The beneficiary of the 2010 mOUnTaiNBACK will be announced March 1
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Race History
The first Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK 50 Mile Relay and Ultramarathon was run
in October 2000. Covering nearly 50 miles of mountain roads, the race
course winds from the Tussey Mountain Ski Area past Whipple Dam State
Park, Alan Seeger Natural Area, Penn Roosevelt State Park, Colyer Lake
and Bear Meadows Natural Area, returning to the ski area to mark the
50th mile.
The Mountainback was founded by area runners Steve Bodner and Mike
Casper, both of State College. Having participated in marathons and
another distance relay event in New England, both had been looking for
a way to develop an event using some of the many scenic roads that wind
through Rothrock State Forest. The result was a combination of
picturesque roads, hills and vistas forming both a relay event that's
accessible to the average runner and challenging to the veteran runner,
and a memorable ultramarathon that has now been the site of the USA
Track & Field 50 Mile National Championships.
In its inaugural year, 91 runners (fifteen relay teams and one
ultrarunner) covered the course during a beautiful fall day. Year two
saw 36 teams and 4 ultrarunners take it on. In year three, 53 teams and
7 ultramarathoners took up the challenge. In 2003, 47 teams and 20
ultramarathoners tested their mettle on the Mountainback. In 2005, 53
relay teams and 43 ultramarathoners took up the challenge. Today the
race attracts teams and ultramarathoners from throughout the country
and abroad for a great mountain run during "fall colors" season.
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