USATF Annual Meeting 2014 – Anaheim, CA

USA Mountain/Ultra/Trail Council

Wednesday, December 3, 2014 – Sunset Room

10:00 A.M. Welcome Session, Agenda Presented

Introduction and attendance (the following were at part or all of the meetings)

  1. Nancy Hobbs- Chairperson/CO
  2. Howard Nippert- Vice Chairperson/VA
  3. Maria Dalzot- Pacific Northwest
  4. Keith Harris- Nebraska
  5. Stephen Peckiconis- New England
  6. Traci Falbo- Indiana
  7. Brent Ayer- USATF Coaches Advisory Committee, Hood College
  8. Jon Molz- Virginia
  9. Jason Bryant- North Carolina
  10. Steve Taylor- Virginia
  11. Tad Davis- Pacific Northwest
  12. Roy Pirrung- Wisconsin (AAC)
  13. Ellen Miller- Colorado
  14. Richard Bolt- California
  15. George Leaf- Kentucky
  16. Ed Viering- Pacific Northwest
  17. Tania Pacev- Colorado
  18. Deena Kastor- USATF Board of Directors
  19. Joyce Prusaitis- South Texas
  20. Joe Prusaitis- South Texas
  21. Jim Norvill- Georgia
  22. Joe Sarver- Three Rivers
  23. Patrick Lynskey- Adirondack
  24. Gretchen Futex- New Mexico
  25. Lloyd Stephenson- Pacific
  26. Craig Yotter- Minnesota
  27. Jim Garcia- New England
  28. Ed Roberts- Philadelphia Mid-Atlantic
  29. Fred Finke- Audit Committee
  30. Bill Roe- LDR Division Chair
  31. Tom Derderian- New England
  32. George Ragan- Snake River
  33. Yen Darcy- Southern California
  34. Larry Alserda-Utah
  35. Greg Wagner- San Diego
  36. Ed Neighbour- New Jersey
  37. Carl Grossbard- Long Island
  38. Kendra Chambers- Southwest Texas

39.  Veronica Rodriguez- National Office Correspondence

  1. Mickey Piscitelli- Niagara, Women's LDR
  2. Andy Carr- Georgia
  3. Kimberly Keenan-Kirkpatrick- Women's LDR Chairperson
  4. E. Scott Rose- Ohio
  5. Ivars Ikstrums- Pacific Northwest
  6. Carroll DeWeese- Michigan
  7. Hollis Lenderking- Pacific
  8. David Reed- West Texas
  9. Ben Vail- Alabama
  10. Kimberly Rollins- Missouri Valley
  11. Scott Slade- South Texas
  12. Mike Polansky-Long Island
  13. Dan Pierce- Colorado

1) In 2015, all of our US International Teams (7) will receive full uniform kits. These teams include: World Mountain Running, 100km road, 24 Hours, Long distance (previously LD Challenge), IAU 50km road (previously challenge), IAU World Trail, and NACAC Mountain Running. The mountain world team, 100km road, and 24 Hours teams will receive partial funding – $15,000, $12,000, $12,000 respectively (the mountain team has 4 additional athletes with junior squad). Nancy Hobbs will set up a call between the team staffs and Aretha at the national office (before year end, or early in 2015), to talk about what is included in kits for 2015 as well as specific requirements and expectations of the teams in terms of what they can wear if not included in the kits, display of logos, etc. Specific needs of the teams will be addressed in consideration of apparel items in the kits as some of the mountain and ultra needs differ from those of the sprinters for instance.

Tania Pacev addressed concerns about funding for 100km and 24hr teams. Athletes deserve to be fully reimbursed. Nancy understands the fight for funding. We are headed in the right direction. Not there yet but making progress.

Deena Kastor encourages us to keep asking for more funding, “Get your hands dirty (in reference to successful fundraising she and her husband had in building a track in Mammoth Lakes.) Be creative.”

Ellen Miller emphasized how committed the Mountain Team Staff is with their fundraising efforts for the athletes – putting on events, outreach to donors and grantors. Traci Falbo said the 24hr team is scattered around the country, which makes it hard to raise money and get a collective effort. Jason Bryant suggested that the ultra side needs to take it upon themselves to figure out ways to fundraise.

2) Review and approval of minutes from '13 meeting (Ind., IN)

Motion by Jason to approve minutes. George Leaf seconds motion. All in favor.

3) Make up of Council – includes association representatives, elected officers, and athletes as well as an executive committee (approx. 80% athletes). The exec committee (Chad Ricklefs, Roy Pirrung, Howard Nippert, Hobbs, Richard Bolt, Falbo, Michael Wardian, Eric Blake, Max King, Kami Semick, Brandy Erholtz, Jon Olsen). A short recap of duties of council and exec committee followed. Howard added that phone conference calls are held about every month to month and a half to address issues that come up, and handle business between annual meetings. Associations that put on a MUT championship have a voting right within the committee. Anybody can come to the meetings.

4) Finances. The 2015 budget: $26,698. This amount doesn't include team funding as outlined above in item 1; includes travel and meetings, championship meets, etc.

5) Rule Changes reviewed and presented by Phil Greenwald

Rules – Item 8. Team event scored by time, not place, mileage/distance. Suggestion from the floor to consider a rule stating distance for 24Hours for example (Some of the ultra distance events).

Items 11,13,16 reviewed.

The rules process was addressed. Submission must be in place by August prior to the Annual Meeting. It is too late to add something (in most every case), if not an amendment to an existing admission. For Rules…Add to 2016 agenda as a placeholder: LDR mandates about distances.

Rule 7 for scoring. Add a rule 6: For timed events scoring should be based on summed distances.

Add a junior category (for sub-ultra distance). Top three runners score.

Open men under 30k (5 men score)

Item 66 & 67: Cross country, mountain and trail. Blanket provision 241 LDR. Refreshments every 5k. IAAF states "do what you're going to do."

Trails definition not in the IAAF rule book yet: provision 254, change language to “trails should be clearly marked, but not require distance markers.” What is considered an aid to a runner? Specifically trekking poles, etc. Perhaps this needs to be spelled out more clearly.

Revisit Mountain definition on 2016 agenda.

Obstacles should be clearly marked. Okay.

Detailed course map must be provided. Okay.

Proposal to drop 4-mile record. Okay. 100 and 200k are not recognized record distances. Add to record distance. 50mile 100mile 12hr 24hr currently kept, will add 100k and 200k records.

Road and/or track section: add 6hr record- one for road, one for track.

No trail records required in rules.

6) Snowshoe/Snow Running

Rules have been submitted, but are currently tabled because we must include an item (through L&L – law and legislation) in the bylaws. The L&L submissions are considered in odd-numbered years. Because the rules are tabled, they can be considered and approved next year without having to wait until the next rules year (2016) provided the L&L submission passed (the submission will include specific wording as it relates to snowshoe/snowrunning). Our committee must also seek a clarification through legal/insurance and liability that snowshoe will be included so that we can stage insurable and sanctioned national championships in this category.

It was asked if the IAAF rule about start commands would have to be rewritten as snowshoe rules state a “countdown.” Nancy and Rich both said they didn’t know of this practice/rule at snowshoe events and will seek clarification. Rule: countdown versus starting commands.

Motion from George: motion to accept the rules as amended. Second from the floor. Motion carries.

7) Runners of the Year – Tania and Richard reviewed this year’s process which all agreed was a much better representation of performances than in years past. Some of the new items in the process included automatic nomination for winners of a National Championship, results at a world team competition. The category of trail was split into ultra trail and sub-ultra distance.

Tania suggests we find a better way to vote. Voting numbers small based on those who have the opportunity to vote. Open ways for more people to vote (although at this time the process is limited to votes among the council/exec committee with nominations open to all. Nominee must be a current USATF member). Tania asked that there be an allocated budget for awards for winners within ultra community.

Richard said the list of reps from all USATF MUT associations (on the USATF website and in Yahoo group), emails not up-to-date. Before 2015, make sure we have an updated email MUT group, update on USATF site. Pool of about 20 people voted on 2014 nominees. Define voting system, presentation of nominees for 2015.

Joe: offers to provide awards for ultra/trail runner of the year (a total of four awards – ultra trail open male and female, masters trail ultra male and female.

Ellen: Reported on securing the male Mountain Runner of the year award which is presented to honor the memory of Mountain Team pioneer Lyndon Ellefson; researched what would be appropriate/useful for athlete and secures this item in the Vail Valley where Lyndon resided for many years and started his career in mountain running.

It was approved for 2014 that certificates be awarded, rather than giving an item/something that is not useful.

Howard: thank you to Richard, Tania and Ellen regarding award work.

Rich: 60 athletes nominated; 200 performances had to be analyzed and verified.

Tania: Best three performances to be considered for nominations.

Nancy: Press release on Examiner column, at www.usmrt.com and on Endurance Sportswire. Only one award presented LIVE (to Rich) at breakfast ceremony as required by the program set forth by the USATF National Awards Breakfast committee.

Roy: Ruth Anderson award and Ted Corbitt Memorial Award – ultra female and male ultra road runners of the year respectively. A permanent plaque is on display at the armory in NYC and Roy secures an individual engraved nameplate each year to add on the plaque.

9.) Team Staffs 2015. The Exec Committee reviewed and voted on Staff:

Mountain: Paul Kirsch (juniors), Ellen Miller (women), Richard Bolt (team leader)

100km: Lin Gentling (leader), Tim Yanacheck (asst.), Dr. Lion Caldwell (doc)

24 hr: Howard Nippert (leader), Mike Spinnler (asst.), Dr. Andy “Doc” Lovy (doc)

The additional teams will have at least one team staffer, though no funding is available for these teams. The Executive Committee will approve these staff positions.

9) 2015 Championships already approved (at last year’s Annual Meeting)

·  100km trail held Jan 10 - Bandera hosted by SW Texas/Joe and Joyce/Tejas Trails

·  100 mile trail Jan 31 - Rocky Raccoon hosted by SW Texas/Joe and Joyce/Tejas Trails

·  50km road March 1 Caumsett hosted by Long Island Association/Carl Grossbard/Mike Polansky

·  24hr September 19 North Coast hosted by Ohio/Joe Jurczyk

·  50m trail - May 31 Cayuga Trails hosted in Ithaca, NY by Niagara/Ian Golden

·  50m road Door County – October 24 – hosted in Door County, WI, hosted by Wisconsin/Sean Ryan

·  awarded in November 2014 by exec committee - Mtn Champs Bend, OR July 25 (selection race for world team – top 6 men; top 4 women. Visit Bend/Oregon/Kevney Dugan. The event will also simultaneously host the Collegiate Mountain Running Championships.

·  2015 bids for review tomorrow:

·  50km Trail- two competing bids (Headlands and Dirty 30)

·  ½ marathon trail, Bellingham 2015 & 2016

·  Trail Marathon, Moab November 7, 2015 and November 6, 2016

·  100km road April 11, 2015 – Mad City, Madison, WI

10) Zero tolerance policy

In 2014 prior to the US Mountain Running Championships at Loon, invited athletes were notified to be prepared that there could be testing prior to, or at the championships and subject to testing if athlete make the team pre, or during world competition. Further, they were informed of USATF’s Zero Tolerance policy thereby taking a pro-active approach to alert athletes that we take it very seriously in the MUT community. Testing this year at Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon resulted in one positive test at the marathon this year. (Jim from Inland NW will present a report on substance abuse tomorrow.) It was suggested that we prepare a posting/document for all championship events (with this Zero Tolerance statement), and to all athletes going after world records.

USADA Website: www.usada.org/wp-content/uploads/usadacoachbrochure.pdf

11) Steve Taylor -Collegiate Running Association, Report and update

Jon Molz, co-founder

Goal: Bridge gap between collegiate and post-collegiate athletes. Partnering with already established events.

Road racing, mountain and trail running-currently not under NCAA. Want to educate that the rules have changed, make it clear that this is not the NCAA.

Distributed their annual report “2014 by the numbers” handout.

Goal for 2015: 2 road races, 1 mountain and 1 trail (half-marathon distance or under) race per year.

Want a bigger reach for the future. 18-24 year old range.

Lake Padden Half possible location for trail race. Everyone is encouraged to and welcome to join the Collegiate Running Association – there is NO cost. Whether one is in college, post collegiate, or never went to college – is a youth, masters, or open athlete or fan of the sport. Everyone and anyone can join.

Twitter:@collegerunning

Website: www.collegiaterunning.org

Email:

12) Fred Finke, USATF Board of Directors and member of audit committee

Reports back to board MUT happenings, attends races nationally to date, and is planning to attend internationally an event perhaps the Long Distance Championships in Zermatt July 4, 2015. To be clear, Fred provides his own travel expenses, not from USATF.

A positive support to MUT.

Acknowledgment that a lot of progress has been made over the years.

Bill Roe (USATF Long Distance Running Chairperson): goals to host an exec committee of LDR meeting in February prior to US Cross Country Championships in Boulder. An all-day Thursday and part of Friday agenda.

Relationship with national office has improved.

13) All Terrain Runner- USATF New England Series

Tom Derdarian spoke about this series and the events that are included from road to trail.

14) Junior awards at championships-Jason

Importance of youth involved in the sport. Junior teams at national championships.

Open discussion topic: how can we develop this program?

15-18 yr old age range

Current definition of Junior= age 19 and under, at least 16 in the year of competition and not yet 20.

15) Social Media/Marketing update- Richard

Three most used social media outlets: Google+, Facebook and Twitter accounts= 70,000 followers

USMRT (United States Mountain Running Team) Twitter: @usmrt

ATRA (American Trail Running Association) Twitter: @ATRAtrailrunner

WMRA (World Mountain Running Association) Twitter @worldmountainrun

USMRT Website: www.usmrt.com

ATRA Website: www.trailrunner.com

Facebook: USATF Mountain Ultra Trail (MUT)

Year-round effort by several people posting on behalf of this council. Need more voices for the ultra community.