Press release written by race director Tad Davis. ATRA’s Nancy Hobbs and Richard Bolt will be attending the race as representatives of USA Track & Field to help administer the national championship.
Bellingham, WA: The field for the 2016 USATF National Trail Half Marathon Championships looks to be the most competitive in the nation this year with 2014 & 2015 champion Patrick Smyth (Nike) of New Mexico returning on the men’s side and 2015 runner-up Allison Grace Morgan (Brooks) of Bend, Oregon returning on the women’s. In addition, 2015 runner-up Andy Wacker (Adidas) of Boulder, CO will be back to challenge and Renee Metivier (Mizuno), a 2:27 road marathoner of Bend, Oregon will be making her trail debut. There will be an incredibly deep field on both sides this year.
2015 race winner Kimber Mattox
Women’s Field:
• Allison Morgan (Brooks/Oregon) – 2nd at 2016 Lake Padden Trail Half Marathon, 4th 2015 US Mountain Running Championships, 32:46 10k PR
• Renee Metivier (Mizuno/Oregon) – trail debut, 2:27 road marathon PR, 5-time member of USA XC team
• Ladia Albertson-Junkans (Club Northwest/Washington) – 3rd at 2016 Lake Padden Trail Half Marathon, 15th at 2016 World Mountain Running Championships
• Camelia Mayfield (Unattached/Oregon) – 5th at 2016 Lake Padden Trail Half Marathon, 2015 Eugene marathon champion, 2016 Flagline 50k champion, 26th at World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships
• Maria Dalzot (La Sportiva/Bellingham) – 2014 USATF National Trail Half Marathon Champion, 18th at 2015 World Long Distance Mountain Running Championship
• Julia Webb (Nike/Oregon) – trail debut, 16:44 5k PR
• Dani Moreno (Hoka/California) – 2016 Marin Ultra Challenge 20k champion
• Jodee Adams-Moore (Unattached/Bellingham) – previous winner of Lake Padden Trail Half Marathon, Chuckanut 50k course record holder and two time champion, 2016 Gorge Waterfall 100k champion
• Alayna Szuch (Unattached/Colorado) – pre-teen phenom, 7th at 2015 and 2016 US Mountain Running Championships
• Emily Gordon (Unattached/Minnesota) – trail debut, 2:39:58 road marathon PR
• Keely Henninger (Nike/Oregon) – 2016 Black Canyons 60k champion, 4th at 2016 Chuckanut 50k, 2015 White River 50 Miler champion
• Morgan Gonzalez (Unattached/California) – trail debut, 16:38 5k PR, 1:19:37 road half marathon PR
• Katelyn Steen (Unattached/Bellingham) – trail debut, 16:35 5k PR, 9:56 Steeplechase PR
2015 winner Patrick Smyth
Men’s Field:
• Patrick Smyth (Nike/New Mexico) – 2014 & 2015 USATF National Trail Half Marathon Champion, 2015 US Mountain Running Champion, 2013 & 2014 Xterra World Champion, 4th at USATF XC Nationals, 1:02:01 Road Half Marathon PR, 8th at the 2016 US Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:14.
• Andy Wacker (Adidas/Colorado) – 2015 US 50k Trail Champion, 2nd at 2015 World Long Distance Mountain Running Championship, 2nd at 2015 US Mountain Running Championship, 1:03:26 Road Half Marathon
• Jared Bassett (Brooks/Oregon) – 5th at 2015 US 50k Trail Championship, 5th at 2016 Lake Padden Trail Half Marathon
• David Fuentes (Unattached/Texas) – 5th at 2016 US Mountain Running Championships, 1:04:36 road half marathon PR
• Matt Williams (Unattached/Colorado) – 1:03:57 road half marathon PR
• Makorobondo Salukombo (Unattached/Ohio) – 1:04:25 road half marathon PR, represented Congo at the Rio Olympics Marathon (dual US citizen)
• Chris Mocko (Unattached/California) – 2nd at 2016 Gorge Waterfalls 100k, 7th at 2016 Western States 100 miler
For updates & photos from the race follow @usmrt on Twitter. See photos from the 2015 race here on Google Photos. Results from the 2015 race are on UltraSignUp.
