2018 Trail Runner Trophy Series Update

“If you’re reading this you just got PASSED by our Grampy.”

Thousands of runners are reading this statement, originally printed on the back of a shirt made for Gerald Bailey by his granddaughters. 67-year-old Bailey, of Glencoe Kentucky, is currently in the lead for the most miles run as well as the most races completed in the Trail Runner magazine Trophy Series, presented by Altra Running.

What is it?

Here at Trail Runner, we aim to build the trail-running community, offer up a little friendly competition and push people to explore their limits in pursuit of amazing prizes.

You can find Trophy Series races all across the country from the Haulin’ Aspen in Bend, Oregon to the Haulin in the Holler in Eleanor, West Virginia.

This year the series includes 134 trail races between March and September. Participants attempt to run the most miles or the most races during these seven months, chasing one of two grand prizes and a number of other prize packages.

How does it work?

Runners are automatically entered into races that have registered as a Trophy Series race. (If you’re a race director and want to register your race for next year, click here.) Just by running in that race, you’re earning miles and points toward one of the grand prizes.

The Trail Fiend, or the runner who racks up the most race miles, wins a Switzerland running vacation with Run the Alps.

The runner who finishes the most races will win the Trail Mogul category and win a five-day, helicopter assisted, backcountry hut-to-hut trail-running traverse of the Esplanade mountain range in British Columbia.

Prize packages from the series’ sponsors will also be sent to the top three male and female runners with the most ultra-distance points and the male and female winners of each non-ultra age group category.

For more information see our rules page.

Putting in the miles

Bailey currently has 10 races under his belt and has run over 320 miles, proving that age is just a number. “I keep hearing that runners my age should take plenty of recovery time between races,” Bailey said. “I don’t know who came up with that but I don’t think it’s true.”

For the first time in the history of the Trophy Series, Bailey’s effort has earned him the top ranking in both the Trail Fiend and the Trail Mogul categories. If he continues to stay out front he’ll have the opportunity to take his pick of the grand prizes, leaving the other grand prize to the runner up in the category he did not choose.

The current contenders are James Barnard from Clinton, Tennessee, and Steve Templin from Muncy, Pennsylvania. Barnard is behind Bailey by about 21 miles and Templin competed in eight races as compared to Bailey’s 10.

Bailey isn’t going to go down easy, though. “I plan on going to a race almost every weekend for the rest of the Series. I’m in this to win,” he said. If he wins, he wants to take one of his granddaughters to Switzerland with him.

How will you compete?

The conversation with James Barnard, the second place contender for the Trail Fiend competition, went something like this:

Trail Runner: “Did you know that you are in contention for the Trail Fiend competition in the Trail Runner magazine Trophy Series?”

Barnard: “So what you are telling me is that I am close to a trip to the Alps? Didn’t think that was possible with one race!”

Neither did we, until we remembered the Ozone Endurance Challenge. It’s a time-based race where many of the top contenders in this year’s series ran. Barnard ran 302 miles during a single, four-day push.

In fact, Bailey, Barnard and Jeff Woody, the top three in the Trail Fiend competition, all participated in the Ozone Endurance Challenge. Barnard and Woody ran in the 96-hour competition and Bailey ran in the 72-hour competition.

The female ultra standings are also saturated with “Zoners.” Greta Reed, Dona Loparo and Sherri Gewelke, first, second and third place, respectively, earned their points there as well.

If you’re gearing up for next year, check out the rules and regulations for competing. Also check out our winter version, the Winter Warrior Series, which starts this December, 2018 (stay tuned for an updated Winter Warrior race list in the coming weeks).

Current standings

Trail Fiend

First. Gerald Bailey, Glencoe KY, 322.98 miles, 10 races

Second. James Barnard, Clinton TN, 302 miles, 1 race

Third. Jeff Woody, Knoxville TN, 272 miles, 1 race

Trail Mogul

First. Gerald Bailey, Glencoe KY, 10 races

Second. Steve Templin, Muncy PA, 8 races

Third. Llew Williams, Sinking Spring PA, 6 races

Male Ultra

First. James Barnard, Clinton TN, 1208 points, 1 race

Second. Jeff Woody, Knoxville TN, 816 points, 1 race

Third. Gerald Bailey, Glencoe KY, 765.2 points, 10 races

Female Ultra

First. Greta Reed, Pikeville TN, 800 points, 1 race

Second. Dona Loparo, Winter Springs FL, 720 points, 1 race

Third. Sheri Gewelke, Johnson City TN, 492 points, 1 race

Male Non-Ultra

10-19 Max Vavrek, Fairfax CA, 126.8 points, 2 races

20-29 Jordan Chavez, Southlake TX, 100 points, 1 race

30-39 Bob Shafer, Bellefonte PA, 139.1 points, 4 races

40-49 Steve Templin, Muncy PA, 244.3 points, 8 races

50-59 Dale Reicheneder, Malibu CA, 319.52 points, 14 races

60+ Llew Williams, Sinking Spring PA, 311.2 points, 6 races

Female Non-Ultra

10-19 Olivia Peter, Cass City MI, 80.4 points, 2 races

20-29 Anna Evans, Lynchburg VA, 114.4 points, 2 races

30-39 Regina Lozinski, Port Matilda PA, 120.9 points, 4 races

40-49 Rebecca Hall, Golden CO, 100 points, 2 races

50-59 Lisa Mills, Aurora CO, 100 points, 1 race

60+ Jean Herbert, Albuquerque NM, 100 points, 2 races

(This report based on results as of 08/22/2018. We are still receiving results from race directors.)