Staff Named for 2010 U.S. Mountain Running Team

The 2010 U.S. Mountain Running Team will travel to Kamnik, Slovenia, to compete in the 26th World Mountain Running Championships on September 5. A seasoned staff that collectively has more than 30 years experience in team management will accompany the team at next year’s events.

“We are pleased to announce our team staff that will be on hand to help our team members reach their goals and perform to the best of their abilities in Slovenia this September. For the first time our national team will receive financial support from our national governing body. We will work with Jim Estes and the National Office staff to develop additional funding sources with the goal of fully funding our U.S. National Team in 2010,”
said USATF’s Mountain Ultra Trail Running Council Chairperson Nancy Hobbs.

Richard Bolt, Portland, OR, has been named Team Leader for the eighth consecutive year. Prior to 2003 Bolt was an athlete member of the team in 1999 and 2002. He was the third U.S. finisher at the 1999 World Trophy and at the 1999 Challenge Stellina Race in Susa, Italy. Bolt has been a top finisher in the USATF New England mountain running circuit from 1996 through 2005 as well a regular top ten finisher at the prestigious Mt. Washington Hill Climb. Bolt also competed in the 1992, 1994, and 1998 U.S. Olympic Trials and was an All-American Nordic skier. Bolt is a former member of USATF’s New England Board of Governors, and now represents Mountain Ultra Trail on the USATF Oregon long distance running committee and just received the 2008 USATF Scott Hamilton Award from the Men’s Long Distance Running Committee for his volunteer service. Bolt serves as the men’s mountain rep to the USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Council. “I'm very excited about joining the team staff again in 2010. With USATF at the core of the new team funding structure, we are poised to build on the medal-winning performances of the past several years,” said Bolt. Email: richard dot bolt at usmrt dot com

Paul Kirsch, Madison, NH, has been named Team Manager of the Junior Team taking over the reins from Dave Dunham who has worked with the team the past four years. Kirsch was named the 2009 USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Running Contributor of the Year. He was the race director for NACAC/USA Mountain Running Championships where one of his duties was to coordinate housing and transportation for elite athletes (more than 30 in total from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico). Kirsch serves as the USATF-NE Mountain Ultra Trail Chairperson. He provides website design and maintenance for the US Mountain Running Team website & blog (usmrt.com). “I am really pleased to be managing the junior teams in 2010. Dave Dunham has done a tremendous job in recruiting athletes and providing them support the past few years. I look forward to taking up where Dave left off so we can continue the great success the junior athletes have experienced,” said Kirsch. Email: pkirsch at roadrunner dot com

Ellen Miller, Vail, CO, will be the women’s manager for the fifth year. She is an accomplished athlete and coach with an extensive background in high altitude mountaineering. Miller has successfully summitted Mt. Everest two times. She was named Colorado Sportswoman of the Year 2002. She competed on the Fila Skyrunning Team and qualified for events in Europe and Tibet and also competed internationally as a professional adventure racer. She was the 2005 USATF Masters Marathon Trail Running Champion, is a Level 2 USATF Coach, and founded the “Mountain Divas,” a women’s sports program in Vail which she presently directs. “I am very excited and honored to be working with the U.S. Women's Mountain Running Team for the fifth consecutive year. During the past few years, our women's team has proven that we belong on the podium at the World Championships. As our qualifying races continue to attract the top female mountain runners in the USA, I have high hopes that our team will once again be World Champions,” said Miller. Email alpineellen at gmail dot com

The Mount Washington Road Race in Gorham, NH, boasting nearly 5,000 feet of elevation gain over 7.6 miles, will host the selection race for the 2010 team on June 19. The event will serve as the 2010 USA Mountain Running Championships. For results from the 2009 World Mountain Running Championships, information on the 2010 mountain running selection race, and to follow the progress of our mountain running program visit the websites listed below:

US Mountain Running Team - www.usmrt.com
World Mountain Running Association - www.wmra.info
USA Track & Field - www.usatf.org
USA Mountain Running Championships - www.mountwashingtonroadrace.com
American Trail Running Association - www.trailrunner.com