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This page contains three different areas of running which will be highlighted, Mountain, Ultra, and Trail running. These aspects of running are not mainstream where everyone goes out and does them, but in there own right are very popular and are growing. Mountain Running can be classified as running various distances that involve a certain climb in altitude during the race. Nation and worldwide, most mountain races take place at some ski lodge or ski resort. There are two main types of Mountain races which are uphill and uphill /downhill races. The uphill races are where you start at a certain point and then proceed to climb to the top of the hill or mountain during the race. In these races the finish line would be located somewhere towards the top of the mountain. The uphill/downhill races are races in which there could be several laps. The race would start below a hill or mountain and the runners would complete laps of going up and down the hill or mountain before the finish. In most cases uphill and downhill races are run on areas that the mountains are generally classified as large hills rather than a mountain. There have been 3 standout mountain runners in the Niagara Region. Zach Rivers, Ryan Pauling, and Christian Thompson all have competed on a US Team in the world Championships. When Zach Rivers was still in Victor High School he represented the United States as a member of the Teva US Mountain Running Team in 2006 and 2007. In 2006 the World Championships were held in Bursa, Turkey where Rivers competed on the Junior team placing 43rd out of 80 runners and helping the Junior squad to an eighth place finish out of 20 countries. In 2007 the World Championships took place in Ovronnaz, Switzerland and again Rivers represented the US Junior team where, fellow Niagara runner Christian Thompson of Candor, NY, joined him. Christian Thompson is currently excelling in college at the University of Colorado where he runs cross country and track. Like Rivers this was Thompson 2nd time representing the United States on the Mountain Running team. Christian Thompson first qualified as a US representative in 2005 when the Championships were held in New Zealand. It could be argued that Ryan Pauling of Rochester, NY is this regions most experienced mountain runner. Ryan Pauling is a 2 time Teva US Mountain Running Team member on the men’s team. Pauling grew up in the Pacific Northwest and because of the areas that Pauling grew up in made it suitable for him to train regularly for mountain running. Pauling first became a US Team member in 2001 when he was living in Portland, Oregon. The World Championships in 2001 were held in Arta Terme, Italy. Ryan Pauling became the first first-time member of the US Mountain Running team to lead the USA squad in scoring. He finished 24th in 2001 in the World Championships. After a few injury setbacks and a move across country. Pauling became a 2 time Teva US Team member in 2005 when the Championships were held in Wellington New Zealand. Pauling finished the 13.5 km race in 59th place out of 112 runners with a time of 1:01:39. |