Blake is Second at Mt. Washington and Qualifies for U.S. National Mountain Running Team
6/22/2010
The 50th running of the Mount Washington Road Race attracted a who's who of elite U.S. Mountain runners. It was not just the anniversary events that attracted the deep field, but the fact that he race was host to the U.S.A. Mountain Running Championship and served as the sole selection race for the 2010 U.S. Mountain Running Team. With his second place finish, Eric Blake as secured a spot on the U.S. Mountain Running National Team, which will compete in the World Mountain Running Championships in Slovenia in September. His time of hour and 40 seconds was just 18 second behind the winner.
Blake is a two-time Mt. Washington Champion, having won in 2008 and 2006, and has competed on four previous U.S. National Mountain Running Teams.
The 7.6 mile race up the Mount Washington Auto Road climbs 4700 vertical feet at an average grade of 11.5 percent. In addition to the climb, runners face varying weather conditions as they race from the base to the summit at 6,288 feet. Temperatures can range from 70 degrees at the base to the 40s at the summit with wind gusts of 40-60 mph.
