Zsuzsanna Carlson - I was born in Hungary and came to the US when I was 19 years old. I put on 70 lbs, became a chain smoker and drank way too much. I made the decision to lose the weight, to quit drinking, stop smoking and I started running that same week, which is now10 years ago.

I did my first ultra marathon race, the Cape Cod Frozen Fat Ass 50k  4 years ago and I truly fell in love. I do a lot of road running still  but I LOVE the trails and the ultra running community.  Since I made the change for the better, I have completed eleven 50k's, five 50 milers, five 100k’s  and three 100 milers. My favorite race is the Escarpment Trail Run in NY. I am looking forward to the 2011 season!

Joe Azze - Having always ran to keep my fitness level high for football & wrestling, I always found myself creating an adventure during my runs by running through yards, wooded areas, climbing any major hill I could find and even searching for streams to run to see where they would take me. It wasn’t until 2001, when I was 21 after moving back from California that I found myself standing at the trail head in Ramapo Reservation. From that day on, 90% of my running is on trails. The only time I find myself running on a road is when I am connecting parks & trails to each other or just running to get around. The natural progression for me was adventure racing. I competed in several day long adventure races as well as sprint races. Its hard for me to focus on 1 discipline at a time because I enjoy so many sports and the adventures that each brings to the table.

Along with being a member of the Mountain Peak Fitness/Campmor Trail Running Team, I am also on the Blue Ribbon-Translations Road Cycling Team, the Campmor Mountain Bike Team, husband to Elizabeth Carrion and a co-owner of Mountain Peak Fitness.

Laura Swift -  I was born and raised in Canada and played soccer growing up. I began running recreationally during my first year of University to stay active and fit. It wasn't until I had completed graduate school and moved to New Jersey that I began to run more seriously. I joined a local running club and soon started road racing. Some members of the club were familiar with local trails so one weekend they took me for a run at Watchung Reservation. It was love at first run! I registered for my first 50K, the HAT run in March of 2010. When I finished I only craved more. Running on trails became a regular activity, and I begged people to take me to trails I had never seen before. Trail running is my escape from the intense pace of life in New Jersey. I can get completely lost in my surroundings and gain energy from the beauty that surrounds me. 

Since that first 50K, I have run 2 trail marathons, 3 - 50Ks, and my first 50 miler. I am starting this year with a great team of people and I am so excited for what 2012 has in store!

Leonard Huffman - I have been running for many years on the trails and road. I enjoy competing in races of all distances, from a 5k’s to a 100 miler. However, I do prefer to compete in races in the half marathon range. When I want to challenge myself physically & mentally I head out to tackle the ultra distances.  Nothing is better then being out in the woods and running the trails.  Running allows me to challenge myself every day. There is always another hill to climb, trails to explore or miles to tick off . 2 years ago I turned my passion of fitness into a career and became a certified personal trainer & now work at a corporate fitness center. In my spare time I enjoy cycling, hiking & judo.

Chris Focacci -  Chris started seriously training a little over two years ago when a co-worker convinced him to sign up for the NYC Triathlon.  Since completing that triathlon in the summer of 2009, he has transitioned to longer endurance events, completing numerous trail 50K’s, other longer distance triathlons, and even running a six-day stage race in the Colorado Rockies.  In an effort to connect the growing local trail running community, Chris with the support of other local runners, created the NJ Trail and Ultra Runners website, with the goal of promoting trail and ultra running in the NJ area through weekly group runs and an online forum.  Chris’ race goals for 2011 include completing his first 100 mile race, becoming more competitive in shorter ultra distances, and trying his hand at off-road triathlons.

Allison Newell - Originally from the West Coast, I moved to NYC in 2007 with my fiance for his work. Growing up out West I ran the trails (for fun) throughout Southern & Northern California, and Idaho in the summers. Not knowing the NY area at all when we moved here I spent LOTS of time in Central Park, which obviously became a bit redundant and frankly, annoying. I never thought there could be so many people running, biking, roller blading and just cruising around in one location at one time. Anyway, after getting married in 2008 I realized that it was time to get back on the trails and I searched out Elizabeth and Mountain Peak Fitness.

Elizabeth and fellow-teammate Tahir took me for a run in Harriman State Park in November 2008 and I was hooked on East Coast trail running. Even though my performance was pretty poor that first run, Elizabeth and Tahir made me feel like I was part of a 'team' from day one and I started to join them for runs throughout Harriman and Bear Mountain State Park and decided that I would enter the world of ultra trail racing. That year I ran the North Face 50K at Bear Mountain and placed 5th in the women's group. In August of 2009 I traveled to Colorado for the Transrockies run, a 6 day 115 mile stage race from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek.  My teammate and I made it through Day 5 and had to pull out due to a teammates injury. That experience has made me only more motivated to get back there and finish it!

Phil Germakian - I began running after graduating from college as a way of keeping in shape, but my love for the sport quickly grew.  In 2007, I ran my first 5K road race and was immediately hooked.  Soon after, my love for nature attracted me to the trails, and over time I transformed myself into a trail-runner.  In 2008, I finished my first Ultra, The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 mile, before ever running a marathon.  In 2010, I finished my first 100K and attempted my first 100 mile trail race.  My goals are to keep pushing my limits as an endurance athlete and to continue having adventures for many years to come.  

Phil is putting on a race in April called the Lost Brook Trail Race, click here for more information & to register.

Elizabeth Carrion Azze -  My love affair with the wooded paths started at the age of 13 when I joined the JV cross country team. I ran on the cross country, track and indoor track team throughout High school and continued to play soccer which was an early passion of mine in college. I spent a year in Massachusetts where my love for the outdoors really flourished. I majored in health & fitness with an exercise science option and became president of the earth club. From here my passion for nature and its preservation became paramount.

My adventurous spirit and lust for the outdoors led me to the great state of Alaska. I arrived in Alaska in 1995 and ended up living there for 8 years. While in Alaska I structured my life around adventure, adventurous people and my studies. I went there with an, “I will try anything outdoorsy attitude” and I did. For eight years I lived a life of true adventure, I gained my experience through mountaineering, ice climbing, skiing, mountain biking and of course running the trails. Running has always been my number one constant in my life. Combine running with nature and its grandeur and all I have to say is awesome. My running shoes have taken me to the tops of the alps to the fjords of Norway, to the New York city streets and who knows where they will take me next. For now I will continue with my running pursuits & professional coaching & training business here in New Jersey and lead this team along with my husband to a higher level of training and wellness. Train smart and let your joy for the sport lead the way. read more.

Tahir Thomas - Growing up no one around me showed any interest in the outdoors, except for my Mom. We loved walking through neighborhood parks together. But in my heart I always felt a need to be submerged in the outdoors. Then I fulfilled that need by hiking with my older sister in Ramapo in 1995. From that I picked up mountain biking in 1998. Started mountain bike racing in 2008 where I met lots of cool people...amongst them Joe Azze who has always been and is a great model athlete whom I am always inspired by. He and I started trail running together, sometimes right after a three hour mountain bike ride.

I had always been a runner from my days of high school football and wrestling days. Trail running for me has become one of my definitions of FREEDOM. I believe the trails and the elements are alive and love to be challenged whether on bike or foot. I find being within nature during physical exertion brings a renewed energy to my body and spirit. I am excited to be a part of a team who wants to bring the trail running community together and shed light on the the importance of conserving our trails for our future outdoor enthusiast.

The trails are always alive...whether its midnight on a hot summer night or on a snowing, high wind morning at 20 degrees, the outdoors always loves your company.

Tom Haines -  I’m married to Sarah and father of two girls: Yasmin 11 and Liana 7. Been a runner for several years but only really got into the trails since the move to this trail-abundant country in June 2009 from Singapore. I work as a flavourist for Symrise - a flavour and fragrance company.

Trail Running is the one sport that I can do where I don't have to rely on anyone and no-one relies on me. My performance is 100% my responsibility and what I do doesn't affect anyone else’s performance. I can run when I want, wearing what I want and pretty much wherever I want. Pure freedom! We also have some amazing trails here. The Appalacial trail on a Winters day is majestic and rivals many of the more famous venues in the US. We are blessed with large number of parks and reservations and all live within a short distance of one. I regularly run trails at my local reservation, Watchung. I've run it at least 30 times in the last year but never tire of it - each time I run there it looks different.

My planned races are the usual NJ Trail Series Races: Mountain Madness, NJ100, etc. Plus the Philadelphia 100 and again the ThunderRun 24Hr solo race in Derbyshire, UK. In 2012 I'm hoping to celebrate my 40th Birthday with the JOGLE in UK. This is a 860mile (16day) run from the most Northerly to the most Southern point of the UK. 2011 will be focused on preparation for this.

How much further could I run? I don't know. Its fun to find out....

Iliana Dimitrova - 37, NYC, Corporate accountant - I re-discovered running in August 2008. Kicked asphalt in 2009 (15+ NYRR races). Ran my first 50K (a technical trail race) before running a marathon. BQed on my one and only attempt at the Phily marathon and looked for another challenge - ultrarunning. My first 50M was 10 months after the first half, and a month later I ran my first 100 miler! Too much, too soon! - I learned this the hard way by getting injured during the 100M (medial tibial stress syndrome) and had to take off of running for three months. I biked during the time off, and unbeknownst to me I managed to break my shoulder and crack two ribs while mountain biking the Kokopelli Trail. The MD @ the race thought I'd a pulled muscle and so did I for two months, till I finally made it to my doc. who is use to my adventures and was only a bit surprised that I didn't show up at his office sooner after the fall. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is my fav book and it's funny that my favorite quote is the same as Christian's - "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming--"Wow! What a Ride!"

Julian Vicente - Witnessing my wife train for and complete the Boston Marathon in 2006 is what inspired me to run.  I soon started pounding the pavement and training for shorter distance events while gradually building my fitness level to complete my first marathon in 2008.  After years of suffering from asthma & eating anything in sight, I adapted  to a vegetarian then Vegan diet in 2009 and discovered a new level of endurance, recovery, fitness and health.   Discovering the trails in my backyard at Ramapo Reservation,  Norvin Green & Harriman have become part of my daily routine and I can’t get enough of what nature’s playground has to offer.  2011 has been a great year...  my passion for running has enabled me to place 1st @ the Long Haul 50mi & Mountain Madness 50k as well as complete the North Face NY & DC 50 miler, the Muddy, Boston & Mardi Gras Marathons, NJ Ultra festival 50mile, Vermont 100mile, Escarpment 30k,  Lost Brook 10m and several fat ass style events.   I’m looking forward to a new season of fast races, peaceful long runs, plenty of sweat and many new friendships.  Running for MPFit / Campmor Trail Running Team is going to be a great adventure!

Randy Miller - I have been trail running since 2006.  After spending three years competing in Ironmans it was time for me to return to the two things I love the most; running and the woods.  In the past 4 years I have competed in distances from 50K to 100 milers and even took a stab at a 24 hour event.  I enjoy the type of people who participate in ultras and the challenges of each race.  I hope I am still out there racing when I am in my 80's.  I think I am the old fart on the Team so I hope I can keep up with the young'ns.

Randy will be competing in the North Face 50 in Bear Mtn, the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run and several other local ultras.