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Trail Runners of the Year include tough ultra veterans and cutting-edge versatile speedsters
The beauty of trail runs and races is their diversity, from gnarly 5K gutbusters to fast-and-smooth marathons to endless ultras. And its top talent is just as varied, hailing from myriad backgrounds, from collegiate track runners to Nordic skiers to even mountaineers. And 2012 was packed with stellar performances, which made our selections for the inaugural Trail Runner magazine Trail Runners of The Year (TROY) Awards no easy task. But rising to the top were four impressive athletes (men’s and women’s open and men’s and women’s masters) that we are proud to highlight here:
WOMEN
Kim Dobson named open female TROY. Kim Dobson of Grand Junction, Colorado, is best known for her uphill running prowess, and rightly so. In 2012, the 28-year-old broke the long-standing women’s record at Colorado’s Pikes Peak Ascent … read more.
Liz Bauer named masters female TROY. In 2012, 53-year-old Liz Bauer of Plainville, Georgia, finished 36 100-mile races, on terrain ranging from smooth pavement to extremely technical to high alpine. … read more.
MEN
Max King named open male TROY. 2012 featured many jaw-dropping performances. However, our choice for the open male Trail Runner of the Year was unanimous—Max King. … read more.
Karl Meltzer named masters male TROY. At the 100-mile distance, no one comes close to matching Karl
Meltzer’s record—a stunning 35 wins—and, at 44, Meltzer (aka Speedgoat) is still notching victories over younger and stronger-than-ever fields. … read more.
Photo courtesy of XTERRA