10 Make the US Mountain Running Team at the 2010 Washington Hill Climb

Records fell and 10 runners were named to the US National Mountain Running Team at the 50th annual Mount Washington Road Race (aka, Mt. Washington Hill Climb) this Saturday. The finish times for this 7.6 mile climb may look slow, but this course is brutal (including a 22% incline at the end!).

(The brutal grade at the end, photo courtesy of Jim Johnson)

All 10 slots (6 men, 4 women) for the 2010 US National Mountain Running Team were awarded at this race, rather than having multiple qualifiers like in previous years. I bet it made for some great all-or-nothing tactics! The team will compete in the World Mountain Running Championship this fall in Slovenia. Here's who is going:

Men:

1.  Chris Siemers, 29, Arvada CO, 1:00:22
2.  Eric Blake, 31, New Britain CT, 1:00:40
3.  Joseph Gray, 26, Lakewood WA, 1:01:31
4.  Rickey Gates, 29, Woody Creek CO, 1:02:34
5.  Max King, 30, Bend OR, 1:02:34
6.  Tommy Manning, 34, Colorado Springs CO, 1:03:27

Women:

1.  Shewarge Amare, 23, New York NY/Ethiopia, 1:08:21
2.  Kristin Price, 28, Raleigh NC, 1:11:13
3.  Brandy Erholtz, 32, Bailey CO, 1:12:53
4.  Nicole Hunt, 40, Deer Lodge MT, 1:12:59

Chris Siemers, a Chicago-bred flatlander, managed to out-kick past winner Eric Blake in the final mile to win. It was Siemers' first attempt at the race. Shewarge Amare, the Women's champion, had to borrow a pair of shoes and singlet just before the race, but it didn't stop her from setting a new course record in her first attempt.

The press release has a lot of great details - head there for more!

Shout out to the 12 Team Inov-8 members who toed the line, Joe Gray for his outstanding performance, and Max King for making the team just one week after winning the USATF Trail Half Marathon Championships.

- SD