Meet the 2024 Mt. Ashland Endurance Team
This year we are launching our first-ever Endurance Team! This group of mountain athletes will represent Mt. Ashland in a variety of non-snow mountain sports, at events both on and off the mountain. They will help build community and encourage those who are new to the sports. These athletes will host group runs and rides, volunteer at local events, and help with trail maintenance in our area. Meet this awesome group of locals:
Simon Cedeño
Sport: Trail Running
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? Night trail racing! Keeps me sharp, focused, and adds an extra challenge.
Favorite Place to Run? Catwalk Trail going to Mike Uhtoff Trail!
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Falafel Republic
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Rock climbing at Emigrant Lake & reading!
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? Come Together by Urbandwan
What’s your dream race or adventure? Moab 240
Current running kicks? Hoka Speedgoat 5
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? It offers the opportunity to share my love of the mountain and the watershed with my community, and to get people outside and getting after it!!
What races or events will we see you at this year? I’ve got the Reno-Tahoe Odyssey at the end of May, the Teton Ogre adventure race in June, and the Burning Man Ultra in August!
Mike Gallagher
Sport: Trail Running
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? The first trail race I did was the Mt Ashland Hillclimb! I did finish but was so traumatized I didn’t run for almost a year after that experience. Lol 😆.
Favorite Place to Run? The Rogue River trail between Prospect and Union Creek.
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Ruby’s
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Ride dirtbikes, hike, ski and work when I have to.
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? “A love unreal” by Black Label Society
What’s your dream race or adventure? Makenzie River Trail 50k
Current running kicks? Hoka Speedgoat 4
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? Being part of something that brings joy and builds relationships in the community.
Kristen Gast
Sport: Trail Running
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? Running in the watershed, run/hike the summit trail at MT. Ashland, running with the family.
Favorite Place to Run? Snark is my favorite trail!
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Nachos at Gils or the brisket sandwich at Sammich
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? I enjoy weight lifting and Paddle boarding on Emigrant lake
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? Monster by Kanye West
What’s your dream race or adventure? I would love to go back to Wyoming and do some of the trail races there. I also dream about running in Europe along the mountains with my family.
Current running kicks? Nike Zegama
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? I am so excited to continue this next chapter of my fitness journey representing MT.A. Being able to represent Mount Ashland with members of the community and striving to be the best that I can and improve in each and every race. I hope to inspire more mothers to get out and explore the outdoors and the mountain and push themselves to new limits.
Weston Gast
Sports: Trail Running, Mountain Biking
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? I really like to bike on BTI and run on the Summit Trail.
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? I like to bike in the watershed and Mt. Ashland and run at Mt. Ashland and in the watershed.
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? I like the Pastrami Zombie at Sammich.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Play video games and make YouTube videos. And ski.
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? Carnival by Kanye West
What’s your dream race or adventure? I want to run Western States 100.
Current running kicks and bike? My shoes are Salomon Speed cross and my bike is a Giant.
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? So I can get better at the sports I love to do. And to make new friends.
Frank Gray
Sports: Trail Running, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? Mountain Biking the Oregon Timber Trail.
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? Mount Ashland PCT for running. Newport Dude Sweet Trail and Mountain of the Rogue Trails for Mountain Biking
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Tacos and Coke
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Lifting Weights, Roasting Coffee and Fishing.
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? Runin’ Down a Dream–Tom Petty
What’s your dream race or adventure? Bike Packing the Orogensis Route (4500 miles) when finished.
Current running kicks and bike? Road Shoes–Nike Vimero, Trail Shoes–Nike Zegamma; Bikes–MTB–Giant Anthem, Spot Rocker SS; Road/Gravel–Cannondale Synapse, Surley Steamroller SS, Cannondale Topstone
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? Connection with likeminded people and giving back to the trails that I use.
Catherine Malcolm
Sports: Trail Running, Mountain Biking
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? Biking the trails around Bellingham, WA
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? Ashland watershed
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Gil’s
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Spending time with friends/fam and my dog, mini weekend adventures, concerts, escaping to the coast, getting up to anything that’ll expand my mind & worldview
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? Echo by Talisk
What’s your dream race or adventure? Some sort of nutty hut to hut trip, like Ecuador’s Cotopaxi or the Via Valais in the Swiss Alps
Current running kicks? On Cloudsurfers
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? An opportunity to be part of a fun, inspiring community and encourage more people to get outside and explore
Susanne McGraw
Sports: Trail Running, Mountain Biking, Road Cycling
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? I love just getting out on the trails and enjoying the beauty of the shifting seasons, in the water, on the water, or on the trails by foot or bike.
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? Too many favorites to choose just one. Running Grizzly Peak, Table Rock, or coast redwoods. Biking through pear orchards or along the Sterling Mine trail.
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Ruby’s and Gil’s, or Mix bakery.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Cheering on my kids as they live their best lives.
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? Where the Streets Have No Name – U2
What’s your dream race or adventure? Family backpacking in Patagonia.
Current running kicks and bike? Northface Vectiv, Specialized Stumpjumper, Lightspeed Classic
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? A chance to support our gem of a mountain playground and meet fun loving fellow adventurers.
Tim McPherson
Sports: Trail Running, Road Cycling
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? Time and again my favorite experience in trail running is any long run done with a conversational and energetic group- whether that be teammates I’ve known for years or runner I only just met at the trailhead. Nothing is more fun than getting to know people better hours into a trail!
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? Southern Oregon has so many great trails, and the Ashland Watershed hold many of them,
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Best post-run and post-bike food in the Rogue Valley is Clyde’s Corner.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? I compulsively pick up hobbies- outside of running I enjoy photography, watercolor, and fishing.
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? Currently El Perdón- Nicky Jam
What’s your dream race or adventure? Dream race is UTMB, adventure would be a through-hike of the PCT.
Current running kicks and bike? Current shoes are Hoka Rincon’s.
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? The Mt. Ashland Endurance Team is a chance to highlight one of the coolest features of Southern Oregon as well as connect with people who already love or might enjoy trail running and cycling.
Mason Miller
Sport: Trail Running
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? I love to run. It’s just that simple…! Soooo I really like to train on trails, soooo I can be really fast on 5 and 10k road races.! It makes me feel cooooooooooool!
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? So far…!? Mt Ashland. But I have a few Racecations planned for this year….. Sooooo…! Hehehe
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Coconut water, blueberries, Mango.! If. Celebrating…. Mexican Coke cola and Chick-fila chicken biscuit.! I’m a Georgia native.! Soooo Chick- Fila is a religion where I’m from.! Hehehe
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Plant based medicine. I work for The Herb Pharm. The world leader in herbal supplements. I’m also wayyyy too into sneakers. Specifically Air Jordans and Air Max’s.! I also travel a lot!!!
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? Kruangbin, People everywhere
What’s your dream race or adventure? Boston, I’m real close!
Current running kicks and bike? Hehehe ! Vapor flys for roads. Brooks Calledera, Nike Pegasus, Nike trail
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? Hopefully a community of running and healthy lifestyles! I’m honored to be a part of it..!
Matt Mogck
Sports: Trail Running, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? My favorite racing experience was at my first marathon, a small event that started the same time as its sister half-marathon. The furthest I’d ever raced before was a 5k. Not knowing what to expect, I kept the pace easy, dropped a couple hundred positions back from the front, and just ran my own race. I cheered on my competitors, went for every high-five along the way, and generally had a blast taking selfies once per mile with whoever would pose with me. It was miserably hot and humid that day but it was all joyously fun. I finished, collected my participation medal, and was ready to go home when one of the athletes I had run with for a bit told me I should at least check the standings – so many people had dropped or bonked, they thought there was a chance I could have placed well. I rolled my eyes, walked up to the admin booth, and had to pick my jaw up off the floor before I walked out with a gold medal for the 25-30 age bracket. Turns out most of the runners ahead of me were in the half-marathon and the heat meant that hardly anyone who went out fast for the full race had finished. Having no expectations and then performing beyond your imagination is a rare opportunity in sport, and I’ll cherish that one forever. You never know what will happen if you just show up.
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? Anywhere I can reach from my front door. The Mt. A watershed is particularly special.
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Indescriminate carbohydrate inhalation. And Iced Tea
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? I like to climb, ski, and surf. I also like to cook, shoot photos, and draw.
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? “Levitating” by Dua Lipa
What’s your dream race or adventure? Fully human-powered weekend adventure: bike to Mt. Shasta, tag the summit via ski tour, bike back home. About 220mi of gravel, pavement, and snow with around 20k feet of vert. Try to do it in under 48 hours!
Current running kicks and bike? Custom Liv Intrigue 27.5, Marin Gestalt GRX, La Sportiva Akasha II, Nike Terra Kiger
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? It’s a chance to grow in ways I’m not usually pushed to grow as an athlete, and a chance to inspire others to do the same. Competition and showing up and trying really hard is not always easy to do – I think doing it with excitement and vulnerability and compassion can re-write some of the existing historical exclusivity around outdoor recreation and involve more people. Building community around challenging ourselves and supporting one another’s dreams as athletes can have profound impact. I’d like to get better at making that happen, learn what works, and ultimately contribute to building a place where people feel like they belong.
Molly Mullane
Sports: Trail Running, Road Cycling, Gravel Biking
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? The fun is getting to know others passionate about the sport and supporting them. Pushing myself to find limits in racing and the consistency of training.
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? Run – watershed trails – Road bike around the valley
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Chocolate milk.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Gardening, cooking, traveling, hanging with family and friends
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? Dangerous by Big Wave
What’s your dream race or adventure? Going back to Ironman 70.3 world championships, location TBD
Current running kicks and bike? On Cloud surfer and TREK emonda road bike, FELT IA Advanced TT bike
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? It means getting to further enjoy our beautiful area with like minded individuals and support others in their endeavors.
Mike Orgeron
Sport: Gravel Biking
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? The long weekend training rides.
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? Riding around Big Elk in the summer. The roads ride fast and the miles are mellow.
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? After a long day on the bike I like to have a glazed donut from Puck’s waiting for me at the car.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Some of my favorite non-bike activities are spending time with my family, traveling, hiking, and listening to music.
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Rattlesnake
What’s your dream race or adventure? Doing the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder is high on my list.
Current running kicks and bike? Lauf Seigla
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? It’s a way to build community.
Tanner Vannice/Sayers
Sport: Trail Running
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? There is nothing quite like summitting a mountain and looking at where you started.
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? Forrest Park Jackson Oregon
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Whenever in Ashland it’s Rubys!
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Reading or watching movies
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? Ventura Highway
What’s your dream race or adventure? UTMB
Current running kicks and bike? Nike Wildhorse 7
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? It’s an amazing way to come as a collective and connect with the trail community in the Rogue Valley.
Austin Wallace
Sport: Trail Running
Favorite Training or Racing Experience? My favorite training is on our local trails! My favorite loop is from my place in town, up Bandersnatch and the loop road to Lamb Saddle, then back down Red Queen. Tied for second favorite is running on the PCT on the mountain. My favorite race was SOB 50K, specifically last year. My favorite “for fun” training is when I take the cross country kids on a long training run through town and up into the Watershed trails!
Favorite Place to Run or Bike? Watershed and Mt. A
Favorite Post-Run Eats/Drinks? Pizza!
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not running? Being with friends and family, traveling, reading, writing, learning new things.
You can only have 1 song on your running playlist. What is it? I Don’t Get Tired by Kevin Gates
What’s your dream race or adventure? 100 miler in Oregon or the Southwest
Current running kicks and bike? Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3, Hoka Challenger 7, and Nike Pegasus. Gotta rotate!
What does the Mt. Ashland Endurance Team mean to you? Being on the team is a huge motivator to push myself and fully invest as an athlete. I want to use the opportunity to see what I can accomplish. It also means that I can bring these experiences from the team to inspire the runners I coach as we expand the community and get young folks fired up to run and be in the mountains.