Mader Continues Winning Run in XTERRA Alabama Series

Huntsville runner tops field at Monte Sano Trail Run

Brandon Mader of Huntsville continued to out-run the field in the XTERRA Alabama Trail Run Series, winning the XTERRA Monte Sano Trail Run at Huntsville, Ala., on Sunday, Oct. 24.

Mader completed the 9.3-mile course in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 25 seconds. He finished more than a mile ahead of his closest competition, as runner-up Sam Silvey came in at 1:12:47.

"I was satisfied with the effort," said Mader, 26. "When I finished and saw my time, I didn't think it was that great. But then to stand around to wait and see Sam and some of the other guys come in, that's when I realized it was a pretty tough course."

More than 170 runners participated in the event, which was the second race of the 2010-11 season for the XTERRA Alabama Series.

Mader said he purposely started at a fast pace and stayed in front from start to finish. "My plan was to go out pretty hard and run tired at the end," he said. "I kept looking behind, but nobody was there, so I kept pushing myself."

The course featured various uphill and downhill sections, including a steep uphill run of around 300 feet midway through.

"It was quite a bit steeper and longer than I remember," Mader said. "I was practically on my hands and knees. I talked to a lot of people after the race who said they had to walk up that hill."

Silvey, who is from Chattanooga, Tenn., has placed second to Mader at each of the last two races in the Alabama Series. Robert Youngren of Huntsville was third with a time of 1:14:04.

Mader said he is using the Alabama Series as part of his training for the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship at Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii, on Dec. 5.

Mader has been the first overall finisher at each of the last four races in the XTERRA Alabama Series, a streak dating to last season. The Monte Sano Trail Run was the second race of the 2010-11 season for the Alabama Series.

In the women's division, Heather Day of Athens, Ala., made a successful XTERRA debut. In her first try at an XTERRA Alabama Trail Run Series race, she placed first among the women with a time of 1:28:28.

Christy Scott of Owens Cross Roads, Ala., was second in 1:33:56, and Cindy Jackson was third in 1:38:13.

The final race in the 2010-11 Alabama Trail Run Series will be the XTERRA Oak Mountain Trail Run at Pelham, Ala., on Nov. 14. It will be the final chance for runners to earn points for the season.

At the conclusion of the 2010-11 season, the top qualifying runners in each age-group will earn free entry to the 2011 XTERRA Trail Run National Championship.

For complete results from the Monte Sano Trail Run, and information on the upcoming Oak Mountain Trail Run, visit www.dirtyspokes.com or www.xterratrailrun.com.

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