And the PA MUT Oscars should go to... Help: please nominate your nominees!

This message is for my fellow USATF Pacific Association members: your help is much needed in identifying who should be nominated for our MUT (Mountain, Ultra, Trail) 2023 season awards!

3 categories:

1. Female MUT Runner of the Year
2. Male MUT Runner of the Year
3. MUT Volunteer of the Year

Let me start with the Volunteer category, VoY, which is not an easy one: while a good number of volunteers may come to mind as we see them helping us at aid stations or they help behind the scene to make races happen, there is another key criteria: be a Pacific Association member in good standing. Needless to say, you don't have to be a member to volunteer so many of our most resourceful volunteers aren't eligible for such a recognition. That still leaves us with 7,600 names in our Association directory, please share your ideas, adding who you would like to be considered in this online form.

The membership requirement is also key for the RoY eligibility. Beyond that one, I identified 6 dimensions to bring more objectivity to the process when I took over the leadership of our Grand Prix and MUT Sub-Committee, which I shared in that 2020 post. They are:

1. Body of Work (MUT): 0-No race result; 3-significant MUT achievements; 5-5 or more significant MUT achievements
2. International / National: 0-No result in international or national competitions; 3-Significant results at international or national level(*); 5-Podium at international competition
3. Pacific Association MUT GP focus: 0-0 PA race/result; 3: 4 or more PA GP results; 5-7 or more PA GP results
4. Performance range: 0-Single distance / format; 3-Significant results in two distinct formats / distance ranges; 5-Significant results across sub-ultra trail, and 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 ultras
5. Historical performance (CR, AGCR, ITRA>800): 0-No CR setting; 3-Some CR setting, or CR-worth/close performances, A few notable ITRA scores (>800 for Men, >700 for Women); 5-Consistent setting of CR / AGCR across body of work, Several high ITRA scores (>850 for Men, >750 for Women)
6. Age graded performance: 0-Too young for age being a factor (20-35); 3-Rocking the Masters division; 5-Still killing it enough to make the podium or top 10

There are still some subjectivity but that framework brings some structure to compare our best local athletes before deciding on this very coveted recognition.

Calling for help because the scouting for nominees is quite a task so let's share the burden with some crowd sourcing. That requires to scan local, national and international results, then cross check with our PA member database. Some of you participating in the Grand Prix reach out from time to time, asking how you can help, here is one opportunity! From the comfort of your couch and keyboard!

Should I add that this is urgent as our award banquet celebration is planned for January 27 and plaques have to be ordered by December 18? Setting the deadline to this Wednesday December 13, but the best time is now!

Ready, set, nominate! Looking forward to receiving your nominations through this online form!