WESTON, Mass. – A somber mood lingered over the Jericho Woods as runners arrived for the Trail Animals Running Club’s TARC Spring Classic on Saturday, April 20. One of their own – Joe Loureiro – wouldn’t be joining them.

A longtime Trail Animal, Loureiro was present in some capacity at most TARC races during the past decade, either as a runner, volunteer, or sometimes both on the same day. That was the case in March, when he volunteered and then ran the 3.5-mile race at To Hale and Back.

Loureiro passed away in his sleep on April 9, 11 days before the Spring Classic.

A Community Mourns

Loureiro’s death came as a shock to the New England running community. He was a mainstay at TARC races, a regular at the G.A.C. events in Topsfield, and was active in the Greater Lowell Road Runners and Borderline Running Club in North Andover. He was just 56 years old, cranking out multiple double-digit mileage runs per week, and had multiple ultras on his calendar for 2024 – including his usual adventures of 100 miles and beyond. Several Trail Animals shared memories of Loureiro in posts on social media, including Dane LeBlanc, who now lives in Mexico but returns to New England each year to run the Midstate Massive Ultra-Trail 100-miler. Loureiro and LeBlanc were the only runners to finish each of the first four editions of the race.

“One of the things I looked forward to every year was meeting up with Joe on the trail during the Midstate Massive 100,” LeBlanc wrote. “I would get a head start in the first wave, and he would always catch up to me at a predictable point in the race. We would spend a few minutes catching up on life events, and then he would cruise on by. It was always a psychological bump for me to share the trail with him for a brief moment. His attitude was as easy-going as his gait.”

Longtime friend Will Swenson, who lived in the same Andover neighborhood with Loureiro, also lamented the loss of his friend.

“For years we would meet every weekday morning at 5:15,” Swenson shared. “He lives right up the street and it was automatic, he was always there. Joe has a calm, kind and steady demeanor, he was thoughtful and also loved a challenge. I’m grateful I had the privilege to share countless hours, miles and laughs with this wonderful friend.”

The news of Loureiro’s passing hit Pedro Grullon particularly hard. Grullon, 41, has been running TARC races since 2017. He shared many pleasantries with Loureiro on the trails through the years – a common experience for many Trail Animals who knew Loureiro – but only started really getting to know him about a year ago.

“Last year at GAC’s Fat Ass event, my friend and I were running together since we were both battling some injuries,” Grullon recalled. “While on course, we noticed a man running with a pretty big red backpack. We asked what’s the deal with the pack, and he explained to us that he was training for a pretty gnarly ultra race out in his native Portugal. We wished him luck and kept moving. A few months later, we bumped into Joe again at, coincidentally enough, TARC Spring Classic 2023. After the race, we asked him how his training was going and how he had raced earlier that day. He relayed to us that he only ran three loops out of five needed for the 50K finish. But he wasn’t bothered and he was so chill about it. We all chatted about all sorts of running stuff for about 30 minutes. Joe said to us ‘it was nice talking to you guys, see you guys at the next race, I have a long ride back to Andover.’ I said ‘wait, what?!?’ Turns out he rode his bike 25 miles to the race, ran 19 miles, and was riding 25 miles back home. Needless to say, we were all impressed and amazed by this dude’s engine. I had requested him on Strava by the time I was home.”

Their friendship grew in the months ahead as they bonded at more trail races.

“After that we saw Joe, along with Will, at the usual TARC events (Fall Classic, Stone Cat) and shared some great conversations and laughs,” Grullon recalled. “At Stone Cat, Will mentioned us three getting together for some runs since we all train relatively close to each other. Unfortunately, with the winter approaching, some injuries, holidays, nothing ever came to fruition. Which now kinda messes with me.”

Grullon learned of Loureiro’s passing in a text from another friend and Trail Animal, Joe Benoit, on April 12.

“I had no idea,” Grullon said. “I immediately messaged Will, hoping for some clarity or at least a ‘no man, Joe is fine.’ But Will confirmed Joe’s passing and we were all taken back. My friend and I shared our own private tears for Joe. I attended his wake and all I could think of as I sat there staring at Joe, was Will’s invite for all of us to run together.”

Remembering “A Real Mentor”

Patrick Caron was floored when he learned of Loureiro’s passing. The 26-year-old burst onto the local ultrarunning scene at the 2015 TARC Fall Classic when he was just 18. Loureiro was one of the first people he met.

“Joe was such a strong figure within the community both in terms of his presence, he’s soft spoken and he wasn’t showy at all, but he was also an incredible runner, very strong competitor,” Caron said. “I just feel like he was a real mentor to a lot of people; a lot of people looked up to him.”

Caron counts himself among those who admired Loureiro and valued their many encounters through the years. Today, Caron is the Fall Classic race director, and he also handles online registration for other TARC events.

“I had just gotten an email that he had registered for the Fall Classic, for the 50K, which is where I first met Joe,” Caron said. “That was one of my first TARC races, and it was somewhat local trails to him. He has always been there; he has been a part of that event. Last year, I was lucky to get to share several hours marking the course with him, and then he came and ran the next day.

“I thought, ‘knowing Joe, he’s at every TARC race. He’s probably running the Spring Classic.’ Sure enough, I looked at the entry list and his name was on it.”

Indeed, Loureiro had registered to run the 50K.

Caron got in touch with Spring Classic race director Carly Tucker, and they bounced around ideas of how to honor Loureiro at the race and make sure his presence was felt. A three-part plan soon came together.

First, a large photo of Loureiro would hang inside the aid station as a visual reminder. The photo selected was taken a month earlier at To Hale and Back, featuring a smiling Loureiro cruising past a puddle in the leaves and mud, right in his element. Second, Swenson would speak a few words about his friend to the assembled runners prior to the start of the Spring Classic.

The third part of the plan would need a bit more assistance, and Swenson knew just who to ask.

An Opportunity to Honor

Grullon arrived at the Jericho Forest with a heavy heart. He had been looking forward to sharing the trails and some lively conversation with his friends – including Loureiro – at the Spring Classic. Instead he was two days removed from Loureiro’s wake; a deep sadness lingered.

A steady rain fell as Grullon walked from his car to the check-in table by the aid station tent to grab his bib for the 50K race. Perhaps a day on the trails, surrounded by community, would lift his spirits. Swenson was waiting for him.

“He showed me the enlarged picture of Joe, taken at Hale and Back, and he was smiling,” Grullon recalled. “Will asked me, ‘Would you be okay running one loop with Joe’s bib?’”

Grullon accepted without hesitation.

He and Swenson found Tucker to let her know Grullon was on board. Tucker’s response was simple: “Run as many loops as you want with it.”

Loureiro helped countless runners reach the finish line through the years, be it through his words of encouragement on the trail, attentive care as a volunteer, or shared wisdom earned through at least a half-dozen 100-mile finishes and so many other adventures.

Grullon recognized that – in a way –  this was his opportunity to do the same for Loureiro.

“I knew that I couldn’t run with Joe in the physical sense anymore, but I could at least run with a part of Joe, his bib,” Grullon said. “I grabbed both bibs, ran to my car to finish getting ready and I had to take a minute to process everything that just happened. Every single thought that we all have as runners hit me at once, 10 times stronger. I knew one thing for sure, finishing was the only thing that was going to happen. Run, walk, or crawl, Joe was crossing the finish line one more time.”

A Run with Joe

The rain had been falling for at least three hours before the Spring Classic began, and it would continue to soak runners for the first three hours of the race. A smorgasbord of squishy mud, sneaker-soaking puddles and slick roots greeted the runners and tested them with each passing loop.

It was the type of day Loureiro undoubtedly would have relished. The conditions called to mind what Loureiro endured last fall at the Midstate Massive 100-miler when a half-day of steady rain turned the course into a stream of endless mud and nearly knee-deep pools of water in some places. Though the conditions ravaged his feet so much that he was forced to withdraw late in the race and be denied a Midstate Massive finish for the first time in five tries, Loureiro always spoke of the experience fondly.

“(The) race itself was gnarly, man,” Grullon recalled. “Rain, mud, blisters, cold temps at times; it was like all the crap Joe went through at Midstate was hitting us. I knew Joe wouldn’t have wanted a finish any other way.”

With Loureiro’s 2492 bib pinned above his right thigh and his own 2471 bib on his left, Grullon did his best to channel Loureiro’s mindset as he ran. Loureiro was known for his calm, steady presence – something Swenson affectionately described as “like a buddha.” Grullon embraced it, smiling through the challenging conditions, offering words of encouragement to others as he passed, doing his best to embody Loureiro’s positivity and consistency.

“All the loops went by super-fast,” Grullon said. “People (were) cheering and thanking me for what I was doing, and I kept saying, ‘Nah, I’m thankful for the honor.’ By the fourth loop, rain had stopped and some sunshine was peeking through and I knew he was definitely with all of us at that point.”

In addition to his mindset, Grullon’s legs also channeled Loureiro’s steady nature. On a day where he was running for two, Grullon delivered a remarkably consistent performance. His 10K splits were nearly perfect, finishing his first four loops in 56:36, 55:10, 56:08 and 57:57 before closing out with a 1:00:23 final pass through the course for a 4:46:16 finish, landing he and Loureiro in the top 10. With about a quarter mile left to finish, Grullon unpinned Loureiro’s bib from his shorts and held it high while he crossed the finish line.

“I thanked him for running with me,” Grullon said.

The opportunity to honor Loureiro on the trails brought out wide-ranging emotions as Grullon reflected on the day. His heart was both heavy and full; sad for the loss of his friend, but thankful for the opportunity to share one unforgettable final run together.

“I was emotional before the race,” he said. “When I got home, I took a shower and shed a few more tears of sadness, joy, loss, accomplishment, disappointment, resolve and regret. It meant everything to me that Will would allow me to run with his good friend’s number. It was one of the best moments of my life.

“Joe was a gem, we keep saying that. He was everything that embodies a great athlete and a great man. He made me appreciate running on a level that I didn’t know before. His demeanor when things were good or bad was remarkable. He will be missed but never forgotten, we will make sure of that.”