WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME to the second edition of Sub Hub Headlines!

Excitedly yours, Dani and Emkay

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Sub Hub Stories : 2024 Trail Team

Last year Andy Wacker, a professional trail runner with Salomon, founded The Trail Team (TTT). TTT aims to support post-collegiate runners venturing into the world of pro trail running by providing mentorship, media exposure, and skill development. TTT recently announced their 2024 roster and here is a quick rundown on each of the athletes.

Dani Aravich - a 2 time Paralympian for Team USA on the track and in Nordic skiing. She recently started the Paralympic Round-Up on her instagram, highlighting para-athlete performances throughout the season. Dani competed for Butler cross country and track and field teams before becoming a nordic skier and trail runner. Most recently she competed at the Para Biathlon World Championships in Prince George, BC. Dani is “most excited about joining the next generation of successful sub ultra trail runners and continuing to push inclusion to the forefront of the trail industry.”

Sarah Carter - a multiple time Mountain West champions, winning titles on both the track and in cross country. This summer, Sarah competed in three Valsir events - Piz Tri Vertikal, Fletta Trail and Montée du Nid d’Aigle. Most recently, she finished 9th at the NCAA Indoor National Championships. Sarah graduates from Colorado State University this spring. Sarah let us know that she is “most excited about navigating the transition from NCAA running to more of a focus on trails, my first passion in the sport. I love that The Trail Team is so supportive of athletic careers that can include trails, road, and track in ways that all complement each other.”

Sadio Fenner - competes for the University of Nebraska, where he has made multiple Big Ten Conference teams. Sadio was the USATF Junior National champion in the 2K steeplechase in 2018. Sadio graduates this spring and plans to compete in both trails and track post-collegiatley.  Sadio is excited for “the opportunity that Andy is giving us to hopefully accomplish some really big things together in the near future. This team is made up of a group of positive and driven individuals who have already shown themselves to be super supportive of each other and I think that’s the most valuable thing there is when working towards achieving and realizing dreams.”

Rémi Leroux - a mountain runner for Merrell based in Quebec. Rémi is a seasoned vertical athlete, finishing 2nd a the Canfranc uphill, 6th at the Valsir uphill championships in 2023 and 14th at the 2022 Vertical championships in Thailand. Most recently he finished 6th at the Quebec 15K Championships on the roads. Remi is ready “to learn from the other runners on the team and work together to get better. We all have different backgrounds and experiences and I think we could all gain from learning from each other.”

Lara Hamilton - a former Boise State Bronco from Australia now living in Gunnison, CO. Last summer Lara competed for the Australian national team at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships finishing 28th in the Vertical and 27th Classic. She is also a ski-mo athlete looking to make the Australian team again in the future. Lara shared with us that “joining the trail team has opened more doors for me to continue to explore my potential in this sport this year. Not only this, but I’m motivated and inspired by my team mates to test my limits and push comfort zones. If I can stay consistent, it’s going to be a great year.”

Cade Michael - a Western Colorado University alum and former NCAA D2 All-American in Cross Country, who has transitioned into cycling and triathlon after completing his collegiate career. Currently pursuing an Outdoor Industry MBA in Boulder, Colorado, Cade is also a RMAC Summit Award Winner and UCI Gravel World Champs Qualifier. He plans to race in the Golden Trail Series races, including Mammoth Trail Fest in the fall. Cade told us he thinks “the team & culture are really unique both in trail running & in general. There’s this sense of belonging without obligation; friends & freedom. Cool people, cool places, & cool opportunities; what’s not to be excited about?!”

Results Recap

🇺🇸 USATF 50K Championships - Heckscher State Park in Islip, New York once again hosted the USATF 50K Road Championships. This course consists of 10 loops, each 5K in distance. There is not a 50K World Championships this year, so a team was not selected from this race. Congrats to our USA Champions - Rich and Helen!

1. Rich Power 3:36:28

2. Aaron heath 3:39:53

3. Rick Lee 3:40:02

1. Helen Huang 4:18:00

2. Indira Schwarting 4:43:39

3. Julie Vodola 4:58:53

🌊 Trail Cap de Creus 22K - Admittedly we don’t know much about these races, however there must be something special about them with some top runners choosing to toe the line for their 2024 ‘rust busters’.

1. Ïu Net Puig 1:36:35

2. Lluís Puigvert Palacios 1:38:07

3. Jan Torrella Oller 1:38:34

1. Sara Alonso 1:53:23

2. Emelie Forsberg 2:02:49

3. Sarah Bergeron Larouche 2:05:24

🌊 Trail Cap de Creus Marathon

1. Thibaut Baronian 3:08:17

2. Roger Blat Baeza 3:09:56

3. Jordi Roy 3:17:14

1. Marianne Hogan 3:38:17

2. Carlotta Finn 4:01:07

3. April Torrent Young 4:14:47

🌲 Chuckanut 50K - The 30th running of this event saw a lot of fresh faces! Francesco Puppi traveled from Italy winning in a new CR against a hard pressing Matt Daniels, and PNW crusher Claire Devoe comes away with a big win. Francesco will also be racing Lake Sonoma 50 in April.

1. Francesco Puppi 3:26:31

2. Matt Daniels 3:28:43

3. Dylan Humberger 3:39:41

1. Claire Devoe 4:13:24

2. Jade Belzberg 4:14:58

3. Priscilla Forgie 4:15:36

🏰 Chianti Trail Marathon - With the top 3 men and women securing automatic spots for OCC, this race boasted a stronger start list than expected. Robbie and Nuria showcased impressive early season form, as they had to keep their foot on the pedal to the finish, with both 2nd place finishers trailing by only a couple of minutes.

1. Robbie Simpson 2:50:42

2. Simon Paccar 2:52:43

3. Bertie Houghton 2:56:56

1. Núria Gil Clapera 3:20:45

2. Camilla Maglia 3:23:14

3. Theres Lebouef 3:27:09

🦌Antelope Island Buffalo Run 50K - Adam Peterman is back in action with a new CR, many are excited to see him face off against some of the worlds best at Canyons 100k next month, ourselves included.

1. Adam Peterman 3:27:51

2. Devin Pancake 3:41:10

3. Loren Davis 4:16:42

1.  Alexis Crellin 4:38:09

2. Marie Young 4:45:07

3. Brooke Bullington 4:55:52

🦌Antelope Island Buffalo Run 25K

1. Eric Ghelfi 1:44:00

2. Porter Reddish 1:46:06

3. Eli White 1:48:03

1. Sam Lewis 1:52:33

2. Jackie Hendrickson 1:55:21

3. Julie Doll 2:15:51

🇺🇸🇬🇧Christian Allen and Tom Evans competed in the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia on March 30. They finished 37th place (29:54) and 49th place (30:16) respectively.

Trail Training Tip

“Consistently good, over occasionally great.” - Terry Howell, Head Coach of Blue Collar Running

Listen to our episode with Terry Howell to learn more.

Sub-Ultra Athletes of the Month

As we waved goodbye to 2023, we cooked up a plan for future years: ending the year with a bang by handpicking our top ten Sub-Ultra athletes. But hey, why wait until December to start the celebration? Every month, we're spotlighting athletes whose performances have dazzled, impressed, or just put a big grin on our faces. So while it might not be a perfect match for our 2024 list, it's sure to sprinkle some fun along the way!

Our picks for March 2024.

Francesco Puppi and Spanish Women

Francesco claimed victory at the Chuckanut 50k with an impressive time of 3:26:31, establishing a new course record. While Adam Peterman exhibited impressive speed in 2022, it occurred on a modified course that wasn't officially recognized in the record books. Our selection of Francesco is not only due to his setting of the course record but also his ability to perform under intense pressure from the determined Matt Daniels, who also finished below the previous record and had recently showcased his strength at Big Alta. Moreover, we are thrilled to witness Francesco's journey from Italy to tackle an American classic, a trend we hope to see more of in the future.

Admittedly, we played favorites — we were supposed to pick just one — but with numerous Spanish women delivering outstanding performances this month, we couldn't resist selecting them all.😜 Furthermore, with the European championships looming in early June, it's evident that Spain will boast a wealth of talent. Just this month they had a dominating 4 out of 5 top spots at the Skyrunner World Series opener at Acantilados Del Norte; Sara Alonso clinching victory at Trail Cap de Creus 22K against the formidable Emelie Forsberg; and Nuria Gil securing a commanding win at the Chianti Trail Marathon amidst a field of world-class competitors including Theres Leboeuf and the 2023 World Trail Short Mountain Champion Clemente Geoffery. Spain's trail prowess continues to be undeniable. Their selection race for their European Championship team will occur on April 4th-6th at Reventon El Paso, on La Palma.

Looking Forward

Golden poppies are lighting up the West Coast, and who can blame them with a sizzling month of racing on the horizon? Mark your calendars, because this month is filled with non-stop action.

Last month, Skyrunner World Series took off, but one of its most popular races, is happening in April. The second race, Calamorro Sky Race, takes place on April 6th in Benalmádena, Spain on the Southern Coast of Spain. Curious about our Fantasy Picks for the race? Check out our episode on April 5th.

• 1st - 1.200€ , 2nd - 1.000€ , 3rd 600€, 4th -300€, 5th 200€, 6 th - 10th 100€

Lake Sonoma (Trails Sisters) Half and Full Marathon April 12th and 13th in Lake Sonoma, California.

• No Prize Money

The Desert Rats race will take place on April 13th in Fruita, Colorado, covering a distance of approximately 30 miles (48.2 kilometers) with an elevation gain of approximately 3,497 feet (1,066 meters) or more.

• No Prize Money

The Golden Trail World Series is starting its earliest campaign ever, with two new races in Asia joining the lineup. Kobe Trail, the first race, is set for April 20th, features a course of approximately 13.05 miles (21 kilometers) with an elevation gain of approximately 6,762 feet (2,062 meters).

On April 27th, Four Sisters Mountain Trail spans approximately 13.67 miles (22 kilometers) with a trail elevation of approximately 5,019 feet (1,530 meters).

Both of these races will have the standard GTWS prize money along with the athletes earning points towards their highest scores. With athletes like Sophia Laukli and Grayson Murphy currently on the entry list we can’t wait to see what the series kick off will hold. As of right now we are having trouble picking a women’s favorite with this stacked field! On the mens side we will see Roberto Delorenzi and Elhousine Elazzaoui starting of their Golden Trail races along with many other familiar faces.

• 1st €3,000, 2nd €2,000, 3rd €1,000, 4th. €900, 5th €800, 6th €700, 7th €600, 8th €500, 9th €400, 10th €300

Also on April 27th, Canyons Endurance Runs offers distances of approximately 15.53 miles (25 kilometers) and 31.07 miles (50 kilometers), serving as a UTMB World Major event with top 10 participants in the 50K earning spots to OCC in 2025.

The 50k has a sizzling line-up with world class talents like Eli Hemming, Chad Hall, Jennifer Lichter, and new ultra debutante Molly Seidel.

There is a lack of transparency in prize money, however we know that the top 3 earned prize money in 2023. We believe this is the breakdown. We will have to wait until race weekend to confirm.

• 1st €1,200, 2nd €900, 3rd €600

USA Championship Chronicles

All USATF Championships we will be following this year, and you should too.😉