The 2017 ultrarunning season in Massachusetts opened under a winter storm alert on Saturday, Jan. 7, in Topsfield, Mass., as runners raced to complete 50 kilometers before a heavy dose of fluffy falling snow blanketed the area.

Temperatures hovered around 17 degrees and a snowstorm inched closer as approximately 100 runners toed the starting line at Bradley Palmer State Park. Snow began pelting runners within the first few hours of the event, and ultimately a few inches blanketed the course by the time the day was done. Conditions weren’t particularly treacherous for running, however the drive home was a much different matter.

A dozen runners completed the 50K distance, and 15 more earned credit for a marathon before heading home in blizzard-like conditions.

Jeff Ingalls, 46, of Newburyport, Mass., was the overall winner in the 50K with a time of 4:05. Tom Dmukauskas, 41, of Somerville, Mass., was the runner-up in 4:23, narrowly edging 53-year-old Waban, Mass., resident Dima Feinhaus who took third in 4:24. Rowly Brucken, 48, of Northfield, Vt., was a close fourth in 4:26.

Melissa Jaynes, 36, of Rowley, Mass., was the lone female finisher as she finished the 50K in 6:29.

50K Results

Place; Name, Age; City, State; Time

1 Jeff Ingalls, 46; Newburyport, MA; 4:05

2 Tom Dmukauskas, 41; Somerville, MA; 4:23

3 Dima Feinhaus, 53; Waban, MA; 4:24

4 Rowly Brucken; Northfield, VT; 4:26

5 Gregory Lowe, 52; Ipswich, MA; 4:31

6 Matt Adams, 43; Beverly, MA; 4:49

7 William McElroy, 40; Portsmouth, NH; 5:06

8 Tim Finke, 40; Goffstown, NH; 5:20

9 Dag Holmboe, 58, Hamilton, MA; 5:24

10 Brian Walfield 54, Saugus, MA; 5:58

11 Craig Christopher; 6:20

12 Melissa Jaynes, 36; Rowley, MA; 6:29