A former Massachusetts resident returned to New England and dueled one of the Bay State’s most dominant ultrarunners of the past decade at the Vermont 50 while Cambridge’s Sarah Burke secured a victory in the 50K. Additionally, Trail Animals Running Club legend Chris Haley nabbed a 100-mile belt buckle in Arizona, and a pair of local runners took on the Wasatch Mountains in Utah. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Vermont 50, Stagecoach, and TNFEC-Utah
Monthly Archives: September 2017
Spirit of Free to Run on Display at 2017 Race
When the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service played host to the inaugural Free to Run Trail Races in 2015, co-race directors Michael Menard and Jake Dissinger hoped the BURCS could play a small role in helping the Free to Run non-profit organization advance its mission “to use running, physical fitness and outdoor adventure to empower and educate women and girls who have been affected by conflict.”
The BURCS’ little race has come a long way toward fulfilling the running club’s service-oriented mission and that of Free to Run in three short years. Menard and Dissinger need look no further than two of their event’s runners and Free to Run benefactors, Zahra Arabzada and Farahnaz. Both ran the half marathon in 2015, and then Farahnaz again ran the half marathon with sizeable improvement in 2016 while Arabzada bumped up to the marathon distance.
On Saturday, Sept. 16, at the third annual event at Pittsfield State Forest, both Farahnaz and Arabzada joined the ranks of ultrarunners as they completed their first 50-mile races. Continue reading Spirit of Free to Run on Display at 2017 Race
Lawson, Spera are Champs at First Freetown 50K
Mountain bikers made room for trail-runners at the Freetown 50 on Sunday, Sept. 17, in Assonet, Mass., and the two-wheeled and two-legged athletes shared a tough, technical challenge at Freetown-Fall River State Forest. Continue reading Lawson, Spera are Champs at First Freetown 50K
MassUltra Roundup: Pisgah, Forgotten Forest, Boulder Field, and SRT
Local ladies secured the top three places at Pisgah in New Hampshire, Southborough’s Brian Butterfield won the Forgotten Forest 9-Hour in Connecticut, and Bay State residents also took on the Boulder Field 50K in Pennsylvania and SRT 50K in New York during the Sept. 16-17 weekend. All four races are included in this week’s roundup. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Pisgah, Forgotten Forest, Boulder Field, and SRT
Results: Freetown 50K
The inaugural Freetown 50K, a heavy 50K measuring around 35 miles in distance, and its shorter 17.2-mile, one-loop offering took place Sunday, Sept. 17, at Freetown-Fall River State Forest in Assonet, Mass. Continue reading Results: Freetown 50K
Results: Free to Run Trail Races
The third annual Free to Run Trail Races benefiting the Free to Run organization took place Saturday, Sept. 16, at Pittsfield State Forest in Pittsfield, Mass. The event, which was played host to by the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Services (BURCS), featured a 50-mile ultramarathon, as well as marathon and half marathon distances. Continue reading Results: Free to Run Trail Races
MassUltra Roundup: Tahoe 200, Pine Creek Challenge, and a Charity Bike Ride on Foot
One traditional and two non-traditional ultramarathons are featured in this week’s roundup. The Pine Creek Challenge is the traditional 100-miler, thanks to its traditional distance. Two-hundred-milers are a bit more unusual, but Massachusetts ultrarunners took on one of those last weekend. Even more uncommon: running a bike race – but that’s exactly what Belmont’s Scot DeDeo did. Check it out in this week’s roundup. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Tahoe 200, Pine Creek Challenge, and a Charity Bike Ride on Foot
Seven from Massachusetts Run the Alps at UTMB Races
CHAMONIX, France – More than 8,100 runners from around the world flooded into Chamonix on Aug. 28-Sept. 3 for the five ultramarathon races that make up the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc endurance festival that bills itself as the World Summit of Trail-Running.
Included among the thousands of runners were seven from Massachusetts who took part in three of the races. Continue reading Seven from Massachusetts Run the Alps at UTMB Races
MassUltra Roundup: Jay Peak and the Grand Traverse
Four in-state ultramarathons loom on the calendar this month, making it a massive month of ultra options in Massachusetts. That said, the month opened quietly for Bay State runners at out-of-state events. The mountains of Vermont and Colorado called – as did the Alps, which will be covered in another story – with runners taking to the trails at the Jay Peak Ultra and the Grand Traverse. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Jay Peak and the Grand Traverse
MassUltra Roundup: ADK, Tamalpa Headlands, and the Tunxis Trail Ultra
The weekend of Aug. 26-27 was mostly quiet for Massachusetts ultrarunners at out-of-state ultramarathons, but Bay State residents took part in events in nearby New York and Connecticut, as well as out west in California. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: ADK, Tamalpa Headlands, and the Tunxis Trail Ultra
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