Salomon Trail UK Team 2013

Posted on March 22, 2013 by talkultra

The Salomon Avenir squad, with their mentors: Back Row (L to R): Rob Samuel, Ricky Lightfoot, Emma Clayton, Rob Hope, Angela Mudge. Front Row (L to R): Nathan Jones, Bertie Houghton, Annabel Mason, James Hall, Andrew Lawler

2012 was another great year for the Salomon Trail Team in the UK, once again producing some amazing domestic and international performances. With 2013 now upon us and the racing season about to get underway proper, the team spent last weekend at their Spring training camp for three days of team talks, kit fitting, training sessions and product briefing ahead of what will no doubt be a very busy year.

This year’s camp was made extra special with the first meeting of Salomon Avenir, a new junior development squad of fell, mountain and trail runners aged between 16 and 18 years, who will not only be aided with product for the year but also be given support in the form of a mentorship scheme via some of the UK’s best athletes.

The concept behind Salomon Avenir is to help develop the next generation of trail and mountain runners in the UK and hopefully the ‘next draft’ of the Salomon Trail Team. The squad will be guided by Salomon Trail Running community manager for the UK, Matt Ward.

Manchester was the base for the weekend activities, with the brand new Salomon UK northern showroom playing host to the seminars and product meetings over the weekend. Present at the camp were representatives from main sponsor Salomon and sports instrument partners Suunto. The athletes were also kept up-to-date with with advancements from nutrition partner Kinetica. The teams were also fortunate enough to receive help and support in their physiology from top UK physio Andy Walling, who will once again look after the team in 2013.

Andy Davies on the Rivington fells

Trail Team boss Tim Lloyd comments:

“It’s always a pleasure to get the Salomon team together to train and plan the year ahead, but this year was one of the best camps we have ever had with a great atmosphere and some great input from all at Salomon and our associate sponsors. The training camp is important for Salomon and the athletes because we are all working together to move off-road and trail running forwards in terms of product development and events. Plans for 2013 look very exciting, and I am especially excited at the Avenir project which is something Matt has been working on for a while. We have some incredible athletes in our senior team and for a group of them to be on hand to aid the next generation of athletes to come through is something really special.”

The weekend saw the team try out new products on the hills surrounding Rivington, Lancashire, in a number of group training runs and photo sessions. Sunday afternoon also saw the two groups take part in the now familiar core stability session courtesy of Andy Walling, to round off the weekend!

Regarding the Trail Team line-up for 2013 Lloyd continues:

“We have tweaked the team a little this year creating a mix of our highly experienced champions and younger athletes capable of taking the Salomon name into some different spheres. Rob Hope, Angela Mudge, Tom Owens, Ricky Lightfoot, Rob Samuel, Emma Clayton and Joe Symonds all remain with the team and will once again focus on a programme of international and domestic races, with Tom racing predominantly with the Salomon International team once again this season.

“In comes Welsh International Andy Davies, who will add that extra dimension in the longer distance races. Andy has a great engine and after focusing on his marathon aspirations for the first few months of the year, will look towards some of the longer mountain and ultra trail races in the UK and abroad”.

“Overall it is a great mix of youth and experience, speed and endurance, and we hope to be able to do all of the partners proud with some great results once again this year”.

Ricky Lightfoot

Speaking about the Avenir squad Matt Ward comments:

“I am very pleased with what we have achieved in pulling together this junior collective in 2013. In a relatively short space of time it has gone from a vision to reality, and the fact that we have some of the UK’s top young talent on the squad in the very first year is particularly pleasing.

“In Annabel Mason we have the European Mountain Running Champion and one of the brightest prospects in UK junior running at the moment, James Hall is the English Schools Fell Running Champion, Bertie Houghton an English international on the fells and a champion on the track at English schools level. Nathan Jones won the British Home Countries fell championship gold medal in 2012, and represented GB at the European Mountain Running champs last year and Andrew Lawler was 3rd in the British Championships race which Nathan won, and has recently become Scottish Junior 800m champion indoors.

“The opportunity for these guys to learn from some of the UK’s and world’s best fell, mountain and trail runners is immense. When people ask me I liken it to a 16-18 year old footballer being given a direct line for advice and support to someone like David Beckham – which youngster in their given sport wouldn’t jump at that chance?!

“We are clear from the outset too that we are not in the process of interrupting coaching or governing body programmes, this is all aimed at complimenting those programmes and offering something a little different from a sponsor’s point of view”.

Head of marketing at Salomon GB is Richard Philip, he concludes:

“The weekend was great from our perspective. It gave us an opportunity to meet the guys on the team and spend a little time explaining our objectives for the brand, events and general marketing in 2013. It also gave us the opportunity to properly look at product for the team and make sure that our offerings are in-line with what they need to be the best that they can whilst training and competing.

“As a brand who supports sporting excellence we are very excited for the year ahead, especially with the Avenir project which Matt will head-up, and we look forward to working with the team and sharing in their successes over the coming season”.

For more information and news on the Salomon Trail Team, Salomon Avenir and the Salomon trail events for 2013, head to www.salomontrailtour.co.uk

Full Salomon Trail Team line-up for 2013

Emma Clayton

Rob Hope

Ricky Lightfoot

Angela Mudge

Tom Owens

Rob Samuel

Andy Davies

Joe Symonds

Full Salomon Avenir line-up for 2013

Annabel Mason

Bertie Houghton

James Hall

Andrew Lawler

Nathan Jones

Mentor partnerships

Annabel Mason – Emma Clayton

Bertie Houghton – Ricky Lightfoot

James Hall – Rob Hope

Andrew Lawler – Angela Mudge

Nathan Jones – Rob Samuel

TNF Trans Gran Canaria – Pre Race

Posted on February 26, 2013 by talkultra

It was a cold night in the mountains… the hot temperatures on the coast at lunch had disappeared. Wrapped under four blankets and still fully dressed during the night we emerged to a glorious new day.

As the sun rose so did the temperature. It wasn’t really hot but hey, it was warm enough. A couple of hours on the trails to allow me to capture images, that is all I needed. I love the light in the mountains. It’s warm and at this time of the year the sun is low in the sky providing some strong directional light.

Gran Canaria has some incredible trails and when you put Ryan Sandes, Philipp Reiter and Trailschnittchen Julia Böttger on them and only good things can come of it.

Philipp was like a wound up cork, he literally hasn’t run for 3 months. He has been skiing. It didn’t affect him, he shot up the trail immediately and we chased. What followed was a series of memorable moments on some incredible trail. Here is a highlight but you can see all the images HERE.

Our morning fun over we left for the coast at midday. A leisurely lunch of fresh seafood and salad with views of the beach. The break over and another short journey, we arrived at what can only be referred to as a palace. Our hotel for 2 nights, the H10. In incredible hotel.

Ryan Sandes did a talk and presented a video of his Fish River Canyon run. It was a really enlightening and informal chat… I have to say, Ryan came out with some great quotes:

“My first marathon was like a teenager having sex… It wasn’t pretty!”

“I enjoy the mental aspect of ultra trail races. Immense highs and lows. I’ve learnt lots about myself. But it’s about enjoyment. I really respect those runners that take twice as long to complete the race than I do…. But, they get better value for money!”

“Lots of foot prints on the trail, do you follow them or do you make your own?”

So as our first day draws to a close it’s time to make the most of the H10 hotel and take advantage of a wonderful dinner laid on for us by the management.

Ryan Sandes website HERE

Philipp Reiter website HERE

Julia Bottger website HERE

The TNF Tran Gran Canaria website HERE

Richard Bowles – He’s at it again…

Posted on February 25, 2013 by talkultra

Running the Israel National Trail (INT)

Described as a hybrid of Bear Grylls and Forrest Gump, Melbourne based adventure runner Richard Bowles is set to create another record in the world of ultra-distance trail running, in one of the most fascinating countries on the planet.

Just another long distance runner? Hardly. In 2012 Richard ran over 10,500km of trails, the equivalent distance of 249 marathons, but in much different circumstances. Imagine doing Tough Mudder 10 times a week, add in to the mix some crocodile infested river crossings, an avalanche zone and an active volcano and you’re getting some sense of Richards typical week, every week, for a whole year.

Is he a bit nuts? Maybe, because he’s about embark on yet another wild adventure.

Starting on Sunday 14 April 2013 , Richard will run (and climb) atleast 80km each day along the 1009km INT that winds its way from the Red Sea in Eilat in the southernmost part of Israel to Dan in the North, near the border of Lebanon and Syria, where he plans to arrive 12 days later on April 26….or even sooner if all goes well!

The trail, described by National Geographic as one of the worlds most ‘epic trails’, was the vision of Israeli Ori Dvir, and showcases Israels impressive landscape. Traversing the arid and unforgiving Negev, along ancient Roman roads, climbing up and down craters and canyons, past historically significant sites and over mountain passes, along lush river valleys, and through the heart of the bustling Tel Aviv.

During 2012 Richard became the first person to run the worlds longest marked trail, the rough and remote Bicentennial National Trail of Australia traversing the treacherous and remote dividing range mountains from Melbourne to Cooktown, raising awareness and funds for mental health organisation SANE Australia along the way. Just 3 weeks after completing this incredible feat, Richard flew to New Zealand to tackle their incredibly tough and dangerous 3,054km Te Araroa Trail, and in just 65 days Richard became the first person to run the entire trail.

Combining a passion for adventure, a love for running, and a determination to make a positive contribution to the places through which he runs, Richard and the team will be choosing a worthy charity, one whose work is close to his heart and to which he feels he can offer the most benefit to. The charity partner will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Richard believes in giving back, as these adventures and the people who support him give him so much.

Run INT Project

Running 1009km on Israel’s National Trail, over mountains and deserts….and in just 12 days! Or less!!

Project Website

www.richardbowles.com.au

The Israel National Trail – 1009km winding through this most geographically and historically significant part of the world, from Eilat in the South to Dan in the North.

www.israelnationaltrail.com

WHY?

The question most people ask is why would anyone want to run over 80km each day for 2 weeks? Richard explains, “The trail less travelled offers the best adventures, and I’m all about challenging myself on a daily basis”.

Richard says he is keen to meet with the communities through which the trail passes, and always takes the time to do so…even when running such huge distances each day. “The highlight of the projects in 2012 was meeting people. Being welcomed into their homes, sharing stories over a meal, and enjoying the wonderful adventure that they had now become a part of”.

Who is Richard?

Richard Bowles has many years experience in the discipline of distance running and regularly runs 200km weekly on trails around Melbourne. He is the first person to ever run the worlds longest marked trail (5,330km Bicentennial National Trail, Australia) , and is the Australian Record holder of the 2010 Tenzing Hillary Mt Everest Marathon; Winner of the 2011 Tasmanian 3 Peaks Challenge (sailing and mountain running event) and Record Holder of the Wilsons Prom Ultra Marathon 2010.
For more info go to http://www.richardbowles.com.au

More about the Israel National Trail

Inspiration for the trail came from Avraham Tamir, a well-known children’s book author who, at the age of 78 hiked the Appalachian Trail. Upon returning to Israel he proposed a hiking trail that wove its way from one end to the other. And so, in 1991, the Israel National Trail (INT) was born. Beginning in the far north of the country hugging the border with Lebanon, the tiny Kibbutz Dan marks the starting point. The finishing line is found some 1009km further south, where Israel’s Red Sea coast stops at the border with Egypt. To undertake the entire trail takes seasoned hikers 30 to 45 days maintaining a pace of about 30 kilometres a day.

Episode 29 – Robbins, Bragg, Grant, Corbett

Posted on February 22, 2013 by talkultra

Come back man Gary Robbins telling us what it’s like to return from 2 years of injury to not only win Hurt 100 but to set a new CR. Jez Bragg tells us about completing ‘The Long Pathway, Te Araroa’ in New Zealand. Joe Grant says goodbye and heads off to the Iditarod. Colourful Catra Corbett tells us about drugs, alcohol, running, tattoos, clothes and Truman. In addition to all that, we also have… phew; Talk Training about the long run, ‘A year in the life off…’, part 3 of our Marathon des Sables special, A Meltzer Moment, Up & Coming races and of course the News.

Show Notes:

03:45:45

00:00:00

00:00:45 Start and introduction

00:09:31 “Year in the life of….” This week Amanda Hyatt tells us all about her first ultra. Not one day, but two days of 33 miles. As many of you will be able to relate to, it didn’t quite go to plan. But did she finish…?

00:27:52 News Plenty of news with a catch up from Rocky Raccoon, The Coastal Challenge, Fuego Y Agua and more…

00:35:06 Jez Bragg completed The Long Pathway, Te Araroa and I was very fortunate to speak to him less than 24 hours after he crossed the finish line. I think you will be able to hear in his voice how this journey not only exhausted him but changed him. Check out his website HERE and take a look at his sponsors The North Face

00:54:30 back to Karl

01:18:50 Joe Grant spoke to us several weeks ago about his preparation for the 350 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational. I caught up with him this week, just a day before he headed out to the race. Joe’s website Alpine Works. The ITI website HERE

01:35:05 back to Karl

01:38:15 Blog – Catra Corbett colourful, fresh, modern and different. Catra or Dirt Diva adds some spice to the ultra scene. Listen to what she has to say and check out her blog HERE

02:12:25 Talk Training with Marc Laithwaite – this week we talk about the long run….

02:31:35 Interview with Gary Robbins. Life with passion, pursue your dreams. Gary just a few years back won the Hurt 100 and in doing so broke Geoff Roes old course record. He was suddenly seeing all the hard work pay off but then a series of events almost ended his running career… hear Gary talk about that period of his life and what it is like to comeback and be on top! For more information and a list of results, check out his blog HERE

03:18:00 Back to Karl

03:20:30 A Meltzer Moment with Speedgoat Karl. Good, Bad and Ugly.

03:27:25 Marathon des Sables spécial. This is part 3 and we are back with Stuart Rae to find out how the progress is going to the 2013 edition in April.

03:40:55 Races the up and coming races for the next 2 weeks

03:42:30 Close

03:45:45

LINKS

http://traffic.libsyn.com/talkultra/Episode_29_Robbins_Bragg_Grant_Corbett.mp3

ITunes http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/talk-ultra/id497318073

Libsyn – feed://talkultra.libsyn.com/rss

Website – talkultra.com

Salomon S Lab Light Jacket 2013

Posted on February 20, 2013 by talkultra

Salomon need no introduction to the trail and ultra running community. Born in 1947 in the French Alps. For more than 60 years the brand has progressed to now offer some of the most innovative and ground breaking products to be used on the trails and mountains. With constant athlete feedback and collaborations, Salomon have progressed running apparel to new levels with innovative solutions.

The Sense and Sense Ultra shoe models are now one of the most talked about footwear options in the trail and ultra community. A shoe that was developed closely with Kilian Jornet.

Apparel has also been developed, tweaked and modified to provide todays runners with specific clothing designed to excel. Welcome the 2013 Salomon S-Lab clothing range.

Salomon S-Lab Light Jacket

This is the jacket that the Salomon racing team have been using on the trails and mountains throughout last year. The 2012 season threw some really bad weather at the team and this jacket was put to great use at races such as Zegama, Cavalls del Vent and Templiers.

Andy Symonds at Templiers copyright Ian Corless

Weighing in at just 70g this jacket rolls up into nothing and can be added to the pockets within the S-Lab shorts/skort range (see follow on posts) or added to a waist belt. It is ultra light, windproof with a super soft and comfortable feel. It has a simple design and is ideally designed for racing situations when a light and additional layer is required. Should conditions be particularly cold or continually wet, a more durable jacket may well be required.

Specs

Fully windproof CLIMAWIND™ material

Featherweight at 70g

Highly breathable

Full length Zip for easy/quick on and off

Highly Packable and will fit in the palm of your hand

Reflective branding

Active fit jacket – unrestricted movement

Fabric:

CLIMAWIND PRO™

Available in white and black.

Salomon website: HERE

Skyrunning World Series Participants 2013

Posted on February 15, 2013 by talkultra

SWS – champions choice

Building on the 2012 Skyrunner® World Series success and the introduction of the Ultras, 2013 prepares for an even bigger star-studded cast.

The line-up of champions is headed by 2012 SWS winners Kilian Jornet, Emelie Forsberg and Nuria Picas, joined by past world champions Emanuela Brizio, Oihana Kortazar, Luis Alberto Hernando and Tofol Castanyer and WMRA champions Marco De Gasperi and Stevie Kremer.

Nuria Picas copyright Ian Corless

Philipp Reiter copyright Ian Corless

Emelie Forsberg copyright Ian Corless

With some of the big American ultra legends crossing the pond last year to get a taste of skyrunning, the word is out! Joining them this year: Anton Krupicka, Dakota Jones, Rickey Gates, Mike Foote, Timothy Olson, Joe Grant….

Kilian and Tony Krupicka copyright Ian Corless

Dakota Jones copyright Ian Corless

It’s full immersion for Kilian Jornet who, with his unique skills, will participate in no less than all three Series: Vertical, Sky and Ultra!

Kilian Jornet copyright Ian Corless

Lizzy Hawker will be toeing the start-line at the Series’ first 100-miler while Anna Frost will take part in both the Sky and the Ultra Series. The mix includes Phillip Reiter and Julia Böttger from Germany, top French names: Francois d’Haene, Julien Chorier, Michel Lanne, Yann Curien, Maud Gobert and Stephanie Jimenez, Britons Andy Symonds and Tom Owens, Canada’s Adam Campbell.

Marco de Gasperi – copyright Ian Corless

Anna Frost copyright Ian Corless

Strong team participation is engaged right across the Series headed by the heavy-duty Salomon team as well as hefty, international line-ups from inov-8, La Sportiva, Salomon Agisko and Arc’teryx, The North Face, Haglöfs, Montrail, Scott as well teams from Spain, Italy, Russia, Japan

Take a look at the mix here. Have we got everybody?

You’re still in time to join the throng and remember, if you’re competing in the World Series, there’s always a slot available for you.

Follow the action on Skyrunning HERE

Follow on Talk Ultra HERE

On Twitter @talkultra

Tarawera Ultramarathon

Posted on January 23, 2013 by talkultra

Tarawera trails set for world-class endurance test on March 16 2013

It’s a ridiculously long-distance running race on some of the most beautiful trails in New Zealand’s North Island.

The 100 kilometre Vibram Tarawera Ultramarathon will be run on the magnificent bush tracks and forestry roads from Rotorua to Kawerau on Saturday March 16.

One of the world’s toughest endurance running races, it’s the brainchild of Paul Charteris. The Rotorua event organiser launched ‘the Tarawera’ 5 years ago and for many of the world’s best off-road distance runners, it has quickly become a ‘must-do’.

“The quality of the field is amazing,” says Charteris, with a grin. “The 2013 Tarawera Ultra will be the most competitive long distance running event in New Zealand since the 1990 Commonwealth Games marathon.”

It’s a bold claim.
“The race sold out months ago and the 430-strong field is stacked with the world’s best,” says Charteris to back this up. “The winners of nearly every major international ultra marathon race will be on the start-line.”

A lot of top Kiwi runners will also be in the field, defending local honour.

“The ultra-racing world is keen to see how 21-year-old Barefoot Inc sponsored, Ruby Muir from Napier will handle the distance”, continues Charteris. “She’s unbeaten – including winning her first ever ultra distance run when she stormed away from the field at the 2012 60k Kepler Challenge in Te Anau.”

Muir is expected to receive stiff competition from Dunedin’s Anna Frost, widely regarded as the top female trail runner in the world last year. Frost’s Salomon Racing teammates, Emelie Forsberg from Sweden and Candice Burt from the United States will also be on the start line, along with Australia’s Beth Cardelli.

Cardelli won the last eight events she entered in her home country.

The top of the men’s field is a fleet-footed freight train of long-distance talent.

Mick Donges from Katoomba Australia is back to defend his 2012 Tarawera title against Christchurch’s Vajin Armstrong. The Kiwi finished second over the 100km distance the past two years and is keen to go one better.

Colorado-based runner Anton Krupicka, who ran a relay leg at Tarawera last year, has already fired a warning shot, posting online that he’s coming back to New Zealand for the win.

“This year, I’m looking forward to the technical trail between Humphries Bay and Tarawera Falls most of all,” says Krupicka. “The whole section from Okataina Lodge to the Falls will definitely be a highlight of the day, especially cruising at race pace.”

UPDATE* on Anton Krupicka posted on his blog site:

“I decided over a week ago to not make the trip down to New Zealand for the Tarawera 100K in 10 days, and despite my hip showing significant improvement I know it was the right choice. I’ve done no long runs of any type since December and don’t have any desire to travel all that way to muddle through 62 miles with poor fitness and a very likely chance of re-injuring myself”

Other top runners to watch will be Brendan Davies, Australia’s ultra runner of the year and Timothy Olson, Jason Schlarb, Rickey Gates and Sage Canaday from the United States. France’s Francios D’haene and Greg Vollet lead the European contingent.

Interviews are available on Talk Ultra as listed below:

Brendan Davies episode 23
Timothy Olson episode 12
Anton Krupicka episode 19
Anna Frost episode 3 and 9
Emelie Forsberg episode 28 (future show)

Olson and D’haene won the two biggest races in the world during 2012. Olson won the Western States 100-mile endurance run in California in record time and
D’haene won the coveted Ultra Trail Mont Blanc title in his home country, with over 2000 runners in the field.

Canaday throws some freakish speed into the mix. A 2:16 marathoner, he has recently switched to ultra distance racing and became the United States 100km trail champion just last week. You can listen to an interview with Sage Canaday on Talk Ultra episode 27.

For Race Director, Charteris, it’s been a dizzying few weeks.

“It’s like organising a local bicycle race and having half of the Tour de France peloton show up for the ride,” says Charteris, as he scoped out a section of the course in Rotorua’s world-renowned Whakarewarewa Forest. “It’s humbling – and frankly, scary.”

Rotorua is renowned for hosting a number of international sporting events.

In 2006 the UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championship were in Rotorua and the Single Speed World Champs were held in the Whakarewarewa Forest in 2010.

On race day, running shoes will replace wheels on many of the same trails.
“A beautiful environment and superb athletes – it really is a recipe for a fabulous day of racing,” enthuses Charteris.

“And with this sort of fierce competition, there will be a large national and international media following for this race. It will be a big week for the region.”

UROC – La Sportiva

Posted on January 19, 2013 by talkultra

January 18^th, Vail, CO and Boulder, CO– The Ultra Race of Champions (UROC) and La Sportiva have entered into a partnership for 2013. By signing on as a major sponsor, La Sportiva will support the Ultra Race of Champions’ mission as The Ultra Running Championship and bring together the best of the best, on one course, on one day. The Ultra Race of Champions is presented by Competitor Magazine.

The Ultra Race of Champions was recently selected as the 2013 Skyrunner® World Series Ultra Final: this is the first time that any Skyrunner® World Series Ultra Final has been held in the USA. “It’s a match made in heaven” says J. Russell Gill III, UROC’s Event Director and CEO of Bad to the Bone Endurance Sports. “With the Ultra Race of Champions as the Skyrunner® World Series Ultra Final, La Sportiva’s mountain heritage is a perfect fit for the race”.

“La Sportiva is headquartered in the Dolomites, Italy which is also where the International Skyrunning® Federation was born ” says Dr. Francesca Conte, Bad to the Bone Endurance Sports’ President and native of northern Italy. “La Sportiva’s history and experience with mountain running and World championship events makes it the perfect partner for UROC”.

The race, which includes three events, the Ultra Race of Champions 100K, the Über Rock 50K and Cruxy Half Marathon, will take place in Vail, Colorado on September 28^th, 2013. The courses for all three events are perfectly suited for the La Sportiva brand, and the three distances will challenge runners of all backgrounds. The Ultra Race of Champions course will start on Main Street in Breckenridge, Colorado and finish in Vail Village, crossing several high mountain passes. The 50K and Half Marathon courses will take place on and around Vail Mountain.

“We are thrilled to be a part of the 2013 Ultra Race of Champions and Skyrunner® World Series Ultra Final! We have a great history of working with Francesca and Gill and know they will put together a fantastic event. This is going to generate excellent exposure for the elite field of athletes here in the States as they’re pitted against the toughest of the international competitors and is a huge success for the Mountain Running community as a whole” says Ian Achey, Events and Promotions Manager for La Sportiva. La Sportiva will be an exhibitor at the Champions Village, the UROC Expo in Vail.

UROC – Ultra Race of Champions

Posted on January 15, 2013 by talkultra

Registration opens today. Will you be toeing the line (for the Ultra Race of Champions) on September 28th in Breckenridge?

www.ultraroc.com

The season closing race for the Ultra Skyrunning Championships. Of course it’s some 9 months away. But as the race fills up and you are made aware of ‘who’ is taking part in this race, you don’t want to look back and think… I wish I had entered in January!

Vail, Colorado, January 15th, 2013 – Registration for the Ultra Race of Champions, the Championship for the sport of ultra distance running is set to open on January 15th 2013 at 12 noon mountain standard time (MST), or 2pm eastern standard time (EST) at http://www.ultraroc.com. The date for the 2013 Ultra Race of Champions will be September 28th.

“We are very excited,”

says J. Russell Gill III, Ultra Race of Champions Event Director and Bad to the Bone Endurance Sports CEO.

“A lot of work goes into making this event possible, and it will be thrilling to see it all come together on race day. With UROC as the Skyrunner® World Series Ultra Final, I cannot wait to see how to field shapes up this year. We have already been getting inquiries from several top runners, whose names are right now top secret. After we open registration and as we confirm some of the elite athletes, we will be posting them regularly on the race website and on Facebook.”

“UROC is open to everyone,”

says Francesca Conte, Ultra Race of Champions President,

“and I am very excited to see what kind of response we get from the international audience, particularly from Europe. The International Skyrunning® Federation has been promoting the event as the Series final for months, and a lot of our Facebook Likes have been from Europe”.

Several factors contribute to the appeal of the race. As the ultra running championship, the race attracts most of the elite runners from the USA. As the Skyrunner® World Series Ultra Final, the race will now attract an even larger international field, and many of the best European athletes. The spectacular backdrop of the Colorado Rockies and the point to point course from Breckenridge to Frisco, to Copper Mountain, to Minturn and to finish in Vail Village is a big draw for runners of all backgrounds passionate about running in the mountains. Lastly, the Vail name is nationally and internationally recognized as a summer destination location. The point to point course is contingent upon US Forest Service permit approval.

Runners will be able to register beginning on January 15th, 2013 at www.ultraroc.com

So what you waiting for….

Episode 26 – Talk Ultra

Posted on January 11, 2013 by talkultra

A super stacked show and maybe our longest yet… our main interview is with The North Face athlete, Mike Wardian. We speak with inspirational film makers and ultra runners, JB & Jennifer Benna from JourneyFilm. Live from the Te Araora trail in New Zealand we speak with The North Face athlete, Jez Bragg on his incredible journey. We have our first ‘A year in the life of…‘ chat, Talk Training with Marc Laithwaite, A Meltezer Moment with Speedgoat Karl, the News with Ian Sharman, a blog post, 15mins of fame and of course the up and coming races.

Show Notes:

00:00:00

00:00:45 Show start and introduction

00:12:45 Interview with JB Benna & Jennifer Benna of Journey Film

Journeyfilm is a film production and distribution company that focuses
on adventure, sports, and travel. Established in 1999, the company is
led by filmmaker JB Benna, a USC Cinema/TV graduate and outdoor
enthusiast with an adventure resume that includes the 2,700 mile
Pacific Crest Trail and the Tahoe Rim 100 Mile Endurance Run.
Since its launch, Journeyfilm has produced documentaries such as The
Runner (David Horton’s 2,700 mile run of The Pacific Crest Trail),
UltraMarathon Man: 50 Marathons * 50 States * 50 Days (Dean Karnazes’s
North Face Challenge), Spinning Southward (a 16,000 Mile Bike Journey
from Alaska to Chile for the Brain Tumor Foundation) and GoLite’s Andy
Skurka and his 7000 Mile Trek. Benna and his team are also committed
to raising awareness for conservation, simpler living, and greater
appreciation of the world.

00:46:20 ‘A Year in the Life of…‘ is a new addition to Talk Ultra. For 2013 we will follow two people on their ultra journeys. This week we speak with Amanda Hyatt.

00:55:10 Back to the show

00:58:10 The News with Ian Sharman as guest co host

01:09:30 Interview with The North Face athlete, Jez Bragg live from New Zealand as he makes his process along ‘The Long Pathway’ the Te Araroa Trail. You can read and listen to my interview with Jez from The North Face press conference HERE and an update HERE. Also a first video has been added HERE

01:37:00 Back to the news

01:50:45 15 mins of Fame – this week we speak to Amanda Boldy and Sarah Gardner Hall. October 2012 Amanda entered a competition to win a prize to go to The Ocean Floor race in Egypt. Running 160 miles non stop departing at the beginning of February. She only went a won it… we speak to Amanda and Sarah with just 2 weeks to go before an adventure of a lifetime.

02:00:30 Blog by Emelie Forsberg. Emelie discusses her incredible 2012 season and you can read that HERE – ‘The Year of 2012’

02:01:00 Talk Training with Marc Laithwaite we discuss year planning and setting objectives.

02:22:40 Interview with The North Face athlete Mike Wardian. Mike is without doubt one of the most formidable ultra runners (and marathon runners) in the world. He has a reputation for running lots of races… he doesn’t only run but he wins them too. Unfortunately for the latter half of 2012 he has had a series of injuries. We catch up with him to discuss his progress and find out about his career.

38 years old, Arlington, VA-United States of America Father of 2 young boys (Pierce-5 years old & Grant-3 years old) BLOG HERE

Current Results:

2nd place at 2011-Disney Marathon
3rd place at 2011-ING Miami Marathon
14th place at Empire State Building Run Up
1st place at 2011 Lower Potomac Marathon-set Guinness World Record-Fastest Marathon as Superhero (Spider Man)
3rd place at 2011 Shamrock Marathon
1st place at 2011 National Marathon (5 time winner)
19th place at Two Oceans Marathon (56K)-First USA
11th place at Comrades Marathon (87K)-First USA
3rd place at The North Face Endurance Challenge-50 Miler
1st place at The North Face Endurance Challenge-1/2 Marathon
13th place and Olympic Trails Qualifier (2:17:49)-Grandma’s Marathon
3rd Place at Badwater Ultra Marathon
1st Place at Grant and Pierce Indoor Marathon (4 days after Badwater)
1st Place at San Francisco Marathon
1st Place at The North Face Endurance Challenge 50K-Kansas City
1st Place at The North Face Endurance Challenge 1/2 Marathon-Kansas City
2nd Place at the Kauai Marathon
2nd Place and Silver Medalist at 100K World Championships and First ever Team Gold Medal for 100K World Team for USA-The Netherlands
2nd Place at the Ultra Race of Champions (UROC) 100K