MassUltra Roundup: Last Skier Standing and Black Canyon Ultras

February is traditionally one of the quietest months of the ultrarunning calendar, especially here in New England. Sure, several folks were willing to endure the sub-zero conditions of the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra, but many of them were decked out in ski gear to combat the temperature. That made sense since … well … it’s still ski season. More than 100 New Englanders took that to heart during the Feb. 10-11 weekend when they took part in the fourth edition of the Last Skier Standing ultra ski race in Rumford, Maine. Additionally, several New Englanders took part in the Snow Devil Snowshoe Ultra 100-miler and 100K on Feb. 10-11 in Vermont and the Endurance Society’s Frigus Snowshoe Festival 30-Hour Ultra on Feb. 17-18 in New York, though results were unavailable for either event as of this posting. Not content to stick around the Northeast for winter ultra action, a number of New Englanders headed to Arizona on Feb. 18-19 to take on the trails of the Sonoran Desert at the Black Canyon Ultras. A bit of cold weather action and some warm weather fun are featured in this edition of the roundup.

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Forged in Florida: Chance Meeting Sets Stage for Showdown at Frozen Yeti

WESTWOOD, Mass. – Gordon Collins knows the questions that are about to come his way. He hasn’t been prepped for the interview or told what he’ll be asked in advance. But come on, how could he not anticipate being asked about the most obvious detail about the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra?

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MassUltra Roundup: Rocky Raccoon and Golden Gate

February is traditionally one of the quietest months of the ultrarunning calendar, especially here in New England. Sure, several folks were willing to endure the sub-zero conditions of the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra, but beyond that the ultrarunning calendar is mighty quiet. Still, while folks were battling the cold at the Frozen Yeti, there were several New Englanders who opted for warmer climates to race during the Feb. 4-5 weekend. A handful of New Englanders raced the Rocky Raccoon 100-miler in Texas and another competed at a 50K in California’s Bay Area. We have them covered in this edition of the roundup.

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From Ice to Nice: Sub-Zero Temps Give Way to Warmth at Frozen Yeti

WESTWOOD, Mass. – Katya Divari’s eyes were locked on the narrow segment of singletrack trail. One last downhill, a final web of tangled tree roots and a quick uphill awaited her as she closed in on the finish line at Powissett Lodge. She made quick work of the descent, danced deftly through the roots and then paused before the final climb. The sun warmed the left side of her face as she spread her arms and looked up toward the blue sky above.

“Can you believe it?” Divari asked, a smile gracing her face. “So much better than yesterday.”

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Results: TARCtic Frozen Yeti

The Trail Animals Running Club played host to its fourth running of the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra and 15-mile night trail race on Feb. 4-5 at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass. Runners in the ultra were treated to the coldest Frozen Yeti on record as a historic cold snap blasted the region, leading to a -9 degree Fahrenheit temperature at the start with -28 degree wind chill. Ultimately, 47 runners logged ultra mileage and another 44 completed the 15-miler.

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MassUltra Roundup: Fort Ord, Beast of Burden, Sean O’Brien, AZT Oracle Rumble, Angela Ivory, and Arches Ultra

Ultramarathon racing in New England has been relatively quiet thus far in 2023, but it has already been a busy year for runners from the region who are willing to travel. January closed out with a busy weekend for ultrarunners from the region as they traveled to nearby New York, far-away California and Utah, and a handful of other destinations throughout the country to race. We may have missed a few, but we have several of them covered in this edition of the roundup.

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