Sub Hub Headlines - July 2024

July 2024

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

Excitedly yours, Dani and EmKay

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The Scoop: The Pacer by EmKay & Tommy

Happy Pacers post race - PC:@miguelrua

EmKay: When I suggested the day before WSER that we write about our experiences pacing, I imagined I would end up doing a lot more😂 My day definitely took a bit of a turn. I was supposed to pace for the last 20 miles, taking the baton from my husband who would have just run 20ish as well. A forest fire happened near the Ruck-a-Chucky and Green Gate aid station, making it impossible for me to relieve Tommy from pacing. So instead of me writing about pacing, I’m tapping Tommy in to write about his experience.

Tommy: Before I paced Ida from Foresthill someone asked what my goals were as a pacer. I realized I wasn’t out there to pace like someone in a Diamond League meet - I wasn’t trying to have her hit certain splits or make a specific move on one section of the course. I told them that my goal was to do everything I could to keep Ida on the rails. When you meet someone 62 miles into a race it’s tough to say where they are going to be physically and mentally. My intention was to listen and adapt as needed - a mindset that came in quite handy at Green Gate when I realized I had 16 bonus miles of pacing until I would meet EmKay for the baton exchange.

At Foresthill Ida was in good spirits and was doing a better job eating, drinking and staying cool than last year. Good start. Three miles into the canyons Ida began to puke; “Oh boy”, I thought, “This could be a long day”. After she puked, she rallied. Ida started moving well and we quickly realized the watermelon she asked for at Foresthill quickly betrayed her. Luckily, planned eating and hydration strategies worked well after that point. As we ran through Cal-1, 2, and 3 I started to see what makes States so special. The volunteers. We were greeted with genuine care, concern and stoke the entire time I paced Ida (especially Hal and Scott in their medieval royalty garb).

We hit the Ruck-a-Chucky fast. Ida utilized what must be a secret Swedish technique to cross the river. While most people held the rope and walked across, Ida went prone, floated on her stomach and caught up to F6. Masterclass in staying calm and staying cool. On the other side of the river we ran out of nutrition as we were expecting EmKay with the restock. Not sure if it was the fact that Ida was 80 miles in or her years of experience and wisdom, but the news that we had to keep going seemed to shake me more than her. She calmly let me know that she would just start doing a mixture of Coca-Cola and electrolytes from aid stations, which I copy/pasted myself and boy, that’s some rocket fuel. The adventure had begun.

Ida was moving well and the miles were flying by. We did not have any more stomach issues and she was eating and hydrating smoothly. Around mile 91 we saw Yngvild and Dani. Ida put in a strong move to close the gap and when we caught up to them, Yngvild responded with her own move. To see the strength of these athletes after 90+ miles of racing - still putting in surges - dropping me (I only kind of kid) - was incredible. The magic of WSER.

As we came into Pointed Rocks I was so relieved to see EmKay and the crew after over 5 hours of pacing. EmKay thought I was planning to go to the track with Ida but I realized having fresh legs and excitement from EmKay would really bring Ida home.

Reflecting on my duties as a pacer, it was pretty smooth. Keeping the Swedish Sensation on the rails was easy. She was in race mode the whole way, but it didn’t stop her from making jokes and speaking to me in Swedish when the carbs were low. 😅 When all was said and done, Ida ran a new master's record, finishing in 16:56 to set a new master's (40-49) age group record.

Let’s just say I can’t wait until next year😉

Sub Hub Stories : WMRA Brings International Field to Broken Arrow - with Joyce Muthoni

Joyce race focused at the start of Broken Arrow 23k - PC: @ryanthrower

The Broken Arrow Skyrace was the first stop of the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup in 2024. The VK and the 23K welcomed more international athletes than ever before. Most notably, a trio of athletes from Kenya joined the race and stole the show. Patrick Kipngeno and Joyce Muthoni dominated the weekend, picking up wins in both the VK and the 23K. We asked Joyce some questions after her experience at America’s biggest trail event, enjoy!

What was your preparation like before your first race in America?

This year, I changed my program and my coach. I got a new coach, and everything was new. Participating in the Golden Trail races was also preparation for this race, but I was unsure if I would make it because of the visa. Finally, I got it, and it was a pleasure to have it.

What were some of the differences you noticed in the race conditions here in America?

The difference was the altitude, but I never felt it. For the Sunday race, it was somewhat humid, but it wasn't very noticeable. Additionally, the mountains had fewer trees compared to some of the races I have done, making it warmer.

How was the support from the American crowd?

This is the most amazing part when I race: they made me feel motivated and kept me moving. They also helped me realize how far the other lady was or how close she was. With the bells too, it was amazing. Thanks to all because they make you feel re-energized when cheering us on.

What new things did you learn from racing in America that you can use in future races?

I am not used to looking back, I am used to listening to the bells with the crowd cheering, but during the last race it was different...now I will learn how to be looking at the back and not wasting any time at that section.😂😂

What are your goals for the remainder of the summer?

My biggest goal this summer is to be among the Top 3 in the Golden Trail Series final...and also to defend my title in the world cup and to bring my love for mountains is always on another level.

You can catch Joyce at other WMRA races and Sierre Zinal in August. Be sure to follow her on Instagram!

Results Recap

Dani Moreno heads to the top of the Broken Arrow 23K Course. PC: @ryanthrower

🏆European Off-Road Championships Vertical - May 31st

  1. Nina Engelhard - 50:08

  2. Scout Adkin - 51:43

  3. Madalina Florea - 52:33

  1. Joe Steward - 42:37

  2. Jacob Adkin - 43:55

  3. Lukas Ehrle - 44:23

🏆European Off-Road Championships Up/Down Classic - June 2nd

  1. Julia Ehrle - 41:50

  2. Eve Whitaker - 43:40

  3. Lili Beck - 44:19

  1. Mattheiu BĂŒhrer - 36:09

  2. LoĂŻc Berger - 36:30

  3. Jules Mongellaz - 37:06

🇩đŸ‡čHochkönig Skyrace - June 1st

  1. Hillary Gerardi - 4:07:20

  2. Iris Pessey - 4:14:50

  3. Ingrid Mutter - 4:15:18

  1. Lorenzo Beltrami - 3:15:26

  2. Daniel Antonioli - 3:18:22

  3. William Boffelli - 3:19:59

đŸ‡”đŸ‡č Ultra Skyrunning Madeira - June 15th

  1. Lucille Germain - 5:33:17

  2. Oihana Kortazar - 5:51:34

  3. Kalie McCrystal - 6:04:42

  1. Loic Robert - 4:59:03

  2. André Rodrigues - 5:05:27

  3. Luka Kovacic - 5:07:12

⛰Go Pro Mountain Games 10K - June 15th

  1. Anna Mae Flynn - 44:16

  2. Ashley Brasovan - 44:24

  3. Lara Hamilton - 44:50

  1. Joe Gray - 36:08

  2. Tyler Mccandless - 36:30

  3. Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau - 36:41

⛰Go Pro Mountain Games 20K - June 15th

  1. Adrian Walsh - 1:31:31

  2. Rachel Tomajczyk- 1:32:42

  3. Shea Aquilano - 1:38:29

  1. Eli Hemming - 1:13:38

  2. Jonathan Aziz - 1:15:52

  3. Cade Michael - 1:16:19

đŸŒŹïžMount Washington - June 15th

  1. Kayla Lampe - 1:15:02

  2. Laura Manninen - 1:17:01

  3. Amber Ferreira - 1:18:25

  1. Joe Gray - 1:02:21

  2. Remi Leroux - 1:03:55

  3. Eric Blake - 1:05:26

 đŸ‚Arc’teryx Minotaur Skyrace - June 22nd

  1. Emma Cook-Clarke - 4:52:03

  2. Elise Poncet - 4:56:24

  3. Karina Carsolio - 5:10:27

  1. Scott Patterson - 4:08:26

  2. Jackson Cole - 4:10:30

  3. John Luna-Lima - 4:18:40

 đŸčBroken Arrow Skyrace VK - June 21st

  1. Joyce Muthoni Njeru â€“ 45:29

  2. Anna Gibson â€“ 47:25

  3. Allie McLaughlin â€“ 47:40

  1. Patrick Kipngeno â€“ 36:11

  2. Jim Walmsley â€“ 37:39

  3. Meikael Beaudoin-Rousseau â€“ 37:53

đŸčBroken Arrow Skyrace 46K - June 23rd

  1. Toni McCann – 4:52

  2. Klaire Rhodes â€“ 5:07

  3. Amanda Basham â€“ 5:16

  1. David Sinclair â€“ 4:01

  2. Jeff Mogavero â€“ 4:11

  3. Adam Peterman â€“ 4:12

đŸčBroken Arrow Skyrace 23K - June 23rd

  1. Joyce Muthoni Njeru â€“ 2:11

  2. Jade Belzburg â€“ 2:12

  3. Tabor Hemming â€“ 2:13

  1. Patrick Kipngeno â€“ 1:45

  2. Eli Hemming â€“ 1:47

  3. Philemon Ombogo Kiriago â€“ 1:50

 đŸ‡«đŸ‡·Skyrace du Mercantour - June 23rd

  1. Ariadna Fenes - 3:13:40

  2. Naiara Irigoyen - 3:18:06

  3. Holly Wootten - 3:32:51

  1. Alain SantamarĂ­a - 2:38:19

  2. Ruy Ueda - 2:39:27

  3. Lorenzo Beltrami - 2:41:38

 đŸ‡«đŸ‡·Marathon Du Mont Blanc - June 29th

  1. Judith Wyder – 4:11:12

  2. Madalina Florea – 4:13:42

  3. Yao Miao – 4:18:30

  1. Elhousine Elazzaoui – 3:30:10

  2. RĂ©mi Bonnet – 3:30:56

  3. Roberto Delorenzi – 3:33:07

 đŸ‡ŠđŸ‡čKaiserkrone Skyrace - June 29th

  1. Anastasia Rubtsova - 4:04:20

  2. Holly Page - 4:17:01

  3. Naiara Irigoyen - 4:24:38

  1. Manuel Merillas - 3:29:43

  2. Martin Anthamaten - 3:31:01

  3. Ruy Ueda - 3:32:47

Current Series Rankings

Merrell Skyrunner¼ World Series Top 10 - After a full-packed month of races, the women’s rankings have moved around quite a bit. Men’s rankings stay relatively the same going into the next 8 weeks with only 2 races. This update is missing the final race of June - Kaiserkrone - as the results page had an error.

Women’s

Men’s

Lide Urrestarazu

Roberto Delorenzi

Julia Font

Antonio Martinez Perez

Oihana Kortazar

Daniel Antonioli

Hillary Gerardi

Lorenzo Beltrami

Naiara Irigoyen

Frederic Tranchand

Ingrid Mutter

Manuel Merillas

Ariadna Fenes

Sebastien Poesy

Bailey Kowalczyk

Luca Del Pero

Karina Carsolio

Ricardo Cherta

Iris Pessey

Aritz Egea Caceres

Golden Trail World Series Top 10 - Marathon du Mont Blanc moved the rankings around quite a bit. Elhousine still has a substantial lead going into the second half of the season after two second places and a first place. On the women’s side, the rankings have moved quite a bit. Rosa Lara Feliu moves into the first spot after a top 10 finish in all of the races thus far.

Women’s

Men’s

Rosa Lara Feliu

Elhousine Elazzaoui

Maude Mathys

Bogdan Damian

Malen Osa

Daniel Patties

Theres Leboeuf

Roberto Delorenzi

Sylvia Nordskar

Alain Santamaria Blanco

Marta Martinez Abellan

Marcin Kubica

Caterina Stenta

Patrick Kipngeno

Naiara Irigoyen Indave

Leonard Mitrica

Joyce Njeru

Miquel Corbera Rubio

Sara Alonso

Adil Moussaoui

Trail Training Tip

“Based on personal experience, when utilizing trail 'super' shoes, don’t wear them for every run. I use my trail super shoes primarily on long runs and during key workouts. For most of my runs, I am in daily trainers, both trail-specific and road.” - Dani Moreno

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 performances in June 2024.

Meika finishing the 23K at Broken Arrow Skyrace. - PC: @ryanthrower

Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau

Meika had a phenomenal rookie season last year, but unfortunately was deterred from the beginning of the season with a substantial injury. Last year Meika was 3rd at the Broken Arrow 23K, 2nd at the Mammoth Trail Fest and 2nd at his debut 50K in Chiang Mai so we knew his 2024 was bound to be stellar. Meika surprised us all with a 3rd place sprint finish in the VK, not far behind Jim Walmsley. He also finished 5th in the 23K two days later. Meika is sure to be gearing up for a fantastic season!

Jade on her way to 2nd place at the Broken Arrow 23K. - PC: @ryanthrower

Jade Belzberg

Jade started off the year with a 2nd place finish at the Chuckanut 50K and a 9th place finish at the Canyons 100K in April. Her 2nd place finish at the 23K has elevated her standing as she finished just 47 seconds behind Four Sisters China winner and Broken Arrow VK winner Joyce Muthoni! Jade was in 4th place at the KT summit, but she ran an incredible second half of the race, almost overtaking first place if she had been given more time. Jade is sure to surprise a few more times this year now that she is on a roll! We can’t wait to see what race(s) she lines up for next.

Looking Forward

While the Golden Trail World Series and Skyrunning take a brief pause, the Valsir World Mountain Running Cup continues with a bang, featuring three more races this month. Expect to see top athletes like Patrick Kipnengo, Philemon Ombogo, and Joyce Njeru as they prepare for the next big Golden Trail World Series race, Sierre-Zinal. Get ready for an unforgettable month of mountain and trail running!

Cirque Series Snowbird - PC:@dylantotaro

July is jam-packed with thrilling mountain and trail running events that promise to challenge athletes and captivate spectators. Here’s a look at some of the most exciting races happening this month:

Mountain Marathon Race - July 4th

The month kicks off with the historic Mountain Marathon Race, the oldest mountain race in North America. First run in 1915, this race features a brutal ascent of 3,000 feet in less than 2 miles! Tune into the livestream to witness athletes tackling one of the most technical mountain downhills in the world.

Peades d'Aigua - PDA at Val D’Aran, Spain - July 4th

Also on July 4th, the second UTMB World Major of the year takes place. This race offers substantial prize money and guarantees automatic entry to the 2025 OCC. The prize money breakdown is as follows:

- 1st: €5000

- 2nd: €3000

- 3rd: €2000

- 4th: €1250

- 5th: €1000

USA Championship Double Header - July 7th

On July 7th, the Loon Mountain Race serves as the USA Mountain Running Championships and a selection race for the 2024 US Vertical Mountain Running Team. The race will distribute prize money for the top three times on “Walking Boss”:

- 1st: $400

- 2nd: $250

- 3rd: $100

Cirque Series Snowbird USA Champs - July 13th

The following weekend, on July 13th, the Cirque Series Snowbird USA Champs take place in Utah. This grueling 8.7-mile course features 3,566 feet of climbing, taking runners through the rugged and beautiful Wasatch Range. Prize money for this race is:

- Open Championships:

- 1st: $1000

- 2nd: $500

- 3rd: $400

- Collegiate Championships:

- 1st: $750

- 2nd: $500

- 3rd: $250

Cordillera Blanca SkyraceÂź - July 7th

Also on July 7th, the Cordillera Blanca SkyraceÂź in Huaraz, Peru, challenges runners with 5,000 feet of climbing, reaching altitudes close to 14,500 feet in stunning high alpine terrain.

Grossglockner Mountain Run - July 7th

This race, part of the Valsir World Mountain Running Cup, features a 13.3km course and takes place in Austria.

Montemuro Mountain Race - July 14th

On July 14th, runners will tackle the Montemuro Mountain Race in Portugal, covering 10.4km with 1,098 meters of ascent and 247 meters of descent.

Speedgoat 28k and 50k - July 19th and 20th

Later in the month, the Speedgoat races take place at Snowbird, Utah. The 28k course includes multiple climbs and descents, reaching the summit of Snowbird at 11,000 feet. The 50k adds even more distance and elevation gain, pushing runners to their limits. Prize money for the 50k is:

- 1st: $2000

- 2nd: $1000

- 3rd: $500

 La MontĂ©e du Nid d'Aigle - July 20th

On July 20th, the fourth Valsir World Mountain Running Cup series race takes place in France. The course covers 20km with 1,850 meters of ascent and 450 meters of descent.