I was way behind you, and I understand fully that it was no joke. Whenever I hear people with an opinion about Mt Washington that haven't run the race before or any mountain race for that matter I just have to laugh.

Also, I think it is funny how people assume that Wyatt is not a world class athlete. Jonathon Wyatt has definately demonstrated his range competing in the 5000 through the Marathon. He will be going back to the Olympics for the second time shooting for a top ten finish in the Marathon in 2008.

OK, crawling up steep rocky trails is real.

Just so you know, I am the world chamap at running down hills with a 30% grade. It's also a real sport.

Wyatt also ran the 5000m at the 1996 Olympics.

Correct me if i'm wrong but doesn't the world mountain running trophy race alternate between an up and down style course and an uphill course each year?

I know for a fact the Mt. Washington has been one of the selection races for the TEVA/USA team so I would imagine that it counts as a mountain race if runners are being picked for the world championships based on their preformance at Mt. Washington

A real Mountain here:

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3Fp%3DBen%2Bnevis%2Brace%2Bpictures%26ei%3DUTF-8&h=592&w=790&imgcurl=www.shr.uk.com%2Fuploads%2Ffulls%2F373_ForsterUp.jpg&imgurl=www.shr.uk.com%2Fuploads%2Ffulls%2F373_ForsterUp.jpg&size=440.2kB&name=373_ForsterUp.jpg&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shr.uk.com%2Fimage.php%3Ffile%3D373_ForsterUp.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shr.uk.com%2Fimage.php%3Ffile%3D373_ForsterUp.jpg&p=ben+nevis+race&type=jpeg&no=3&tt=83&fr=yfp-t-501

The climb is tough, but coming down a rocky descent like this requires not only years of technical training, and a huge set of nuts, but also training your legs to be able to cope with the pounding of 4000 feet of descent in 5 miles.

Pictured is the winner Rob Jebb. Could probably make the England fell team but would'nt compete well on the World Mountain Running Stage at all. Probably outside top 25. However, he wins most of the Skyrunner series and African wouldn't be able to touch him on this type of race.

Skyrunner Pics

http://www.buffskyrunner.com/gallery/detail.php?i_d_c=24

I am an idiot for wasting time reading this thread.

At least American women are rockin' these events. The U.S. Teva Mountain Running women's team took first at the World Mountain Running Trophy in September. They raced a 5.2-mile course ascending 3,000 feet up a ski resort in Turkey.

According to the new TrailRunner, Nicole Hunt of Montana, a 33-minute 10K runner, led the team by placing ninth in 50:13.

Noz4nuz wrote:

At least American women are rockin' these events. The U.S. Teva Mountain Running women's team took first at the World Mountain Running Trophy in September. They raced a 5.2-mile course ascending 3,000 feet up a ski resort in Turkey.

According to the new TrailRunner, Nicole Hunt of Montana, a 33-minute 10K runner, led the team by placing ninth in 50:13.

And the US women did well in the Obudu Ranch race as well. Nicole and Californian Chris Lundy placed 5th and 6th. Given the prize money (they won $7000 and $6000, respectively) you'd think that a slew of road racing champions would show up if it was easy money.

Iamanidiot wrote:

I am an idiot for wasting time reading this thread.

Your an idiot for posting and wasting our time reading you post.

The up and down style mt race which is every second year of the world champs recuried a different type of runner. Jono Wyatt didn't win one of these world champs untill 2005.

2006

world mountain running grand prix winner

silver medal in the world mountain running trophy

2005

world mountain running champion in front of my home town in wellington, new zealand. the first time for me winning an up and down mountain race!

wmra grand prix mountain running winner

2004

21st place at the Athens Olympic Games in 2hr 17min 43s

world mountain running champion for the 4th time (sauze dóulx, italy)

overall grand prix mountain running world champion

2003

nz title and personal best 10000m time on the track of 27:56 breaking previous best set in 1995 by 22s.

number 44 world ranking for 2003 over 10000m. this is the highest nz ranked male in 2003

ran a one and half minute personal best in the hamburg marathon to record 2hr13min00s and take 7th place.

wmra mountain running grand prix series winner

2002

commonwealth games 6th place in the marathon at manchester with a personal best time

a new zealand record in the half marathon (official records only being taken for the last 6 or 7 years)

third world mountain running title (innsbruck, austria)

2001

first marathon completed and won in rotorua new zealand

race record at north island cross country

personal best time in the berlin marathon

2000

world mountain running champion (bergen, germany)

1999

number 1 ranking in the world for mountain running grand prix

1998

world mountain running champion (la reunion, indian ocean)

you have to be able to run fast before you can run fast uphill