In only her second attempt at racing uphill, Colorado Springs runner Shannon Payne scored one of the biggest prizes in mountain running on Saturday, winning the Mount Washington Road Race in New Hampshire.
With the win, Payne, who runs for the Boulder Running Company/Adidas elite team, has qualified for the USA team that will compete in the World Mountain Running Association Long Distance Challenge at the Pikes Peak Ascent on Aug. 16.
Her finishing time was not available.
Joe Gray, the defending USA Mountain Running champion who lives and trains in Colorado Springs, made it a sweep for area runners, covering the brutally steep 7.6-mile course in 59:10 to capture the men's title.
Gray had already qualified for Team USA and the WMRA's Long Distance Challenge race at Pikes Peak, but has not committed to the team.
In her first attempt at a mountain ascent race, Payne caught the attention of the mountain-running communities with her win at the Black Canyon Ascent last month, missing the race record by seconds. Kim Dobson holds the women's Pikes Peak Ascent record (2:24:58.)
Payne and Gray will race at the USA Mountain Running Championships at Loon Mountain Resort on July 6. The top runners there will qualify for the USA World Mountain Running Championship teams.