MassUltra Roundup: JFK 50 and Dead Horse Ultras

A light weekend of ultrarunning was on tap in the United States on the final weekend before Thanksgiving, with just a handful of ultras across the country. One race dwarfed them all as the nation’s oldest ultra,the JFK 50, played host to around 1,000 runners in Maryland, including several from New England. Meanwhile, a few others headed West to Utah for the Dead Horse Ultras in Utah. Both races are covered in this week’s roundup.

Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: JFK 50 and Dead Horse Ultras

After VT100 Cancellation, Resilient RD Rusiecki Finds New Ways to Support Vermont Adaptive

Barely a month into the COVID-19 pandemic, Amy Rusiecki’s world as a race director began to crumble.

The first race of the 2020 season that she was slated to direct – the Mt. Toby 50K – was forced to cancel as orders from Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker restricted the size of public gatherings, schools were closed, and businesses statewide largely shut down or transitioned to work-from-home environments. A few weeks later, Rusiecki was forced to cancel the popular 7 Sisters Trail Race as the pandemic worsened. As the year wore on, her three remaining events all were canceled.

Continue reading After VT100 Cancellation, Resilient RD Rusiecki Finds New Ways to Support Vermont Adaptive

MassUltra Roundup: 8 Hours at the Brewery and The Stinger

A light weekend of ultramarathon racing took place on Nov. 14-15, with just a handful of races involving runners from New England. Most who chose to race opted to combine their miles with beers at the inaugural 8 Hours at the Brewery, while another headed to Georgia for a 24-hour track race. Both events are covered in this week’s roundup.

Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: 8 Hours at the Brewery and The Stinger

MassUltra Roundup: Hamsterwheel, Pinhoti, and Whiskey Basin

With three weeks to go until Thanksgiving, only a handful of in-person ultras remained on the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2020 race calendar. A few of them involved New England residents last weekend, including one race that involved a post-race positive test for COVID-19. From New Hampshire to Alabama and Arizona, runners from the region secured hard-earned ultramarathon finishes, and we have them covered in this week’s roundup.

Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Hamsterwheel, Pinhoti, and Whiskey Basin

Frozen Yeti is First 2021 Ultra Canceled Due to COVID-19

The past two weeks have brought encouraging news regarding two COVID-19 vaccines potentially becoming available starting sometime in December for the most vulnerable of the population, with wider availability to the general public possibly by April 2021. Those same two weeks have also brought devastating news that the pandemic is taking its firmest grip yet on the United States with parts of the Bay State beginning to lock back down for the winter.

Continue reading Frozen Yeti is First 2021 Ultra Canceled Due to COVID-19

After Postponement, Chesterfield Gorge Ultra Officially Canceled

When Race Director Amy Rusiecki postponed the Chesterfield Gorge 30-Hour Ultra from May to November, the COVID-19 pandemic had a firm grip on the Northeast. At the time, cautious optimism existed that the region – and the United States as a whole – would do what was necessary to get the pandemic under control and allow some semblance of normalcy to return.

Continue reading After Postponement, Chesterfield Gorge Ultra Officially Canceled

MassUltra Roundup: Javelina Jundred

A frightful 2020 ultrarunning year is nearing its conclusion, and one of the final major races that took place in-person – the annual Halloween party in Arizona known as the Javelina Jundred – took place with pandemic precautions in place from Oct. 29-31. A few runners from New England journeyed to the desert to race, and ultimately earned a trip across the finish line. We have them highlighted in this week’s roundup.

Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Javelina Jundred