Boalsburg, PA, October 16. Todd Braje and Devon Crosby-Helms, a pair of northern Californians, were winners of the Tussey MOUnTaiNBACK 50 Mile, which served as the USATF National Championship. Racing with good weather, a bit breezy with a high temperature of 63F, both Braje and Crosby-Helms set new course records in notching their wins.
Men
1. Todd Braje, 34, Arcata, CA, 5:43:19 (new course record, old record 5:48:34 by Eric Grossman, 2008)
2. David James, 32, Somers, NY, 5:52:32
3. Howard Nippert, 44, Pembroke, VA, 6:07:43
4. Andrew Bartle, 33, Pittsburgh, PA, 6:11:46
5. Mark Godale, 40, Aurora, OH, 6:17:03
Women
1. Devon Crosby-Helms, 28, San Francisco, CA, 6:28:44 (new course record, old record 6:36:16 by Anne Riddle Lundblad, 2007)
2. Connie Gardner, 47, Medina, OH, 7:24:58
3. Jaquelyn Jackman, 32, Warick, RI, 7:38:32
4. Diana Widdowson, 44, Conesta, PA, 7:55:06
5. Kathleen Cusick, 35, Knoxville, TN, 8:32:44
Photo: Devon Crosby-Helms winning the Lake Sonoma 50 in March (John Medinger photo)