CARLISLE, Mass. – Thunderstorms and fallen branches forced a delayed start to the Trail Animals Running Club’s TARC Fall Classic as wind gusts littered the trail in debris and knocked down power lines that blocked roads to the trailhead.

Eventually the mess was cleared thanks to electrical crews, Department of Conservation and Recreation staffers with chainsaws, and several TARC volunteers chipping in. Following a 90-minute delay, the 11th edition of the Fall Classic took place on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Great Brook Farm State Park. In what may have been the largest Fall Classic field in event history, nearly 450 runners toed the starting line for the event’s six distance offerings – the traditional Fall Classic 50-mile, 50K, half marathon and 10K, or 2023 new additions of 20 miles and a 1/2-mile youth fun run.

Despite the storm, the trails were in remarkably good shape for runners as they took on a sneaky-tough course consisting of 10-mile or 10K loops that were a mix of rolling, occasionally technical singletrack, doubletrack, gravel roads and fields. To balance out the good footing, Mother Nature added thick humidity and plenty of bugs into the mix to give the runners a multi-faceted challenge. The humidity may have been the greatest obstacle as it took a toll on many runners, particularly those in the ultra races.

Yang, Zhang Victorious in 50-Mile Race

Thirty-one runners started the 50-mile race, but most of the field didn’t complete all five 10-mile loops. Just 12 runners ultimately finished, with Kevin Yang and Jade Bihua Zhang topping the men’s and women’s fields. For Yang, the race marked his TARC debut. The 28-year-old resident of Cambridge, Mass., recently moved to the area from San Francisco, Calif. He turned in a patient, consistent performance and gradually picked his way through the field. Early leader Roy Van Cleef dropped after 30 miles. New leader Peter Lynch dropped at the 40-mile mark. That’s when Yang assumed frontrunner status. Yang was four minutes ahead of Grant Rice, 31, of Cambridge, Mass., and 23 minutes ahead of Wilson Ray, 27, of Boston, Mass. Ray closed strong during the final 10-mile loop and passed Rice, but he was unable to fully track down Yang. Yang held on for the win in 10:18:44, followed by Ray 11 minutes later in 10:29:11. Rice rounded out the men’s podium in 10:41:20.

In the women’s field, Zhang led from wire to wire. She spent the early loops on cruise control, circling the course with a smile on her face as she built a comfortable lead. She never looked back and earned her second TARC victory of the year. After opening the season with a win at the To Hale and Back 6-Hour in March, Zhang finished fourth overall and first in the women’s field in the Fall Classic 50-miler in 10:58:35. Joining Zhang on the women’s podium were Megan Serpa, 39, of Stoneham, Mass., who was the runner-up in 12:10:23, and Rachel Snow, 34, of Needham, Mass., who was third in 13:20:13.

Brussel, Boland Top 50K Field

A year ago, Quinn Brussel burst onto the local ultra scene with a sizzling performance at the Fall Classic, taking second overall in the 50-mile race in his TARC debut. This year, the 20-year-old from San Luis Obispo, Calif., opted for the 50K distance and cruised led the race wire to wire, winning in 4:25:20. Brussel’s closest competitor for the overall victory came from women’s champion Michelle Boland. The 36-year-old resident of Burlington, Mass., climbed steadily throughout the day, and seemed to get stronger as she got deeper into the race. Boland ran nearly even splits for all three loops of the course and worked her way up from 10th overall to the runner-up spot and first place among the women’s field in 5:00:31.

While Brussel ran away with the men’s victory, a talented field of mostly familiar faces packed the remainder of the top 10. David Holtzman, 43, of Natick, Mass., was the men’s runner-up and third overall finisher in his TARC debut, completing the course in 5:19:58. Familiar faces David Catarius and Will Swenson followed in third and fourth, respectively. Catarius has had a monster year of racing so far, including a third-place finish at the Chesterfield Gorge 100-miler and runner-up finish at the Jug End Loop Ultra. The 54-year-old from Shrewsbury, Mass., added another podium finish to his resume by finishing in 5:19:58. Swenson, 51, of Andover, Mass., followed five minutes later in 5:24:27. TARC newcomer Brian Cocuzzo, 39, of West Hartford, Conn., was fifth in 5:48:35, and TARC regulars Gregory Esbitt, 49, of Ipswich, Mass., (5:49:22) was close behind.

Boland was joined on the women’s 50K podium by Margaret Wang and Juliana Carvajal Castrillon. Wang made her TARC debut in December 2022 at the rugged Fells Winter Ultra. In her second TARC race, the 31-year-old resident of Allston, Mass., finished second in 5:51:51. Castrillon, 29, of Needham, Mass., made her TARC debut at the Fall Classic. It was also her ultra debut, and she finished third in 6:38:27. Castrillon was followed closely by Michelle Zahn, 46, of Bellingham, Mass. (6:42:31); Jennifer Morse, 37, of Maynard, Mass. (6:44:33); and Hannah Pearl, 22, of Atlanta, Ga. (6:44:34).

Ninety-two runners started the 50K race and 68 ultimately finished.

Malek, Needham Earn Inaugural 20-Mile Victories

Men’s and women’s champions Adam Malek and Evelyn Needham led the inaugural Fall Classic 20-miler wire to wire and topped their classifications comfortably while finishing 1-2 overall. Malek, 35, of Quincy, Mass., hammered the course and set the initial standard for the distance, winning in 2:22:57. Needham, 26, of Boston, Mass., also set a high bar for the initial women’s course record with her speedy time of 2:51:58.

Martin Kulhanek, 40, of Woburn, Mass., and Jared Nussbaum, 25, of Framingham, Mass., finished second and third among the men’s field in 3:04:15 and 3:10:46, respectively. Sarah Phillips, 38, of Westminster, Mass., fended off 24-year-old Abigail Postlewaite of Watertown, Mass., for the women’s runner-up spot. Phillips finished in 3:18:50 and Postlewaite followed in 3:25:27. Juliana Roth, 23, of Brookline, Mass., was a close fourth in 3:31:55.

Seventy runners started the two-loop race and 61 ultimately finished.

Wang, Yanovich Cruise in Crowded Half Marathon Field

After a half-marathon of racing, the women’s race came down to a photo finish at the Fall Classic between Maryna Yanovich, Madeline Kitch and Claire Wigglesworth. The trio came down the home stretch together in what may be the closest finish of a TARC race in TARC Trail Series history. Less than five seconds separated the trio, who swept the women’s podium and finished 4-5-6 overall out of 126 starters.

Yanovich, 35, of Cranston, R.I., squeaked out the win in 1:51:50, followed by Kitch, 21, of Belmont, Mass., in 1:51:53 and Wigglesworth, 21, of Washington, D.C., in 1:51:54.

The men’s race came down to two familiar faces. Adam Wang made his TARC debut in the half marathon race at the Spring Classic in April, finishing fourth. In his second TARC race – the Fall Classic half marathon – he was the champion. Wang, 20, of Cambridge, Mass., won in 1:38:32. He raced close throughout with 22-year-old Jacob Carroll of Plymouth, Mass. – the 2023 Spring Classic 50K champion – and 45-year-old Gene Ruiter of Shirley, Mass. Wang’s strong finish allowed him to pull away from Carroll, who placed second in 1:43:01, followed by Ruiter in 1:51:47.

Two other runners finished in less than two hours. Joe Benoit, 57, of Worcester, Mass., finished in 1:57:40, placing seventh overall. Seth Waterman, 43, of Sudbury, Mass., followed in 1:59:20.

In the nonbinary category, 35-year-old Scott Smith topped the field with a winning time of 2:25:44.

Rife Rockets to 10K Course Record

Eric Ahern sported a grin from ear to ear. The 46-year-old resident of Somerville, Mass., had just finished fifth in the Fall Classic 10K in his first race since moving back from France where he has lived for the past few years. Ahern knew the Fall Classic course well; he set the longstanding course record in 2016 with his 40:11 performance.

Seven years after he blistered the course, Ahern was elated that one of his former students was the new record-holder. Jared Rife, 16, of Belmont, Mass., dropped a hammer on the field early and never looked back at the field of 116 runners as he blazed to the win in a sizzling 38:33.

John Kinnee, 44, of West Townsend, Mass., was Rife’s closest competitor, finishing second in 41:26. Christopher Koch, 31, of Cambridge, Mass., was third in 41:49, followed by 20-year-old Keegan Harkavy of Cambridge, Mass., in 41:59, with Ahern fifth in 43:00.

Morgan Blevins, 26, of Somerville, Mass., pulled away early and topped the women’s field in 50:49, followed by Kara Yifru and Jill Lizotte. Yifru edged Lizotte by eight seconds with Yifru, 41, of North Easton, Mass., finishing second in 53:15 and Lizotte, 45, of Coventry, R.I., third in 56:23.

Youth Fun Run Makes Successful Debut

One of the major goals of second-year Race Director Patrick Caron is to get more young people involved in trail-running. As a means of accomplishing that goal, Caron’s Fall Classic became an early adopter of the USATF Mountain/Ultra/Trail Youth Initiative by offering discounted entries across all distances to participants age 19 and younger. Another way of accomplishing that goal was the creation of a free 1/2-mile youth fun run to introduce kids and teenagers to the sport. Twelve runners from ages 4 through 13 took part in the fun run.