The USATF Pacific Association (PA) Long Distance Running (LDR) committee announces the return of its Mountain, Ultra, Trail (MUT) Grand Prix for the second half of 2021, after a cancellation in 2020 due to the pandemic. This Grand Prix series has run since 1991 and offers both individual and team competitions with awards, race entry discounts and prize money to top scorers at the end of the season. We are particularly grateful to local Race Directors for their resilience and outstanding efforts in organizing races during these uncertain times.
Here is the calendar of scoring events for the remainder of 2021:
- 8/1: Skyline 50K
- 8/21: Headlands Hundred 100M (20% discount to PA members, code available through Club captains or MUT chair for individuals)
- 9/12: Star City Trail Half Marathon (pending County permit confirmation)
- 9/25: Firetrails 50M
- 10/2: No’to’mom 100K (National championship) and 50K team relay ($75 discount for PA teams, code available through Club captains)
- 10/9: Ruth Anderson 50K and 50M
- 10/23: Quicksilver 100K
- 11/13: Stevens Creek Trail Half Marathon (pending Park permit confirmation)
- 11/28: Quad Dipsea 28M
To take into account the late notice as well as the shorter than usual season, here are a few amendments to the scoring rules for this season:
- Top 5 scores (instead of 7), both for teams and individuals;
- Only two distance coefficients: 1.0 < 75km, 1.5 beyond (meaning no 2.0 coefficient on the 100-miler, but 1.5);
- No minima of sub ultra score this year;
- For the team relay, teams must be composed of PA members; and clubs can enter more than one team;
- Discounts for the 2019 Grand Prix champions apply to this 2021 Grand Prix.
To secure a spot, PA runners must enter as soon as event registration opens, or the calendar is published for the events already opened. As usual, membership needs to be active prior to the race, for score eligibility.
Wishing the best of luck to all PA members for this Grand Prix, while remaining healthy,
Andrew Crawford, LDR Chair
Jean Pommier, MUT Chair
Nakia Baird, MUT Scorer