Annie Connelly
It was only fitting that Annie Connelly’s trip to Ireland included a pair of podium finishes.
The 24-year-old from Anchorage took the win at the Reeks Vertical race and collected a runner-up finish at the Reeks Skyline race the following day.
Connelly’s Irish roots run deep, as her mom, Claire Tooher-Connelly — who first introduced trail running to her children — originally hails from the country.
Growing up, Connelly was one of six kids who often flocked to the mountains to run with Tooher-Connelly. That’s where her love for mountain and trail running first began.
Over the years, Connelly has grown a lengthy resume, which includes being one of the youngest-known runners to conquer the Chugach Front Linkup — a 12-peak route that features over 20,000 feet in climbing. Most recently, Connelly boasted a career-best eighth-place finish at the storied Mount Marathon race.
While she’s previously competed in Ireland, the weather was one of the top-three worst she has run in, which consisted of pelting rain, strong winds, and high humidity.
Annie Connelly during one of her Irish races
“Yet to the Irish crowd, it was just another Saturday,” said Connelly, jokingly.
The Reeks Vertical course featured over 2,500 feet of elevation gain in approximately 2.2 miles of mixed terrain.
Connelly pulled away from her Irish competitors to finish in 46 minutes, 23 seconds to top the women’s field by 83 seconds, placing fifth overall.
But Connelly did not rest on her laurels, heading back into the elements less than a day later at the Reeks Skyline race — a 14.5-mile loop that featured over 6,600 feet of elevation gain, summiting seven peaks in the process.
The boggy conditions proved even more demanding, forcing an alternative route, but for Connelly, no challenge goes unchallenged.
In terms of trails, Connelly describes the routes as a lot more ‘knowing and finding.’
“You’d go to put your foot down and it would continue down another six inches!” said Connelly.
She remained persistent, completing the tumultuous course in 3:59:53 to join winner Ellen Vitting of Ireland as the only women to finish under four hours.
“It was a wild weekend of racing between the weather and the terrain,” said Connelly. “This crew is so hardcore.”
David Norris (photo by Teej Tropsa)
While Connelly was representing Alaskans in Ireland, David Norris cruised to victory in Brighton, Utah.
The four-time Mount Marathon champion and record holder wasted no time after securing his fourth crown in Seward just 11 days prior.
Now based out of Steamboat Springs, Colo., the On-sponsored athlete used his unrelenting ascent to gap his competitors after the first climb.
The 6.2-mile loop course featured over 2,700 feet of elevation gain, reaching heights of over 10,600 feet, accompanied by technical terrain and snowy patches along the route.
Norris continued to pull away, stopping the clock at 1 hour, 6 minutes and 45 seconds — 1:16 ahead of the runner-up finisher.
Third place went to former Alaskan Ali Papillon of Manitou Springs, Colo., while his brother, Bodhi Gross, joined him in the top five. Anchorage’s Skyler Amy — a rising senior and skier at Service High — placed eighth.