Teva U.S. Mountain Running Team

Athlete Spotlight on Maria Lyn Dalzot
by David Hunt, USMRT.COM Writer
An interview with a member of the first Junior American team to win a Team Medal at the World Mountain Running Trophy
From track to mountain top to school Maria Dalzot is turning heads

As Maria Dalzot crossed the finish line in West Virginia’s recent Big East Cross Country Championships she couldn’t help but think that the course could have used a few more uphill turns. Dalzot, a sophomore at the University, didn’t just place 30th in the Mountaineers championship win [running 21:38 for 6 kilometers] she also placed an amazing 8th overall in the junior’s race at the Mountain Running Trophy held in Saillon, Ovronnaz, Switzerland on September 15, 2007.

The 5 foot 2 phenomenon hailing from Morgantown, W.VA is in just her first competitive year as a mountain runner but the West Virginia speedster has been balancing school with running since nearly grade school.

Now Dalzot boasts not only a top ten finish at a World Championship race she also has the speed to hit 5:06 in the mile and 21:19 at 6 kilometers, as she did at the 2007 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships on November 10th [she finished 31st overall].

Maria Dalzot racing at the 2007 WMRT in Ovronnaz, Switzerland.

Dalzot’s career highlight remains her Mountain Running Trophy finish this fall but with personal records falling as quickly as opponents trying to match her steps, Dalzot is sure to obtain higher goals yet.

As a 4.0 student studying Human Nutrition and Food at West Virginia University Dalzot is also showing that she can handle the balance of school and the grind of daily workouts without breaking a sweat. When Dalzot one day tells her tale to grandkids, she will be able to honestly say she did it going uphill both ways.

As one of the top junior mountain runners on the planet and a collegiate star on the rise, Maria Dalzot is a name you should get comfortable with because you will probably be hearing it a lot in the future. The USA Mountain Running Team was able to catch Dalzot after her 6 kilometer PR in Bethlehem, Pa. Here’s what she had to say:

How does mountain running compare to running college cross country?
I think I have more of an advantage in mountain running because I’m not as much of a speed runner. While a lot of cross country courses have hills, they rely on speed too. I like the hills. Mountain running is more in my zone. I feel like I thrive off of it.

How did it feel to win the Big East Championships this year as a team?
Wow, it was the first time the women’s team won the Big East and we were all really excited. It was nice to score and feel needed on the team [Dalzot placed fourth on the Mountaineer squad]. After all those months of running it certainly felt like it paid off.

Is it tough balancing school with running?
Yes, it’s very tough. I’m stressed out so much of the time but I’ve tried to make it a little bit better this year. Since I knew I was going to the World Trophy Race I tried to schedule a softer academic schedule and I even took some summer classes. For instance, I took chemistry over the summer and some other difficult classes. I think its helping me enjoy school a whole lot better this year. I keep telling myself, “It’s okay to get a B” [Dalzot is a 4.0 student] but of course I try to do as good as I can.

What do you think your best event is on the track?
The longer the race is the better I seem to do. Eventually I want to run a marathon but right now I’m working on getting my mile time down. I figure the lower I get my mile time to the faster it will result

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in the longer distances. The 5,000 meter race is probably my best right now, although I know Coach [Sean Cleary] will probably have me run a 10,000 in the spring.

What type of training do you do to get you ready for mountain races?
I don’t have a whole lot of experience in mountain running and since West Virginia isn’t at altitude [said with a laugh] I’ve only been able to do hill repeats. We went to the Wisp Ski Resort in Maryland this year and Coach had me running hill workouts that would simulate the world course. Those helped me get a better feel for it.

How did you get into mountain running in the first place?
In high school, after the state championships, I would go to Ohio and run the trails there. I got hooked and once I got used to the footing of it I realized there were races and qualifying times for mountain running. It’s just something different, kind of like a sport inside a sport. I like it because it’s intense but friendly. I enjoy the challenge of mountain running.

Any future plans?
Well, I’m taking much of December to build a base and run some mileage, which I tend to do best off of, but after that the main thing is to stay healthy. My main long term goals are to make the women’s mountain running team [open division] in 2010 and eventually make the Olympic Trials in the marathon. I can’t wait to do some specific training for these races.

See more pictures of Maria and the 2007 team on the Photos Page

Athlete Spotlight highlights a current or former member of the U.S. Mountain Running Team. A new athlete will be featured each month. Athlete Spotlight is written by David Hunt, a writer from Fryeburg, Maine who is an avid trail, mountain and road runner.