The last time Jason Baker stepped to a starting line in Massachusetts, he was relatively new to trail-racing. It was 2021, and the then-23-year-old had just jumped into the sport with solid ultramarathon efforts at the Ragged 50K and Kilkenny Ridge 50-miler in New Hampshire, the Post Canyon 50K in Oregon. That October, he signed up for a new race in Massachusetts – the Womp Romp 10-miler – at Wompatuck State Park in Hingham, Mass.

The race was just a 30-minute drive north from his home in Carver, Mass., and it was a great opportunity to dip his toes into the local racing scene. Baker lined up among a field that included several local heavy-hitters, including Neil Davis of Cohasset, Mass., Brian Burke of Medford, Mass., and Andy Tidd, 35, of Plymouth, Mass., who would finish 1-2-3 that day. Baker ran strong and placed sixth.

In the three years that followed, Baker has developed into one of the heavy-hitters. He moved to Fort Collins, Colo., and has done all of his racing in the West. He has amassed a resume that includes a victory at the 2023 Run the Ranch 6-Hour Ultra in Colorado and a top-10 finish at the 2023 Bighorn 100 in Wyoming. He opened 2024 with a runner-up finish at the Coldwater Rumble 100 in Arizona in January, followed by a top-20 finish at the Gorge Waterfalls 50K in Oregon. Most recently, Baker placed 20th overall at the IMTUF 100-miler in Idaho in September. Five weeks later, he made a long-awaited return to local racing – and he did it back where it all began.

“When Jason sent me a message that he was coming back I was stoked,” said Matt Hoadley, who created and race-directs Womp Romp alongside Robert Jeffers. “His running career has skyrocketed since the initial 10-miler in 2021. Jason and I got to spend some time together at the Gorge Waterfalls race in April. I told him that I would love to have him back if he could make it.”

In the years since Baker last raced Womp Romp, the event has grown significantly and now includes a 50K ultra. That was Baker’s distance of choice at the fourth annual event on Saturday, Oct. 26. He was welcomed back with ideal conditions to deliver a big performance: dry trails, sunny skies and temperatures in the 50s and 60s. Other than the leaves that had begun to fall, there were few obstacles capable of slowing Baker down on the 10-mile loop course and its rolling hills.

Baker led the race from start to finish. He was the first runner off the starting line and quickly built a cushion on the field. By the time he completed his first pass through the course he was 4 minutes ahead of his closest competitor, James Maynard, 34, of Hingham. Michael Langone, 37, of South Waltham, Mass., was a close third, with 39-year-old Jeffrey Uzzel of Easthampton, Mass., just behind in fourth. Baker and Maynard remained 1-2 overall and continued to gain distance on the field during the second loop while Langone and Uzzel continued to duel for third. Langone eventually faded with a tough final loop and finished 10th.

Baker closed out his homecoming race with a victory in 3:58:55. He broke the course record by 3 minutes and became the first runner in event history to break the 4-hour mark.

“I love seeing people that are really good at this sport push the limits,” Hoadley said. “He crushed the course record. Jason is a friend and I was grateful he came back east to run the Womp Romp again. Jason’s father (Raymond) has run the 10 miler all four years as well. The Baker’s are a great family.”

Maynard was second in 4:10:39, which was the third-fastest time in course history. Uzzel was a distant third in 4:39:00. Durgesh Mankekar, 47, of Medford, Mass., climbed to fourth place in 4:44:08, and 30-year-old Will Oakley of Lake Forest, Ill., rounded out the top five in 4:45:48.

Though Baker’s trip to Womp Romp was a return home, he wasn’t the only champion to travel for the race. Zoe Thompson also made the trip to Massachusetts in pursuit of a victory – as well as of her first ultramarathon finish. Thompson, 24, of Comstock Park, Mich., led the female field nearly wire-to-wire. She gradually increased her lead with each loop and won comfortably in 5:28:39. She was joined on the podium by two more first-time ultrarunners. Danielle Mason has been a regular at Womp Romp since the beginning, running the 10-mile race during each of the first three years. Knowing the course extremely well, the 52-year-old from Scituate, Mass., ran a smart, disciplined race and earned a second-place finish in 5:47:51. Elena Forzani, 42, of Danvers, Mass., was third in 6:09:40.

Ultra veteran Michelle Zahn, 47, of Bellingham, Mass., was fourth in 6:22:33. In a tight battle for fifth, 56-year-old Marianne Currie of Smithfield, R.I., held off 28-year-old Julia Trencher of Cambridge, Mass., by 31 seconds, with Currie finishing in 6:30:21 and Trencher in 6:30:52. Currie previously ran the 50K in 2022, and she improved this year by 63 minutes. Meanwhile, Trencher earned her first ultramarathon finish.

In the nonbinary field, 23-year-old Liv Colombo of Kingston, Mass., set a new course record for the division by finishing in 6:39:37. It was a major improvement for Colombo, who finished the 50K in 7:32:11 in 2023.

This year’s event was among the largest in Womp Romp history, and it has quickly become one of the most popular and welcoming new events in Massachusetts, particularly for first-time trail-runners and ultrarunners. With 100 starters and 90 finishers within the 9-hour time limit, the event enjoyed its biggest 50K field ever while its 10-mile race had its second-largest field ever. 

“I really never expected this race to grow as fast as it has over the last few years,” Hoadley admitted. “We are fortunate to have Wompatuck State Park as our location. Once people run the race they realize how beautiful the trails are and the community around the race. We see a lot of people come back year after year, and that means we are doing something right. We are also attracting runners from all over the country. I designed the course to be friendly to first-time trail runners, and perfect for a first 50K.

“One thing I wanted to build around the race was community. I think having group runs throughout the year is a way for people to meet each other and have more of a connection to the race. It really fills my heart with joy being able to hug or high-five everyone that crosses the finish line.”

In addition to several of the podium finishers being first-time ultrarunners, so were many runners throughout the field who achieved that distinction regardless of pace or place. Among the newest ultrarunners were Damien Booker and Dan Weaver, whose paths to becoming ultrarunners were somewhat similar. For both men, the 2023 Womp Romp 10-miler was their first trail race and the 2024 Womp Romp 50K was their second time racing on dirt.

Booker, 48, of Mattapan, Mass., began running trails in early 2023 at the encouragement of his friend, Dana Searcy, 51, of Dorchester, Mass. Searcy ran his first trail race – and first ultra – at Womp Romp in 2022. In 2023, the men ran the Womp Romp 10-miler together, and in 2024 they ran every step of the 50K together. Searcy finished in 8:20:42, and Booker officially became an ultrarunner 1 second before in 8:20:41.

“Damien Booker really pushed hard to get his 50K finish,” Hoadley said. “He ran the-10 miler the year before. It takes some courage to say I am going to make that jump to 50K. Dana Searcy has run the 50K and 10 miler with us before. I think that Dana was able to pace and use his knowledge of the 50K to help Damien and encourage him.”

Meanwhile, Weaver, 32, of Weymouth, Mass., celebrated his birthday by running his first ultra. He ran nearly every step of it with Bill Gilpatric, 44, of Duxbury, Mass., and they finished together just under the cutoff with Gilpatric in 8:54:39 and Weaver in 8:54:48.

“We sang Dan Happy Birthday at the start before we began the 50K,” Hoadley said. “Dan showed true grit and just kept moving forward. Whenever he got to the aid stations he had a positive attitude and I believe that is vital to get a finish. Dan and Bill Gilpatric ran almost the entire race together. When they finished, everyone was cheering and ringing cowbells. Even the DCR park ranger was ringing a cowbell.”

For Hoadley, it was moments such as those that he said make it so rewarding for he and Jeffers to organize Womp Romp.

“For me it means more than people will ever know to see Damien and Dan run their first ultra race at the Womp Romp.

“I really believe that the trails, 9-hour cutoff, and the best volunteers on the sport make this race a perfect place for your first ultra or your 100th ultra.”

Howes, Riedy Top 10-Mile Field

The 10-mile race was Womp Romp’s original distance, and it has continued to be a popular draw even with the addition of the 50K option. The one-loop race included numerous runners among the 127 finishers who made their trail-racing debuts, as well as several who delivered speedy performances.

Duncan Howes made his trail-racing debut less than three months ago when he finished third at the Blue Hill Mountain Trail Fest 25K in Maine. In his second trail race, the 31-year-old from Boston, Mass., ascended to the top of the podium. He held off 37-year-old Ryan Nolette of Plymouth, Mass., by less than a minute with Nolette taking runner-up honors in 1:13:33. Brian Connelly, 36, of Boston, Mass., completed the men’s podium in 1:15:56. Two more event newcomers – Alexander Macrae, 36, of Long Island City, N.Y., and Ian Stewart, 45, of Plymouth, Mass. – rounded out the top five in 1:17:31 and 1:17:50, respectively.

In the women’s field, 31-year-old Emily Riedy of Boston, Mass., earned the victory by about 3 1/2 minutes as she outdistanced Christie Wiggins, 29, of Roslindale, Mass. Riedy won in 1:22:52, followed by Wiggins in 1:26:21, and 42-year-old Anne Shaw of Hingham, Mass., in 1:26:33. Chelsea Loy, 32, of Brookline, Mass., and Alyssa Whelan, 33, of Plymouth, Mass., were fourth and fifth in 1:28:37 and 1:28:49.

Womp Romp Raises Large Donations for Charities

In addition to creating welcoming, positive trail-running experiences for newcomers and veterans alike, Womp Romp seeks to use running as a way to support a number of charitable organizations. The proceeds of this year’s event went to three organizations: Friends of Wompatuck State Park, Free to Run, and FootPrints. Friends of the Wompatuck State Park is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that helps educate the public about the park’s uses and historical value, while also helping preserve and maintain the park. Free to Run promotes gender equality and provides opportunities for women and girls in conflict regions to advance their leadership and wellness through running and other physical activities. FootPrints is a nonprofit organization that is an incubator for climate action.

While final tallies are still being determined, Hoadley said they raised around $10,000 to be split among the organizations.