On Foot or on Bike, they Climb Whiteface Mountain

WILMINGTON, N.Y. --- Runners and cyclists will ascend Whiteface Mountain in a pair of races scheduled for June. Runners will climb 3,500 feet up the scenic Whiteface Mountain Veteran’s Memorial Highway during the 32nd Annual Whiteface Uphill Foot Race scheduled for Sunday, June 7, while cyclists will try to tackle New York State’s fifth highest peak during the eighth Annual Whiteface Uphill Bike Race. This almost eight-mile long race is slated for Saturday, June 20.

More than 170 runners from six states and Canada are set to run up Whiteface on June 7. Last year, husband and wife Robert and Kim Douglas, of Honeoye Falls, N.Y., took top honors. Robert Douglas was the top male finisher when he covered the 7.9-mile course in one hour, 3-minutes, and 15-seconds. Kim Douglas beat all the women runners to the top of the Olympic mountain when she clocked a time of 1:21:42. The top runners from this race will also have the opportunity to be crowned King or Queen of the mountain if they choose to compete in the uphill bike event.

Almost 300 cyclists are expected to peddle 7.8 miles up the memorial highway en route to the finish line, and most will do it in less than an hour. The Whiteface Mountain race is also the first of nine events making up the 2009 Bike Up the Mountain Point Series (BUMPS). Cyclists are automatically registered for BUMPS when they participate for any of the nine races, and earn points based on the difficulty of the race and their finish. The cumulative elevation gain for all nine races is more than 27,000 feet.

For the second consecutive year, a portion of each bike racer’s registration will benefit the Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS). Founded in 1982, BIANYS is one of the oldest state affiliates for the Brain Injury Association of America. This non-profit organization advocates on behalf of individuals with brain injury and their families.

A barbeque lunches for racers and spectators will be held at the Wilmington town beach following each race. These races are organized and run annually by the Whiteface Mountain Regional Visitors Bureau and through the efforts of countless volunteers and local businesses. For more information about the 32nd Annual Whiteface Uphill Foot Race and the eighth Annual Whiteface Uphill Bike Race, log on to www.whitefacenewyork.com.