Northfield Mountain Preview - Northfield, MA

Northfield Mountain will again play host to the USATF NE Mountain running championships on Saturday June 25 at 9:00 AM.   This will be the third year Northfield has been selected as a championship.   The race will also serve as a qualifier for the Teva US Mountain running team which will compete in the World Mountain running trophy in New Zealand this September.    Northfield is also part of the USATF NE mountain running circuit which includes six races in New England and offers prizes to those who complete the circuit.    La Sportiva ( http://www.sportiva.com/ ) is the presenting sponsor and the race is hosted by the Central Massachusetts Striders ( www.cmsrun.org ).   The race is one of the many activities available at Northfield Mountain ( http://www.nu.com/northfield/default.asp ), racers and their families are encouraged to spend the day hiking or picnicking at Northfield.

Last years race featured over 127 finishers from seven states.   Joshua Ferenc held off 2003 champion Paul Low (CMS/Polar) to take home the victory in a course record 49:18 on the 12.3 Kilometer course.   Kelli Lusk (CMS/Polar) took the women's victory for the second straight year, winning the race by four minutes over Jenn Brooks (Team Gloucester) in 1:03:04.

The course features a slightly more than 5 Kilometer loop, which will be negotiated twice for women and three times for men.   The course was modified from past years to mimic the multiple loop format of the World trophy race, thus giving US athletes a chance to test them over similar terrain/distance as the trophy race.   The first Kilometer of running is on wide trails with ample opportunity to pass.   The second Kilometer is almost entirely on single-track trail, with one stream crossing and many ups/downs.   The footing in the second Kilometer is a mixture of rocks, roots, and leaves and could be muddy if there is rain.   The third Kilometer is predominately downhill on wide trails with excellent footing.   The trail stays wide as runners climb again from three to 3.5 Kilometers. The final 1.6 Kilometers are all downhill with a mix of wide trails and a 300m stretch of narrow single-track.

Confirmed entrants in this year's event include runners from nine states.   Six of the top thirteen from last year have entered as of June 19.

Top Men

• Eric Blake - (Plattsburgh, NY) Central MA. Striders
  Blake is the men's and women's cross country coach at Plattsburgh (NY) State University.   Blake took second place at the 2005 Mt Washington road race last weekend.   He was third in the 2004 USA Mountain Championships at Mt. Washington in New Hampshire and fifth at the same championships in Vail in 2003. He was 28 th in the 2004 World Mountain Trophy event in Sauze D'Oulx, Italy. He was 33rd in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and the ninth American at the 2004 ING New York City Marathon. Blake won the 2003 Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 2:21:24. In Lyman Memorial High School in Lebanon, Connecticut, he was the 1996 state open cross-country champion.  
• Richard Bolt - (Nashua, NH) Central MA. Striders
  Richard is a three time top 10 finisher at US National Snowshoe Championships.   He finished tenth at the 2005 Mt Washington Road race.   In 2003 he was the 8 th place finisher at the US National Snowshoe Championships - Salt Lake City, UT and the   Western Mass Athletic Club (WMAC) snowshoe series overall winner.   Richard was ran in the 2002 World Mountain Running Championships - Innsbruck, AUT - 91 st place.   2003 Mt. Washington Road Race - Pinkham Notch, NH - 4 th place.   Member of the 1999 and 2002 Teva US Mountain running team.   Men's team manager for the 2003 - present Teva US Mountain running team.   USATF NE mountain chair.   PR's include 1 mile - 4:19, 5k - 14:49, and 10k - 31:06.   Other accomplishments include 1992, 1994 & 1998 U.S. Olympic Trials in Cross Country Skiing.   1997 World Duathlon Championship Team.   1987 New York State High School Cross Country State Champion
• Eldon Burkinshaw -   (Londonderry, NH) Gate City Striders.
  Currently leads the USATF NE Mountain running circuit with 33 finishes over the last ten years.   He was the top finisher in 2004 in the 65-69 age group and runner-up in 2003 in the 60-69 age group at Northfield.   He was the top 60+ finisher in the 2004 USATF NE Mountain circuit.   He currently holds three of the top five times at the Ascutney mountain race among his many accomplishments.
• Galen Burrell (Boulder, CO) La Sportiva
  Burrell was the 2004 Pikes Peak Marathon champion, Spring Desert Ultra champion and second-place finisher at the Imogene Pass Run.   He finished 9 th at the recent 10km USATF Trail Championships in Vail.
• Buzz Burrell (Boulder, CO) La Sportiva
  Burrell has finished the Pikes Peak marathon 11 times.   He was 2nd at the 2004 Kendall Mountain run.   In 2005 he set a record at the Torres Del Paine Circuit in Patagonia.   He co-founded the Boulder trail runners and manages the La Sportiva Go Lite team.   Burrell finished first in the 50+ age group at the 2005 Mt Washington road race.
• Dave Dunham - (Bradford, MA) Central MA. Striders.
  Currently leads the USATF NE Mountain running circuit with 3083.47 points over the last ten years.   Dunham founded the circuit in 1996.   He currently leads the 40+ age group for the 2005 mountain circuit with 356.36 points.   Dunham was a member of the US Mountain running team from 1992 -2000.   In 1993 he won a Silver medal at the World Mountain running trophy.   He has finished 15 times top 10 at the Mt Washington road race and was the USATF Mountain runner of the year 2000.   Injuries and illness have curtailed his racing, however he supports the sport by directing multiple trail/mountain/Ultra/Snowshoe races in New England including the Northfield race.   Dunham is currently in the process of writing a history of the Mount Washington road race.   He finished 5th in the 40+ age group at the 2005 Mt Washington road race.
• Paul Grant - (Carver, MA) Cambridge Sports Union.
  Currently in fifth place with 28 finishes in the USATF NE Mountain circuit for the last ten years.   He finished seventh at Northfield in the 55-59 age group in 2004 and is currently in sixth place in the 2005 circuit in the 50+ age group.
• Simon Gutierrez - (Alamosa, CO)
  Gutierrez is a three-time Teva US Mountain Running Team member and was the first American at last year's World Trophy where he finished 17 th overall. At his first Pikes Peak Ascent, he was victorious in 2003. Gutierrez is a six-time winner of the La Luz Mountain Race and three-time Mt Washington Hill Climb champion. He is a three-time USA world cross-country team member and a 1983 High School cross-country All American.    He recently won his third Mt Washington road race, running the 16 th fastest time ever and the seventh person to break 61 minutes.
• Paul Low (Amherst, MA) Central MA. Striders.
  Was named the USATF Mountain runner of the year in 2002, 2003, and 2004.   Low was a member of the Teva US Mountain running team in 1999, 2000, and 2002-2004.   He finished second overall at the 2004 Mt Washington road race, and as top American was named National Champion.   Low won the 2003 North American Snowshoe Championships and the Nike ACG Northfield Mountain Regional Qualifier.    Low was the second US finisher at the 2004 World Mountain championships finishing in 19 th place.    He placed second at the 2004 Northfield race and was first in 2003.     Low finished third at the 2005 Mt Washington road race and currently leads the USATF NE mountain circuit.  
• Peter Maksimow (Springfield, MA) Central MA. Striders.
  Maksimow finished 7 th at the 2005 Mt Washington road race.   He was the 5 th CMS finisher on a team which set a new open team record.   In 2003 he won the Mt. Baldy Run-to-the-Top,   in San Bernadino, CA.   In 2004 he finished 9 th at the USATF 10K Trail Championships and 9 th at the Vail Hill Climb.   In 2005 he placed 3 rd   at the Northfield.   He recently finished 3 rd at the Mt. Wachusett race and is currently in third place in the USATF NE mountain running circuit.
• Eric Morse (Berlin, VT) Central MA. Striders.
  Morse has been a member of several US Mountain Running Teams and finished 2 nd at the 2003 Northfield Mountain.   He also won the USATF New England Mountain Running Series for the sixth time in 2003.   He finished eight in the 2004 Mt Washington race despite fighting injuries.   Morse has finished in the top five at Mt Washington nine times including three-second place finishes.   He has also been named Vermont Runner of the Year 10 times.   Morse currently holds the course records at circuit races Pack Monadnock, Wachusett Mountain, Mt Ascutney and additionally holds the course record at Whiteface Mountain (NY), Prospect Mountain (NY) and Wolverine Peak (AK).   He also has PR's of sub-four for the mile and sub-1:05 for the ½ marathon.   Recently Morse finished second overall at Mt Ascutney, setting a new 40+ age group record.   He also finished 6 th overall at the 2005 Mt Washington Road race.
• Ben Nephew (Foxboro, MA) Central MA. Striders.
  Nephew was the runner-up at the USATF trail marathon championships in 2004.   He placed fifth at Northfield in 2003 and was 15 th at the Mt Washington road race in 2004 with a sub-1:10 effort.   Nephew is one of the best trail runners in the Northeast and known for his reckless disregard for danger when descending.
• Chad Newton (Pisgah Forest, NC) CLF
  Newton was the national champion at the USATF trail marathon championships in 2004.   He has run 2:21 for a road marathon.   He finished 8 th at the 2005 Mt Washington Road race.
• Bill Raitter ( Estes Park, CO)
  Raitter finished 8 th at the USATF trail championships.   He was second American at the World Mountain Running Trophy in 2003 and lists the following trail race victories in 2004 - Peterson Ridge rumble 17 miles (course record) Sisters Oregon, Great Escape 1/2 marathon in Littleton, CO , Medicine Bow 1/2 marathon Laramie Wyoming (course record). Also in 2004, he was third at the USA National 10Km Trail Champs, ninth at Mt. Washington, and 11 th at the Vail Hill Climb.
• Rob Smith (Charlestown, MA) Central MA. Striders
  Smith recently finished third at the Pack Monadnock 10 mile mountain race.   He is currently in fourth place in the USATF NE mountain circuit with 257.42 points.   Smith finished 13th at Northfield in 2004.
• Richard Stockdale (Mason, NH) Moose Milers & Marathoners
  Stockdale has not missed a USATF circuit race from 2000 - 2004 and has run the four races this year.   He leads the "streakers" with 25 races in a row.   He also ranks seventh in all time points with 1971.67.   He finished third in the 50-55 age group in the 2004 Northfield race and was the top 50-59 finisher in 2003.   He also has four of the top seven times at Mt Ascutney.
• Kevin Tilton (Conway, NH) Central MA. Striders
  Tilton won the Mt Kearsarge race earlier this year and trails only Paul Low in the USATF NE mountain circuit.    He finished 10 th at Mt Washington in 2004, and 11th in the weather shortened 2002 version. He ran a four- minute personal best at Mt Washington this year, placing 5th in 1:03:42.   He is currently in second place in the USATF NE Mountain running circuit.
• Daniel Verrington (Bradford, MA) Central MA. Striders
  Verrington has finished seven times top ten at Mt Washington, and was a member of the US Mountain team 1997-2002.   He finished 12 th at the 2005 Mt Washington road race, and 3 rd in the 40+ age group.   He was the USATF 50K National champion for masters (40+) in 2004, and the open 50K champion in 2002.   Verrington was the first USATF NE Mountain running champion when he took the victory in New Ipswich NH in 2000.   He currently leads the master's category in the USATF NE road running grand prix.   Verrington has also represented the US in the 100 Kilometer World cup, finishing 2 nd US in 2002.   His PRs include 14:48 5K, 24:17 5M, 1:05:32 ½ marathon, 2:21:10 marathon, and 3:09:15 50K

Top Women

• Julie Bryan - (Jackson Hole, WY)
  Bryan was a member of the 2001 and 2002 mountain running team and an alternate on the 2003 team. She is a versatile mountain runner with numerous victories on her home turf in Jackson Hole and also wins in Colorado to include the Barr Trail Mountain Race.
• Lisa Goldsmith - (Nederland, CO) La Sportiva
  Finished sixth at the 2005 USATF trail championships.
• Christine Lundy - (Sausalito, CA)
  Lundy finished second at the 2005 USATF trail championships.   She f inished 23rd at the '04 US Olympic Trials Marathon with a time of 2:41:55.    She placed 14th at the New Haven 20K in 2004 in a time of 1:13:31.    She was a three time All-American at Univ. of Penn.   Her personal bests include: 16:28 5k, 34:47 10k, and 2:41:55 marathon.
• Kelli Lusk (Amherst, MA) Central MA. Striders
  Lusk is a two-time winner of the Barr Trail Mountain Race ('02, '03).   She was the 2004 USATF New England Mountain Running Series Champion.  A seasoned snowshoe racer, Lusk was the 2003 US National Snowshoe Racing Champion. In addition to her mountain and trail finishes, Lusk qualified for the 2000 US Olympic Marathon Trials.  
• Emer O'Donoghue - (Lexington, MA) Somerville Road Runners
  O'Donoghue has run the last 22 USATF NE mountain circuit races, this is the second longest active streak.
• Anita Ortiz - (Eagle, CO)
  Ortiz finished 11 th last year at the World Mountain trophy, leading the women's team to their first ever medal.   She was the 2004 USA Mountain Running Champion. She has won the Pikes Peak Ascent multiple times, and was the 2002 USA Snowshoe Champion and USATF Mountain Runner of the Year.   She recently finished 8 th at the USATF trail championships.   Ortiz is a two-time USATF Mountain Runner of the Year (2002 and 2003), USATF Masters Mountain Runner of the Year 2004, three-time Teva US Mountain Running Team member, top American at each of the three WMRT events she has participated in (11 th in 2002, 8 th in 2003, 11 th in 2004) She was the overall winner at the WMRA World Masters Mountain Running Championships the week before the WMRT in 2004.
• Anna Pichrtova - (Czech Republic) La Sportiva
  Pichrtova won four consecutive times at Mt Washington races (2001 - 2004).   She competed in the 2004 Olympic Marathon and finished second at the World Mountain Trophy.   Pichrtova recently finished first in the USATF Vail 10K trail championships.   She lost a close battle at the 2005 Mt Washington Road race despite running the third fastest time ever.