Thanksgiving weekend was primarily reserved for turkey trots and limited ultramarathon racing, but one New England resident found his way to the start of an ultra. Michael Pereiro of Shelton, Conn., took on the Fountain City 5 50K in Georgia for the second straight year and had another speedy performance. He gets this edition of the roundup all to himself.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Fountain City 5Monthly Archives: November 2023
The Tireless Mr. Ridley: TARCkey Trot Victory is Latest Highlight of Racing Streak
WINCHESTER, Mass. – It’s not unusual to see Mat Ridley ripping through the woods on singletrack trails, dodging rocks and dancing through roots while making it seem easy as the miles pile up. Ridley has been one of the fastest ultra-trail runners in the area for the past two years with multiple victories and several podium finishes to his credit.
Continue reading The Tireless Mr. Ridley: TARCkey Trot Victory is Latest Highlight of Racing Streak
G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K to Return for 24th Year
The 2024 New England ultrarunning season will open in traditional fashion with the return of the G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K. Gil’s Athletic Club will play host to the event for the 24th time on Saturday, Jan. 6, at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield.
Continue reading G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K to Return for 24th YearMassUltra Roundup: Fall Fling, Dead Horse, Fire Fest, Swamp Fox, and JFK 50
Ultrarunners from New England feasted on trails one final time before Thanksgiving during the Nov. 17-18 weekend with runners taking on ultra events from Connecticut to Nevada and points in between. Some gathered in Southington, Conn., for the seventh annual CT Trailmixers Fall Fling 400, while many more headed south to Maryland for the latest edition of the JFK 50. Other ultras where New Englanders toed the starting line included the Swamp Fox Ultra in South Carolina, Dead Horse in Utah, and Fire Fest in Nevada. We have it all covered in this edition of the roundup.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Fall Fling, Dead Horse, Fire Fest, Swamp Fox, and JFK 50
No Finishers as Tidd Brothers Opt for Tie at Race for DFL
WINCHENDON, Mass. – It’s not often that brothers Bill Tidd and John Tidd get to share a trail on race day.
Continue reading No Finishers as Tidd Brothers Opt for Tie at Race for DFLMassUltra Roundup: Tunnel Hill, Roxbury, and Cantuckee Y’all
The final multi-ultra week of the year in Massachusetts was on tap during the Nov. 10-12 weekend as runners tackled the 6-hour timed TARCkey Trot at Wright-Locke Farm and Whipple Hill in Winchester and an undetermined time-length event at the Race for DFL last person standing ultra in Winchendon. Those races will have their own separate recap writeups. Beyond those local ultras, a few other runners conquered courses in the lead-up to the Thanksgiving holiday. A Few tackled the inaugural 50K ultra as part of the Roxbury Marathon in Connecticut. Others traveled to Illinois and turned in fast performances while witnessing even faster ones – including a world record – at Tunnel Hill. Another Massachusetts man made a strong ultra debut at a first-year ultra in Kentucky. We have them all covered in this edition of the roundup.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Tunnel Hill, Roxbury, and Cantuckee Y’all
Fueled by Community, Crosby Smashes Bay Circuit Trail FKT
NEWBURY, Mass. – Cole Crosby squinted as he looked out across the Atlantic Ocean, the glittery reflection of the sun off the water stinging his tired eyes on this nearly cloud-free day. His nostrils burned as he breathed in the cold ocean air, and his legs shivered in the 44-degree temperature and 15-mile-per-hour wind. The tastes of champagne and Modelo Especial were still fresh on his tongue, crisp celebratory palate cleansers after multiple days on the run.
It’s fair to say Crosby was on the verge of sensory overload as he stood on the edge of Newbury Beach just after noon on Saturday, Nov. 11, a few minutes removed from completing his fastest known time (FKT) effort on the approximately 230-mile long Bay Circuit Trail (BCT). Still, of all the feelings and emotions coursing through his weary body in that moment, one stood out from the rest.
“Fulfilled,” Crosby said matter-of-factly. “That’s the one word.”
It would make sense if Crosby’s fulfillment stemmed from his performance: his time of 2 days, 5 hours, 51 minutes and 14 seconds smashed the supported FKT by more than 38 hours, but that wasn’t really it. Sure, Crosby was proud of his record-setting time, but his fulfillment was rooted in the fact that a much more deeply personal hope came to fruition during the course of his adventure.
Continue reading Fueled by Community, Crosby Smashes Bay Circuit Trail FKT
Photos: Race for DFL
Beast Coast Trail Running and Race Director Amy Rusiecki played host to the fourth edition of the Race for DFL last person standing event on Nov. 11-12 at the Kenty Farm in Winchendon, Mass. The following are a small sample of photos from the event taken by MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen and event host Jenny Kenty. A full photo gallery can be viewed on the MassUltra Facebook page.
Continue reading Photos: Race for DFL
Results: Race for DFL
Beast Coast Trail Running and Race Director Amy Rusiecki played host to the fourth edition of the Race for DFL last person standing event on Nov. 11-12 at the Kenty Farm in Winchendon, Mass. When brothers Bill Tidd and John Tidd opted not to continue for a 28th hour, the race ended with the brothers sharing the most miles but there officially being no champion.
Continue reading Results: Race for DFL
Results: TARCkey Trot 6-Hour Ultra
The Trail Animals Running Club played host to the seventh running of the TARCkey Trot 6-Hour Ultra on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester, Mass. Runners ran on the farm trails and the winding, technical singletrack of neighboring Whipple Hill on a 3.5-mile loop course and had six hours to complete as many loops as they wanted.
Continue reading Results: TARCkey Trot 6-Hour Ultra
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