For the past two years (end of 2011, end of 2012), I have posted some year-end ultrarunning awards. Now, I would like to introduce the Third Annual AJW’s Taproom Year in Ultrarunning Rankings.
These are not scientific in any way and the criteria was made up entirely by me. They represent a selection of North American racers competing in events in the U.S. and abroad. It, in no way, represents an exhaustive study nor does it pretend to be fully representative of all that occurred in 2013, so, take it or leave it. In addition, the selections in each category are not in any specific order:
Female Ultrarunner of the Year
- Michele Yates
- Pam Smith
- Rory Bosio
- Meghan Arbogast
Male Ultrarunner of the Year
- Rob Krar
- Ian Sharman
- Timothy Olson
- Sage Canaday
Female Race of the Year
- Rory Bosio at UTMB
- Sabrina Little at the IAU World 24-Hour Championships
- Pam Smith at Western States
Male Race of the Year
- Rob Krar at The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Championships
- Zach Bitter at the Desert Solstice Invitational
- Timothy Olson at Western States
Female Surprise of the Year
- Pam Smith
Male Surprise of the Year
- Zach Bitter
Female Rookie of the Year
- Michele Yates
Male Rookie of the Year
- Rob Krar
And, I thought a couple of new categories would be appropriate this year:
FKT of the Year
Race Series of the Year
Until next week,
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from one of the Taproom’s favorite breweries, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery in Richmond, Virginia. This little, boutique brewery produces some outstanding seasonal varieties and the headliner of those is their Christmas stout, Gingerbread Stout. Neal Gorman gave me a 25-ounce bottle of this year’s version the other day and I must say it was extraordinary. Complex flavor, even body, and a smooth finish make this a prime holiday choice. But, if you want some you’ll have to wait until next year as they’ve already sold out for this year.
Call for Comments (from Meghan)
- Who is your pick for female and male Ultrarunners of the Year as well as female and male Performances of the Year? Be sure to tell us why, too!
- Who do you think surprised our community with a breakout performance or two in 2013?
- And, in those non-single-race categories AJW introduced, do you agree with his picks? Who might you add to those lists?
- (From Bryon) What’s your beer of the year?
