Three outstanding veterans of the Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race will be honored on June 15 by their induction into the Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of Fame. In a ceremony following this year’s running of the all-uphill footrace, the Mount Washington Road Race Hall of Fame will pay tribute to the achievements of Sumner Brown of Belmont, Mass., Fred Ross of Vernon, Vt., and Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley of Chaplin, Conn. Each has enjoyed a long and exceptionally distinguished career as a competitor in this race to the summit of the highest peak in the northeastern United States.

The Hall of Fame committee and race organizers will also honor two new members of the 300-Mile Club, Gaeton Breton of Sherbrooke, Quebec, and Keith Woodward, of Stowe, Vt., for having completed the race 40 or more times.

The 2019 Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race, which starts at 9 a.m., attracts 1300 runners who will make their way for 7.6 miles up the 158-year-old Auto Road. The Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of Fame was formed in 2010 to recognize outstanding performers in, and contributors to, the race.

Sumner Brown, 75, of Belmont, Mass., has been highly successful in his long history at Mt Washington and has clocked a lifetime personal best for the race of 1:10:53. He set the age-group record for men ages 45-49 in 1989, lowed it the next year, and then smashed the age 50-54 record in 1994 when he placed 18th overall in 1:12:27 – a record that stood for 15 years. In subsequent years he set the 55-59-year age group record, ran the second-fastest time ever in the 60-64-year age group, and, in 2009, broke the record for the 65-69-year age group. He holds the single-age record for age 63 and the fourth fastest time ever in the highly competitive 65-69 age group. Between 1984 and 2010 he finished the race 25 times. Most impressively, he has recorded eleven finishes on Mt. Washington in under 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Fred Ross III, 71, Vernon Vt., has recorded the most finishes of anyone in the history of the race with 42, and he became the first member of the race’s 300-Mile Club. Ross also has the longest active streak of consecutive finishes with 41. In 2017 and 2018 he was the top finisher in the 70-74-year age group. He has also directed races including the Mt Equinox race, which was held in the 1970’s and gave runners a chance to tune up for Mt Washington. Fred’s connection to the race (and the mountain) run deep. He proposed to his wife at the finish of the race, and they later married at the Tip Top House, at the mountain’s summit. Fred is also a multi-time participant in Alton Weagle Day that takes place each Memorial Day weekend at the Auto Road.

Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley, 68, of Chaplin Conn., ran the race 16 times between 1998 and 2018, regularly dominating the competition in her age group. She set the record for the 45-49-year age group in 1998 and again in 1999 (1:23:54), and for ages 50-54 in 2001, 55-59 in 2006, and 60-64 in 2011 and 2012. She holds the record for the 65-69-year age group, which she set in 2016 at 1:40:29 and then broke in 2018 with her time of 1:40:26. She also holds the single-age records for ages 55, 64, 66, and 67. Of the 16 times she raced, she placed first in her age group 13 times, finishing second twice to three-time Mt. Washington champion and Hall of Fame member Jacqueline Gareau (2000, 2005) and once to Gareau’s fellow Canadian and top age group runner Louise Voghel (2015).

The Mount Washington Road Race Hall of Fame (MTWHOF) recognizes athletic performance in the Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race or efforts to assist the race or promote it. Consideration is given to athletes, advocates, race staff members and volunteers. Inductees are chosen by a vote of the Hall of Fame committee and Hall of Fame members from a list of nominees compiled by December 31 of the preceding year.

The Hall of Fame committee also oversees the 300-Mile Club, which was created in 2018 to recognize runners who have completed 40 or more Mt Washington road races. Gaetan Breton, 71, of Sherbrooke Quebec, and Hall of Fame member Keith Woodward, 68, of Stowe, Vt., who also was the race’s overall winner in 1983, completed their 40th race in 2018 and become the second and third members of the 300-Mile club.

The Saturday afternoon Hall of Fame induction will precede the race’s award ceremony. The induction ceremony will start at 1 p.m. in the large tent at the base of the Auto Road, on Route 16 just north of Pinkham Notch. The public is invited.

2018 Mount Washington Road Race Hall of Fame class announced and new 300-Mile Club created!
May 2, 2018

Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race
Mt. Washington Auto Road
June 16, 2018 – 9 a.m.
&
9th Annual Mount Washington Road Race Hall of Fame Induction
Saturday, June 16 — 1 p.m.

Race’s Hall of Fame honors Joseph Gray & Charlotte Lettis

•May 2, 2018 — Pinkham Notch, NH
The Mount Washington Road Race Hall of Fame
Formed in 2010 to recognize outstanding performers in and contributors to this footrace to the summit of the highest peak in the northeastern United States, the Hall of Fame this year will pay tribute to the achievements of two runners in a ceremony at the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road on Saturday, June 16. The ceremony will take place after the 2018 Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race, which starts at 9 a.m. The race attracts 1300 runners who will make their way up the 157-year-old Auto Road.
Joseph Gray (Age 34, Colorado Springs, CO) is a four-time winner of the race, having taken the top spot in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. He holds the state record for both Colorado (58:15, in 2015) and Washington (60:33 in 2012). He set the single-year records for age 30, 32, and 33 with times of 59:09, 58:17, and 58:57. All of his finishes have been in the top five: four first, two second, two third, and one fourth place. His 2016 time stands as the American men’s record for the race. In addition to his impressive performances at Mount Washington Gray has been a 19-time U.S. Mountain team member and an 11-time national champion. In 2016, he won the World Mountain Running Championships in Sapareva Banya, Bulgaria.

Charlotte Lettis (Beaverton, OR) was the first official women’s finisher in the race. She won Mt. Washington in 1972, making the 7.6-mile ascent up the Auto Road in one hour 40 minutes 8 seconds. In 1975, she ran again, placing second in 1:46:40. In addition to her groundbreaking performance at Mt Washington, she was a national class runner in the mile and the 1,500, qualifying for the 1976 Olympic trials. An early leader in the movement to recognize women’s running not only as a fitness exercise but as top-level athletic competition, she produced a 2005 documentary about how women’s distance running had evolved over the last 50 years.

The Mount Washington Road Race Hall of Fame (MTWHOF) recognizes athletic performance at the MWRR or efforts to assist the Race or promote it. Consideration is given to athletes, advocates, race staff members or volunteers. Inductees are chosen by a vote of the Hall of Fame committee from a longer list of nominees compiled by December 31 of the preceding year.

The MTWHOF committee also oversees the 300-Mile Club, which recognizes runners who have completed 40 or more Mt Washington road races. The 300-Mile Club was created in 2018. We are pleased to announce the first member of the club!
Fred Ross (age 71, Vernon VT) has the most finishes in the history of the race with 41. He also has the longest active streak of consecutive finishes with 40. In 2017 he was the top finisher in the 70+ age group. In addition to racing he has also directed races including the Mt Equinox race, which was held in the 1970’s and gave runners a chance to tune-up for Mt Washington. Fred’s connection to the race (and the mountain) run deep. He proposed to his wife at the finish of the race, and they later married at the Tip Top House, at the mountain’s summit. Fred is also a multi-time participant in Alton Weagle Day that takes place each Memorial Day weekend at the Auto Road.
The Saturday after

noon Hall of Fame induction will precede the race’s award ceremony. The induction ceremony will start at 1 p.m. in the large tent at the base of the Auto Road, on Route 16 just north of Pinkham Notch.
The public is invited.

 Northeast Delta Dental

Mount Washington Road Race

Mt. Washington Auto Road

June 17, 2017 – 9 a.m.

&

8^th Annual Mount Washington Road Race Hall of Fame Inauguration

Saturday, June 17 — 1 p.m.

 Race’s Hall of Fame honors John T. Cederholm    

• The 2017 Mount Washington Hall of Fame inductee:
• Formed in 2010 to recognize outstanding performers in and contributors to this footrace to the summit of the highest peak in the northeastern United States, the Hall of Fame this year will pay tribute to the achievements in a ceremony at the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road on Saturday, June 17. The ceremony will take place after the 2017 Northeast Delta Dental Mount Washington Road Race which starts at 9 a.m. The race attracts 1300 runners who will make their way up the 156-year-old Auto Road.
• May 1, 2017 — Pinkham Notch, NH
•  

John T Cederholm – Has not only won the race but shown incredible longevity. He won the race in 1973 in his first attempt, and went on to finish five times in the top ten from 1973 to 1978.  His five top 10 overall finishes ranks 15^th all-time. He has run the race 33 times which ranks 14^th all-time and has a PR of 1:08:26.  He has run sixteen times under 1:20 which ranks tied for 10^th and under 1:15 ten times which ranks tied for 15^th.  In 1973 he set the then AGR for 30-34 (1:08:26).  In 1988 he set the then AGR for 45-49 (1:15:05).  At age 60 he set a then top ten age group time of 1:31:07.  His 1:44:55 in 2008 ranks 34^th fastest person in the 65-69, and his 1:52:59 in 2013 ranks 10^th fastest person in the 70-74.

The Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of Fame recognizes athletic performance at the MWRR or efforts to assist the Race or promote it. Consideration is given to athletes, advocates, race staff members or volunteers.   Inductees are chosen by a vote of the Hall of Fame committee from a longer list of nominees compiled by December 31 of the preceding year.

The Saturday afternoon Hall of Fame induction will precede the race’s award ceremony. The induction ceremony will start at 1 p.m. in the large tent at the base of the Auto Road, on Route 16 just north of Pinkham Notch.

The public is invited.

Regularly updated information about the Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of Fame is available any time on the website at: http://mwrrhalloffame.com/

Other HOF sites include: Facebook (facebook.com/mwrrhof), Twitter  (twitter.com/mwrrrecords) and the Records/Hall of Fame blog (mtwashingtonrecords.blogspot.com ). For other information about the race, visit www.mountwashingtonroadrace.com.

The 2016 Mount Washington Hall of Fame inductees:

Francis Darrah – won the race in the first two years it was held (1936 & 1938). He broke his own course record in 1938 running a 1:15:28. He is one of only nine people who have ever held the course record at Mt Washington.  He is also one of the three men in the history of the race to set the course record multiple times, the others Hall of Fame members Bob Hodge and Gary Crossan.

George Etzweiler – is the oldest finisher (95 in 2015), and finished eight times between the age of 85 and 95. All of his times rank between 7th and 34th for 80+ runners.  He is the only runner over age 88 to finish the race.  He currently owns eight single-age records (85,86,87,89,91,92,93,95).  He also holds the 85-89 Age Group Record (AGR) (2:33:20), 90-94 AGR (2:48:25) and 95+ (3:28:41) AGR.

Cathy Hodgdon – had three consecutive wins from 1980-1982. Her three times averaged 1:24:07.  Cathy holds the single age record for age 22 with her 1:22:57 in 1981.  That record is the second oldest women’s record in existence. In 1980 she set the 20-24 AGR (1:26:24) which she lowered in 1981 (1:22:57) and lowered again in 1982 (1:22:10).