The Trail Runner Trophy Series, presented by Altra Running, is a points based race series, with 186 events of all distances, all around the country. The series begins in March and culminates in September. Grand prizes are awarded to the runner who logs the most miles, and the runner who runs the most races. The “Mile Mogul” wins a Run the Alps trail-running tour through the French and Swiss alps, while the “Trail Fiend” wins a coveted spot on the cover of Trail Runner magazine.

 The Trophy Series is well under way for the season. Here are some updates and stories from the last few weeks. Dale Reicheneder, the 2016 Trophy Series “Trail Fiend” Champion, is currently in first place for winning the cover shot, while Gerald Bailey is the lead for the trail-running tour in the Alps.

Barr Trail Mountain Race: July 16, Manitou Springs, Colorado

 This year the Barr Trail Mountain Race (BTMR) organizers made a simple, yet bold, statement for women’s rights. The top three women received 20 percent more prize money ($420, $300, and $180) then the top three men ($350, $250, and $150).

The move was an effort on the part of race director Peter Maksimow to call attention to the disparity in prize money offerings for men and women across the sport of trail and ultra running. Maksimow’s desire to take a stand was born out of personal experience in competition. At the 2015 Long Distance Mountain Running World Championships, Maksimow received prize money for his 15th-place finish, while the female 15th-place finisher did not. 

“Equal prize money between women and men is thankfully not that big of an issue here in the US,” he says. “But in other areas, [gender inequality] is still an issue.” Maksimow points, specifically, to the gender pay gap between male and female workers in the United States, (men make approximately 20 percent more than women).

“This is a small increase of 20-percent to a fairly small prize money purse,” he says, of the adjustment to his race’s prize purse. “The idea was not to discriminate against men [the women’s winner won just $70 more than the men’s winner], but to start a conversation about how this issue of inequality between women and men in our sport is still an issue in 2017.”

 The race attracted some of the best mountain runners in the world. U.S. Mountain Running team members Addie Bracy and Joe Gray (who just last weekend earned team gold and bronze medals respectively at the World Mountain Running Championship) took first place.

Idaho Peak Ultra Trail Marathon & 10K Trail Run: July 22, New Denver, British Columbia

 No cups? No problem. Idaho Peak Ultra Trail Marathon and 10K Trail run decided to go cup-free this year, and only produced one bag of garbage.

The race had an international field and saw the biggest turnout to date—including a mother grizzly bear and her cub who ambled into the area a week prior to the race. As a result, racers were required to carry bear spray. Luckily the race ended with no incidents other than a black bear sighting.

In the women’s marathon, Michelle Katchur Roberts, 33, of Canmore, Alberta, took first female—and third overall!—in 4:19:52. On the men’s side Dave Stevens, 34, of Beasley, British Columbia, took first in 3:53:57.

Flying into first in the women’s 10K event was Marie-Michèle Gagnon, 35, of Nelson, British Columbia, in 0:45:55. In the men’s division Justin Williams, 40, of Calgary, Alberta, took first in 0:43:41.

Devil’s Slide Trail Run : July 29, Pacifica, California

The Devil’s Slide Trail Run featured three distances: a 4K, 11K and “Hella’ Hard” Half Marathon. The name “Hella’ Hard” is no exaggeration. Pacifica offered beautiful ocean views but also grueling climbs–the 13 mile course has a total elevation gain of 3,050 feet.

“The ‘Hella’ Hard Half” is […] up-down-up-down, and your legs are on fire, which fits the ‘Devil’ theme,” says racer David Halvorson. “I summited [what I thought was the top of] the climb, only to look up and see the other runners on what looked to be Mount Everest! I was on a false summit. I smiled, put my head down and started hiking.” The last three miles of the race were downhill over rocky, rooty singletrack.

Pulling into the finish to take first in the men’s “Fiery 4K” race was 16-year-old Nick Moore, of Moss Beach, California. On the women’s side, first place went to 15-year-old Claire Little, of Montara, California.

“She flew on the downhills, barely staying in control. She had another woman on her heels the whole time, but Claire was motivated by the $20 gift certificate for first place finishers!” says her father, Ron Little, 46 of Montara, California, who won the half-marathon—if he had been a minute slower he would have placed sixth.

Taking the win in the women’s Hella Hard Half-Marathon was Kara Barnard, 39, of San Francisco, California.

The men’s “Evil 11K” was won by Anthony Cortes, 23, of Half Moon, California and the women’s by Mary Ann Toney, 28.

Note from the Trophy Series organizers: Due to insufficient results, The Antelope Butte Summer Festival Butte Grind race are no longer a part of the Trophy Series. We apologize for this unforeseen situation. Please direct any questions or concerns on the matter to the Race Directors of this race. We appreciate your understanding.

Trophy Series Standings

Run most races

First Dale Reicheneder, Malibu CA, 295.4 miles, 27 races
Second Samantha Weaver, Jersey Shore PA, 303.1 miles, 24 races
Third Gerald Bailey, Glencoe KY, 394.2 miles, 17 races,

Run most miles

First Bert Blackbird, Brandon MB, 400 actual miles, 3 races
Second Gerald Bailey, Glencoe KY, 360.2 miles, 17 races
Third Donna Loparo, Winter Springs FL, 320 actual miles, 2 races

Ultra Standings

Male
First James Barnard, Clinton TN, 1056 points, 1 race
Second Georg Kunzfeld, Frankfurt Germany, 800 points, 1 race
Third Jeremy Reed, Pikeville TN, 630 points, 1 race

Female
First Donna Loparo, Winter Springs FL, 1080 points, 2 races
Second Debbie Bulten, Cambridge ON, 800 points, 1 race
Third Greta Reed, Pikeville TN, 576 points, 1 race

Non-Ultra Standings

Male
10-19 Port Habalar, Williamsport PA, 287.9 points, 6 races
20-29 Matt Lipsey, Kersey PA, 222.8 points, 4 races
30-39 Robert Spies, San Francisco CA, 157.2 points, 3 races
40-49 Steve Templin, Muncy PA, 194.9 points, 5 races
50-59 Dale Reicheneder, Malibu CA, 1003.1 points, 27 races
60+ Gerald Bailey, Glencoe KY, 394.2 points, 17 races
Female
10-19 Mallory Lovell, Georgetown KY, 293.0 points, 6 races
20-29 Johanna Ohm, State College PA, 245.8 points, 5 races
30-39 Brianna Bair, State College PA, 276.1 points, 5 races
40-49 Samantha Weaver, Jersey Shore PA, 477.1 points, 24 races
50-59 Carole Dudukovich, Port Matilda PA, 514.8 points, 11 races
60+ Jane Kone, Howard PA, 306.5 points, 7 races, jkkone@hotmail.com

Trophy Series presenting sponsor Altra Running is a leading trail-running shoe brand. Based in Utah, Altra’s running-shoe innovations—including a cushioned Zero Drop shoe and a foot-shaped toe box—are born from long hard runs in the nearby Wasatch Mountains.Follow @AltraRunning and #ZeroLimits on Twitter,Instagram and Facebook. PR Contact: Colleen Logan, VP Marketing,  clogan@iconfitness.com

Run the Alps offers a variety of guided and self-guided trail-running trips throughout the Alps, for all abilities. Founder Doug Mayer is also a contributing editor at Trail Runner; you can read a few of his stories about running in Switzerland here and here. More information is available at their website: www.runthealps.com.

For questions about the Trophy Series, please consult our Trophy Series page, or email us at events@bigstonepub.com.