The official poster for the IAU 24-Hour World
Challenge race. (Image courtesy of IAU)
It's a busy distance-running weekend in our region, with the 24-hour Adventure Trail Run in Triangle, Va., the Skyline Challenge 50K/50M in Front Royal, Va., and the Frederick Running Festival marathon and half-marathon in Frederick, Md., on the calendar.
But whether runners are signed on for one of these weekend events or just logging training miles, many will have their ears open for news from Bergamo, Italy, the site of this year's 24-Hour World Challenge and European Championship.
The race kicks off at 10 a.m. Italy time (4 a.m. Eastern Time) on Saturday, May 2. Runners will do laps around a 1.113 km (.7046 mile) asphalt loop through an industrial section of Bergamo, team member Annette Bednosky reported on her blog.
Staged by the International Association of Ultrarunners, the race features a U.S. team that includes one local ultra runner, William Allen of Prince Frederick, Md.
He is among a dozen runners picked by the American Ultrarunning Association for the U.S. National Team, including Matt Chaffin, Scott Eppelman, Phil McCarthy, Bob Sweeney and Roy Pirrung on the men's side. The women's team includes Bednosky, Jamie Donaldson, Connie Gardner, Debra Horn, Carilyn Johnson and Jen Van Allen.
This is William Allen's second consecutive trip to the 24-Hour World Challenge, earning his first berth in 2008 after winning the Cornbelt 24 Hour Race in Eldridge, Iowa, with a final mileage total of 140.97 miles, according to a report on SoMdNews.com. He holds records for the American 45-49 age group at 100 track miles (15:17:19) and 200K (20:29:04).
William Allen, rear, third from right, in this photo of the
2008 U.S. National Team, was also selected for the '09
team. He's a local runner, from Prince Frederick, Md.
(Photo courtesy of AUA)
While only Gardner is listed among the top five individual rankings going into the race, look for the U.S. team to do well overall in the 28-team field. America usually places in the top five national teams and has twice logged medal-winning performances.
Bergamo is about 34 miles northeast of Milan, in northern Italy. Weather forecasts call for warm race day conditions, with a high of 71 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 50 degrees.
You can keep up with race day reports on the IAU Web site and progress reports will also be posted on the official race site.
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