Sacramento Running News

The Mathis were the force behind the Sierra Nevada Trail Runs.

According to a report in the Reno Gazette Journal, around 8:00 PM Friday night, Robert and Linda Mathis were struck and killed while crossing Highway 28, in a painted crosswalk, in Incline Village.

Although they haven’t released details, the Nevada Highway Patrol suspect drug use was involved in the accident. The driver, Christopher Smith,  was arrested and booked into Washoe County Jail on two counts of DUI causing death and failure to yield to a pedestrian.

The Mathis are widely known in the road and ultrarunning community, and Robert Mathis is the race director behind a large number of races, including the River City Marathon and Rock’n River 50.

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While the race website still has no mention of it, the race directors for Saturday’s Rucky Chucky Roundabout sent out an email on Wednesday canceling the event. The email included the following apology:

We are sorry for the inconvenience that this may cause. We had already received the race shirts and had already shopped at Costco for race food today before we received the call.

The question of refunds has come up, but so-far all that race management is offering is a free entry to another of their races.

We are willing to offer a free entry to another one of our 2011 races(except Rock’n River 50).

I have more than a little sympathy for the race directors in this situation, but this has happened once before. Perhaps it’s a little too early in the season for this race at this particular location. (more…)