XTR Nationals PG 2010:XTERRA USA PRESS GUIDE.qxd.qxd

MEET THE XTERRA TRAIL RUN SERIES CHAMPSLAURIE SCHROEDERGalion, OhioOhio Series ChampionWomen 25-29Age: 28Rundown: Laurie is proof that success can come quickly in trail running.She discovered trail running in March 2010 through research online andstarted entering races shortly after. She competed in all five races in the2010 Ohio Series and placed either first or second in her age group ateach race. She ran cross country and track in high school, but herprimary sport was basketball. She played collegiate basketball atWittenberg University.Personal: She owns an East of Chicago Pizza Co. store in Galion. …She is married with two children. She took up trail running as a way tolose weight after her son was born a year ago.overall female at each of the three races in the 2010 Texas Series. Hermost impressive showing came at the XTERRA Waco Trail Run in May,when she placed second overall, finishing five minutes behind the firstmale runner. Claudia also competes in marathons and triathlons. Shewas the top American female finisher at the Los Angeles Marathon in1997.Personal: She is the founder and head trainer of the “I Run I Tri” trainingprogram based in Austin, Texas. … Because of her “job” demands, sheoften trains several times a day with her clients. … She and her husband,Rob, have two children.TATJANA TROUTLos Gatos, CaliforniaSoCal Series ChampionWomen 40-44Age: 43Rundown: Tatjana won her age group in the 2010 NorCal Series despitehaving to withdraw from the final race in the series due to an asthmaattack. She won her age group at the XTERRA Redwood Peak Trail Run.She entered her first XTERRA trail run in 2009, and finished first in herage group. “Thus, I decided to do more of them (in 2010),” she said.Tatjana is coached by her husband, Jeff Trout, who is a formerchampion triathlete and the triathlon coach at Cal State Sacramento.Personal: She is originally from Vienna, Austria. … She is a foreignlanguage teacher, focusing mainly on French, German and Spanish. …She lists her sponsors as Explorica Educational Travel & Student Tours,Hammer Nutrition and her parents.CLAUDIA SPOONERCedar Park, TexasTexas Series ChampionWomen 40-44ClaudiaAge: 40Rundown: Claudia is expected to contend for an age-group title – andperhaps even the overall female championship – in her first appearanceat the XTERRA Trail Run National Championship. She was the first14GEOFFREY VINCENTBrooklyn, New YorkLong Island Series ChampionMen 55-59Age: 55Rundown: Geoffrey is making his first appearance at the XTERRA TrailRun National Championship. He went undefeated in the 2010 LongIsland Series, winning his age division at all four races. He was an avidroad racer in the 1980s, and qualified for the Boston Marathon in 1982.He took a break from running from 1994-2007. He started trail runningagain in 2009, although his residence makes it difficult to train. “We don’thave too many (trails) in Brooklyn,” he said.Personal: An applications manager and website administrator for theNew York State Unified Court System. … He and his wife, Bunny, haveone son. … A climbing accident kept him away from running for severalyears.