Mountain Runner Portrait Project #15

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #15:  Max King
At home in Bend, Oregon with the tools of his trade and a tiny Elvis.

Two years ago I photographed my first National Championship sporting event at the US Mountain Running Championships in Conway, NH and that was my introduction to Max King.  He bested the field by over a minute to become the National Champion and then went on to win the World Mountain Running Championship in Albania a couple of months later.

Max is 33 and lives in Bend, Oregon with his wife and two children.  While he's put his Cornell degree to good use, having worked as a chemical engineer, he's now a full time competitive runner.  Max's bio at the Montrail athlete website sort of says it all... "Primary Race Distance:  Hmmm, 3k to 50 mile.  What does primary mean anyway?"

The quote might explain this ultrarunner's participation in the 2012 US Olympic qualifier finals for the 3,000 meter steeplechase where he finished sixth and beat his previous personal best by two minutes (You can see the race here).  But most of Max's professional running resume is a string of first places in major long distance events far from the track including the Xterra Trail Running World Championships, Xterra Trail Running National Championships, USATF National 50k Trail Championships, Transrockies 6-day,  USATF Half Marathon Trail Championships and the USATF National Trail Marathon.  

When I was in Oregon a couple of months ago, I had the good fortune to hang out with Max and make his portrait.  I'm appreciative of his time and openness to making the images.  He's a nice guy and a remarkable athlete.

Call me a lazy editor, but here's a first for the Mountain Runner Portrait Project!  I've decided to include more than one image in this post... Bonus!

See all the photographs from Mountain Runner Portrait Project at my website.

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #14

Last summer I started a personal project making portraits of the some of the folks I've come to know in the trail, mountain and snowshoe running community.  I thought it might be fun to see what can be captured when these remarkable athletes stood still in front of the camera.  Some portraits are of elite runners and others are images of every day folks who have passion and commitment to the sport.  I called the work the Mountain Runner Portrait Project.  With race schedules and other competing priorities, it's been a while since I made a new installment,  so I'm happy to share a new addition to the MRPP!

When I was in Bend, Oregon last month to photograph the 2013 US Dion Snowshoe National Championships, I had the good fortune to enjoy the hospitality of Richard Bolt.  Richard lives in Mountain View, California, but has a connection to Bend.  He's a tireless promoter of human powered sports and was in town to help organize the National Championships at Meissner Park.  

Richard isn't just an armchair athlete.  He is constantly biking, trail running, snowshoeing, nordic skiing or riding the rollers.  He's competed in many races through out the country and is a member of the Atlas snowshoe racing team as well as member of the Salomon running team.  Richard is also the Director of Online Marketing at the American Trail Running Association and is Team Leader for the US Mountain Running Team.

While roaming in Bend, Richard and I stopped into the very cool Crows Feet Commons for a cup of coffee... or in Richard's case espresso.  Shortly after sitting down, a great guy, Kevney Duggan, from the amazing Visit Bend organization joined us and we dug in for a while.  As the caffeine got to work, I noticed great light from the table-side window and realized Richard had his two non-athletic passions close at hand... coffee and micro-brew.  He was in his element.  In the middle of our chat, I announced "This is it!".  Richard and Kevney looked at me.  I said "Right here, right now... Richard, you're the next Mountain Runner Portrait".  I seem to recall a "you're kidding right?" look on his face, as I explained the project to Kevney and fiddled with camera settings and a test shot or two.  But, Richard is gracious and two minutes later, the image was made... Mountain Runner Portrait #14.  Thank you Richard Bolt!

You can see all the Mountain Runner Portraits on my website at www.joeviger.com in the projects gallery!

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #13: Glenn Randall

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #13: Glenn Randall
2012 Mt. Washington Road Race

Glenn Randall is a runner from Mesa, Colorado. He attended Dartmouth College where he was a stand out Cross Country skier and won an individual NCAA title in 2008. He also qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Running Championships that same year. In the spring, he turned heads with an early lead in the Boston Marathon. He placed fourth at Mt Washington this year and will be a member of the US Team that competes in the World Championships in Italy on September 2nd.

The color version of this portrait appeared in the September, 2012 edition of Trail Runner magazine accompanying an article by Alex Kurt. Like all those who are part of the Mountain Runner Portrait Project, I appreciate Glenn graciously letting me make this portrait.

See all the photos from this project as they're posted here

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #12: Darrin Rees

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #12: Darrin Rees
2012 Cranmore Hill Climb

See all the photos from this project as they're posted here

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #11: Bob Tims

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #11: Bob Tims
2012 Mt Washington Road Race

Bob Tims doesn't have a running resume like many of the athletes in the Mountain Runner Portrait Project. He is a friend who lives in a small town in Maine and runs on his lunch hour. Bob likes cool music, is a good Dad and keeps bees in his spare time. I always enjoy seeing him and his family at the local pub.

A friend who had run the Mt Washington Road Race last year, encouraged him to try for a spot in the race's bib lottery. Bob got in and his friend didn't. He carried on solo to run the eight miles with a relentless 12% grade and 4650 feet of vertical gain, finishing in about 2 hours.

One of the reasons I love to photograph mountain races and started the MRPP was because the elite runners do things that are simply amazing to me. Bob's race is equally inspiring.

See all the images from the Mountain Runner Portrait Project here

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #10: Dave Dunham

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #10: Dave Dunham
2012 Cranmore Hill Climb

According to his bio at USA Track & Field, "Dave has run over 95,000 miles in 16 countries and 48 states. He has been injured over 500 times. When injured he has been known to train up to 4 hours a day on a stationary bike!"

Dave has been to the World Mountain Running Championships seven times with several top U.S. Team finishes and a 2nd overall in 1993. He's also the first person to run in every town and city in his home state of Massachusetts and he's on a quest to get the highest point in every U.S. state.

How do we know all this? Dave is a meticulous record keeper of his own training and running accomplishments and he frequently crunches results on races and catalogs mountain running exploits across New England. For example, the results of the Mt Washington Road Race. Dave has competed on the mountain many times and has 3 wins on the tallest peak in the Northeast.

Dave had a big day today at the final race in the USATF-NE Mountain Goat series. He had a 2nd overall and top 40+ finish at the Mt Ascutney hill climb in Vermont. He also set a new 40+ PR of 31:04. There's a reason he has an alter ego action hero named Super Dave.

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #9: Jim Johnson

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #9: Jim Johnson
2012 Mt. Washington Road Race

Jim Johnson mentioned my Mountain Runner Portrait series in a facebook post today, so it seemed high time to unveil his MRP.

Jim is a recent transplant to the Mt. Washington Valley aka mountain runner heaven. He's a mild mannered software technical accounts guy by day and the rest of the time he's eating up trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Last week Jim was the winner of the Loon Mountain Race in Lincoln, NH.

See all the photos from this project as they're posted here

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #8: Chris Dunn

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #8: Chris Dunn
2012 Loon Mountain Race & US Women's National Mountain Running Championship

I became aware of Chris Dunn early in 2011 at the second race I ever photographed... The mighty Sandwich Sidehiller Snowshoe Race in Sandwich, NH. I kept seeing all of these hats, gloves, shirts... you name it... with the Acidotic logo. The field was thick with the stuff and their slogan "Race Acidotic". I remember asking my friend and Race Director Paul Kirsch, "What's up with all this Acidotic stuff?" He pointed to Chris and said "That's Chris Dunn and he runs this team called Acidotic". It was an impressive display and a strong image.

Chris is an endurance athlete and owner of Acidotic Racing or aR for short. aR is an event management company and a multi-sport endurance racing team. "Normal" people who, as aR's website says, "dare mighty things" like long distance running, biking, snowshoeing, fell racing and other lung pounding pursuits. The gear projects a tough image and I wanted that for Chris' portrait as well, but don't be fooled. Like everyone I've met in the mountain running community, these are great people. aR not only runs great events, but uses them to help others too. At the Loon Mountain Race, you could get $5 off the same-day registration with a food donation for the NH Food Bank. The race also generated a donation to help victims of the recent Colorado wildfires, acknowledging the large contingent of runners in the race from that state.

Chris has always been quick to share my photos on facebook and offer a kind word about my images. I want to thank him for that support. It's great fun to make these images. aR's next event is Saturday in Allenstown, NH... The Bear Brook Marathon & Ultra. The race is 26.7 mile single loop trail race at Bear Brook State Park.

What is the Mountain Runner Portrait Project?
Photographing mountain and trail running races, I've met remarkable, inspiring athletes and fantastic people. I thought it might be fun to capture them standing still for a change. See all the photos from this ongoing project here. More portraits will be posted... stay tuned!

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #7: Ashley Arnold

Ashley Arnold
2012 Loon Mountain Race & US Women's National Mountain Running Championship

I made this portrait of Ashley Arnold last week at the finish of the Loon Mountain Race on the summit of Loon's North Peak in Lincoln, NH. Ashley is Associate Editor of Trail Runner Magazine and a competitive trail and ultramarathon runner from Carbondale, Colorado. Her accomplishments in the mountains are impressive including a 3rd place finish at the 2010 Leadville 100 Mile Ultramarathon, a win with her sister Cynthia in the 2011 TransRockies Run multi-day stage race and 8th this week at Loon in one of the most competitive women's mountain running fields ever assembled for the National Championship.

Ashley wrote the amazing article "Running for the Red, White and Blue" on the 2011 Women's US Mountain Running Championships that featured JVGR Photography images. She is also the mysterious headless subject of the black and white triptych image that is the the current Joe Viger Photography Facebook fan page cover photo. Those images were also made at the 2011 Mountain Running Championship race at Mt. Cranmore in Conway, NH.




See all the photos from this project as they're posted here...
http://www.joeviger.com/PersonalProjects/Mountain-Runners/23860535_jGz2VF

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #6: Heidi Chauvin

Heidi Chauvin
2012 Cranmore Hill Climb
Post Hill Climb acidotic RACING and recovery

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #5: Brandy Erholtz

Brandy Erholtz
2012 Mt. Washington Road Race

Brandy Erholtz is one of America's best Mountain Runners. She was named female mountain runner of the year in 2008 and 2009 by USA Track and Field. Brandy is a four-time member of the U.S. Mountain Running Team and has been the top American woman at the World Championships. Brandy was second at the Mt. Washington Road Race twice this year. She has won the race twice and placed second the last two years.

Brandy is also one of the players in my all time favorite racing image. I made the photo last year of Brandy showing amazing determination to win third at the National Championships at Mt. Cranmore and secure a spot on the 2011 US Team. More on that here... http://joeviger.blogspot.com/2011/07/hundreths-of-second-to-world.html.

Brandy will be back in New Hampshire this weekend trying to earn a spot on the 2012 US Mountain Running Team and a trip to the World Championships in Italy when she competes in the Loon Mountain Race. Have a great race Brandy!

See all the photos from this project as they're posted here...
http://www.joeviger.com/PersonalProjects/Mountain-Runners/23860535_jGz2VF

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #4: Kasie Enman

I met Kasie Enman at the start of the 2011 mountain running season after her winning run at the Northfield Mountain race. I thought it was so awesome how she seemed to easily move from elite athlete to mom in a matter of minutes. She was gracious enough to let me make this portrait.

2011 proved to be a huge year for Kasie as she went on to win the women's US Mountain Running Championship at the Cranmore Hill Climb. Then, in September, she competed with the US Team in Albania where she beat the international field to become the World Mountain Running Champion.

Kasie will be running in the 2012 US Mountain Running Championship and the only qualifier for the US Women's Mountain Running team this coming Sunday, July 8th at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, NH. Good luck Kasie!

See all the photos from this project as they're posted here...
http://www.joeviger.com/PersonalProjects/Mountain-Runners/23860535_jGz2VF

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #3: Mountain Gods (and a Goddess)

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #3:
2012 Mt Washington Road Race.

Fast company at the Summit... several US Mountain Running Team members, former Mt Washington Winners, US Mountain Running champs and a World Mountain Running champ. Tommy Manning, Rickey Gates, Jared Scott, Brandy Erholtz, Max King and Jason Bryant.

The rest of the story is that shortly after this photo was made, I saw most of this group and a few other elite runners trot off the summit cone by the Crawford Path. This was a cool down run that mere mortals like myself have a tough time imagining. Rickey Gates made beautiful images of this run and you can find them at rickeygates.com.

I spent another 30 or 45 minutes on the summit. Then I made the slow drive to down the 8 mile auto road. I had to get home, so I dropped off friends at the base for the post race meal catered by good ol' Hart's Turkey Farm. Turning south on Route 16, I approached the long hill just before Wildcat Mountain, two runners were barreling down the shoulder of highway. It was Max King, 2011 World Mountain Running Champion, and Sage Canaday, the winner of today's Mt Washington Road Race. They were just about to finish their cool down in what most folks do as a full day hike. Remarkable people.

See all the photos from this project as they're posted here...
http://www.joeviger.com/PersonalProjects/Mountain-Runners/23860535_jGz2VF

Mountain Runner Portrait Project #2: Kevin Tilton

Kevin Tilton
Summit of Mt. Washington
2012 Mt. Washington Road Race

Kevin talks with the press after finishing the 2012 Mt Washington Road Race 18th overall and the fastest finisher from New Hampshire. Kevin is a member of Team Inov-8 and was on the US Mountain Running team in 2005 that competed in the World Championships in New Zealand.

Mountain Runner Portrait Project 1: Tommy Manning

Tommy Manning
Summit of Mount Washington
2012 Mt. Washington Road Race

I've got a new mountain running photography project going. Photographing mountain races, I've met inspiring, remarkable athletes and fantastic people. I thought it might be fun to capture them standing still for a change.

I'm going to kick it off with this photograph of Tommy Manning from Colorado Springs, Co. Tommy has been on the US Mountain Running team multiple times and will be at the World Championships in Italy again this year. This photograph was made after he placed sixth at the 2012 Mt. Washington Road Race.

I'll be posting more to a gallery at my website in the Projects section. Here's the direct link...
www.joeviger.com/PersonalProjects/Mountain-Runners/238605...