New Balance Video

Unofficial results

Brandy sent this out via email a short while ago:

Ciao-

Here is a quick update--we have to get to lunch and awards. Our women's team was 3rd place--BRONZE medals!!!! A junior girl was 2nd! Men not sure on the final results yet. Juniors may have placed, but men did not.  I was either 9th or 10th--I think I got edged out right at the line. All 4 of us were top 20! I was actually in 2nd place at the top of the first climb--pretty cool experience. It is beautiful--I may miss my plane on purpose! :-)
Thanks for all of your support!!

love, Brandy :-)

Update from Italy

After spending an extra day in Charlotte (weather grounded her plane), Brandy was rerouted to JFK instead of Atlanta and finally made it to Milan. From there she met up with Nancy Hobbs and caught a ride to the race area which is northeast of Lake Como. It sounds like a beautiful area and most of the athletes who previewed the course have approved of it. There is an opening ceremony tomorrow (Saturday) and the race is on Sunday.
For more information check out this blog: http://usmrt.blogspot.com/
You can also follow along on Twitter: http://twitter.com/usmrt

I'll try to post pics as I get them. Italy is 8 hours ahead of MST and I hope to have race results early Sunday morning.

Here's a couple courtesy of Nancy Hobbs:


- Matt

10k Trail Championships - North Carolina

As a tune up for the World Championships Brandy headed out to North Carolina for the 10k Trail Championships. Official results have not been posted yet but should be on this website: http://www.continentaldividetrailrace.com Via phone conversation Brandy took 2nd behind a woman who is new to trail running but has good times in road racing. Gina Lucrezi finished 3rd. I forgot ask about the men's results. Brandy thought the course was similar to the Teva Games 10k without the elevation and having more rocks to negotiate.

Next up, World Championships in Italy. Brandy flies out today to get there early to acclimate to the time change. Here is the website for the race: http://www.wmrc2009.org/home/

- Matt

Sierre - Zinal

The race lived up to all the hype, it very well could be the best mountain race in the world. The competition was strong as Brandy ran to a respectable fifth place. After rain most of the day Saturday, Sunday turned out really nice with lots of sun. Rickey Gates and Pablo Vigil have written nice recaps of the race which can be read here: http://mostlypaved.blogspot.com/

- Matt

European Vacation

Brandy was invited to run a couple races in Switzerland. Her first race was Thyon-Dixence, which despite poor weather went well. Brandy took third finishing barely missing 2nd place. Angela Mudge (Great Britain, former world champ) took the win looking very solid. Brandy ran (I hiked) the course a couple days prior after we finally received our luggage (only 2 days late). It is a beatiful course with some good climbing and staggered downs finishing on the middle of the Dixence Dam.

Currently, we are staying in Zinal waiting for the start of the famous Sierre-Zinal race. We are told this is the most prestigious mountain race in the world. We have been treated very well so far. This will be very competitive in both the men's and women's fields. Anna Pichrtova is back to defend her title and many other big names as well. We have been staying with Rickey Gates all week and it has been great hearing his stories from his Grand Prix races. Otherwise, it is raining today and hopefully clearing tomorrow (race day). I'm glad I hiked up to a hut yesterday and took some amazing video of the surrounding peaks and glaciers. We fly out early Monday morning back to reality.

- Matt

July 26 - Cheyenne Canyon Race (2nd Qualifier for U.S. Team)

This is a quick update as a lot of time has passed since the race. The competition was intense for the women. Megan Kimmel won barely edging out Megan Lund. Both ran very well. Brandy had an off day taking 5th. She was very disappointed with her race, but that's the way it goes when there is a good field of runners to contend with.

Both Megan's qualified for the U.S. Mountain Team. The last spot was an at-large bid, which generated much discussion. Check out this blog: http://mountainrun.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/us-mountain-running-team-final-selection-race/#more-826

After what seemed a long week of waiting Brandy was selected for the at-large position. It came down to her and Laura Haefeli. Both were very deserving of the spot and unfortunately only one could go. Laura is an awesome runner, whom we've become friends with, which made it all more of a difficult process.