Why Host a National Championship Race?

December 2001

As an mountain, ultra, or trail race director, are you aware of the process to host an ultra national championship race? It is brief and there are some useful incentives for you to consider. Mountain, Ultra, and Trail National Championships receive the same benefits as the popular distance championships, even though these championships are relatively new among USATF national title races and do not have as large fields.

Support from USATF: A USATF championship race liaison will be appointed by MUT to assist championship race directors. This liaison, usually a USATF representative from the area of the race, is a big help for a race director already busy with all of the responsibilities of managing a championship-caliber race. The liaison performs the following functions for the Race Directors of MUT National Championships:

• Communicates and negotiates with runners who want to participate in the championship

• Obtains the championship medals, patches, and banners

• Verifies USATF membership status of participants

• Attends the race to assist with USATF championship information and scoring

National Exposure for Your Race: Your race will be listed on the USATF race calendar and USATF can help promote your race by sending email blasts to all USATF members that might be interested in your race.  Runners from around the country interested in participating in a MUT National Championship will be interested in your race if it is a national championship.   More runners can increase the popularity and profitability of your race. Your race will be called the USA Championship as per USATF Naming Standards and athletes who win overall or masters age-groups will earn the title of National Champion.

Bidding & Selection: If you direct a race of one the following distances and want to host a National Ultra Championship, retrieve the Information for Race Directors Letter and the USATF bid form from the web or from any MUT Council member. 

• 50 km road

• 50 km trail

• 50 mile road

• 50 mile trail

• 100 km road

• 100 mile trail

• 100 mile road

• 24 hour road/track

• Sub-Ultra mountain or trail races at various distance

Review Process: Completed bid forms received by July 1 of each year will be given early review.  All bids must be received by the end of November each year to insure review at the USATF Annual Meeting which is held in December of each year.  Not all distances will necessarily be awarded in a given year.  Race directors and the ultra, mountain, and trail running media will be notified by December 15 regarding the outcome of the selection process.  Further bids may be solicited after the convention for race distances that have not been awarded. If you are interested in hosting a distance that has not been awarded in this calendar year, please contact one of the MUT members listed below.  Thank you for your interest in hosting a National Championship event!

ULTRA

Nikki Kimball
PO Box 2102

Livingston, MT 59047

406-222-3207

nikkikimball@yahoo.com

MOUNTAIN/TRAIL (Sub-Ultra)