This is about a month old now, but wanted to make sure folks saw that Scott McCoubrey was named the USATF Mountain/Ultra Contributor of the year.
For those of us who know Scott, the only thing surprising about this award is that it took so long for it to come his way. Additionally, those of us who know Scott also recognize this is really an award for both Scott & Liz McCoubrey…as it’s the tandem that does so much for our sport her in the Pacific Northwest. Clearly, the things Scott (& Liz) does for ultra/trail running here in the Seattle/Puget Sound area is unmatched. They (along with their trusty Aussie Jack) support/sponsor/direct many of the top races in the region:
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JAN. 12, 2008 |
Bridle Trails Winter Trail Running Festival (5 miles, 10 miles, 50K, relay) |
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APR. 26, 2008 |
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MAY 17, 2008 |
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JUNE 14, 2008 |
Vasque Cougar Mountain Trail Running Series (7.5 Miles) |
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JUNE 29, 2008 |
Mountains to Sound (100-mile adventure relay) |
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JULY 12, 2008 |
Vasque Cougar Mountain Trail Running Series (10 Miles) |
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JULY 26, 2008 |
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AUG. 9, 2008 |
Vasque Cougar Mountain Trail Running Series (13 Miles) |
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NOV. 30, 2008 |
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Dec. 2008 |
And, Scott’s been known to go way above & beyond the normal call of duty in making sure these races go off without a hitch. Back in 2006, when severe wind storms knocked out power in the Puget Sound for the days/weeks leading up to the Bridle Trails run, Scott & a team of recruits cleared the course by hand. The Seattle PI had a great story on this, that’s worth checking out.
In addition to sponsoring races, Scott is also a great supporter of runners. The Teva US Mountain Running team blog has a great summary of the impact that McCoubrey has had in this regard:
Trail runners with previous or current ties to the Seattle Running Company include Ian Torrance, Phil Kochic, Krissy Moehl, Hal Korner, Brian Morrison, Greg Crowther, and Uli Stidl. McCoubrey has played a roll in the success of these and many, many other trail runners.
Personally, I’ve seen how far Scott is willing to go to help an athlete. When I convinced Adam Lint, an up-and-coming ultra-star and fellow IUP runner, to move out to Seattle so he could train with the Seattle Running Company folks, Scott offered him a job at the store to help support him. I’m sure there are dozens of stories like this out there.
It’s clear Scott’s impact extends far beyond Seattle as well. One day this summer while I was sitting at Hayward Field watching the US Olympic Track & Field Trials, I wore a Seattle Running Company shirt. I must have had a dozen people notice my shirt and walk over to ask “How’s Scott doing” or to ask me to “say HI to McCoubrey” for me.
So, a belated Congratulations to Scott! And, a much overdo “THANK YOU” for all that you do trail/Ultrarunning in the Northwest.
As always, it was muddy & mucky and just plain fun.
