MEDFIELD, Mass. – Rather than the typical mid-summer sauna, the TARC Summer Classic welcomed runners with remarkably pleasant conditions for the 14th annual event on Saturday, Aug. 16, at Noon Hill Reservation in Medfield. That’s not to say it was easy by any means; runners still had to overcome an uncomfortable mix of mosquitoes and humidity, but temperatures that ranged from the upper 50s to low 80s made for a mostly delightful day in the woods.

Though the trails were dry, every runner in the 40-mile, 50K and 10-mile distances had to navigate a 10-mile loop course that was littered with tree roots, rocks and rolling hills. It was challenging enough for one loop for the sub-ultra distance runners, and it presented a grinding challenge for those pursuing ultramarathon finishes.

The Summer Classic was the TARC debut for Ioannis Galouzis, and the 33-year-old from Chestnut Hill, Mass., made it count. He ran among the front-runners of the 40-miler throughout the day, led late and ultimately held on for the victory in 7:56:00. It was Galouzis’s third ultra, first victory and longest race ever. His closest competitor was a first-time ultrarunner. Brendan Walsh made his TARC debut at the Spring Classic and finished fourth in the marathon. The 24-year-old from Westford, Mass., joined Galouzis near the front of the 40-mile field and finished second in 8:01:00. Longtime Trail Animal and Summer Classic regular Michael Latham Jr. rounded out the male podium. Latham, 37, of Brockton, Mass., completed the 40-miler for the seventh time and earned his first podium finish and second-fastest time in 8:12:00.

In the female field, 31-year-old Candice Lanzoni led the way for most of the day. It was Lanzoni’s second TARC race, and the resident of Hopkinton, Mass., ran strong throughout, finishing fourth overall and first in the female field in 8:13:00. Kaitlyn Howard, 29, of Boston, Mass., followed 15 minutes later in 8:28:00, while 58-year-old Janet Sanderson of Wakefield, R.I., rounded out the podium in 10:37:02. Shortly after Sanderson finished, longtime Summer Classic Jason Bacon closed out the field of 19 finishers in 11:08:00. Bacon, 54, of Pawtucket, R.I., has run all but one Summer Classic since 2012.

Dixon Adds Another TARC Victory to Resume in 50K

Emma Dixon raced heavily in 2024, completing at least a dozen ultramarathons and several sub-ultra distance races. That followed a 2023 where she earned at least 18 ultramarathon finishes. Dixon’s list of honors included multiple victories, including the TARC Fall Classic 50-miler and TARC Stone Cat Trail Festival 100K in 2024.

Dixon has shown no signs of letting up in 2025, with at least five ultramarathon finishes to her credit. Her most recent one was yet another victory, this time in the 50K race at the TARC Summer Classic. Dixon, 30, of Boston, Mass., led the female field for most of the day and won comfortably in 6:08:00 while placing sixth overall.

Dixon was joined on the female podium by runner-up Yanting Ma, 36, of Allston, Mass., who finished in 7:00:00, and third-place Theresa Bettinelli, 20, of Canton, Mass., who fended off a close challenge from fourth-place Faye Benoit, 41, of Worcester, Mass. Bettinelli finished in 7:14:00 and Benoit followed in 7:16:00.

Meanwhile, Michael Forte dominated the male field in his TARC debut. Forte, 28, of Cambridge, Mass., led for the majority of the race, steadily expanded his lead, and won by nearly an hour in 4:53:01. Patrick Ronai, 40, of Revere, Mass., was a distant second in 5:52:00 after fending off third-place Alex McQuown, 31, of Arlington, Mass., who followed in 5:53:00. Ronai and McQuown had competition for the final places on the podium. Dave DiLorenzo, 53, of Arlington, Mass., and James Menousek, 32, of Framingham, Mass., were right in the mix and finished together in 5:55:01 and 5:55:02 for fourth and fifth.

Other top performers included Shane Thompson, 44, of Pembroke, Mass. (eighth overall, 6:16:00); Daniel Hurley, 39, of Everett, Mass. (ninth overall, 6:22:00); and Timothy Blais, 43, of New Ipswich, N.H. (10th overall, 6:24:00).

Thirty-two runners completed the 50K within 10 1/2 hours

Shade Sizzles in 10-Mile Victory

A year after finishing third in the 50K race, Robbie Shade was the victor in the Summer Classic 10-miler. Shade, 40, of Belmont, Mass., led the field of 44 runners who took on the single-loop race with around 1,000 feet of climbing. Shade ran near the front from the start and ultimately fended off David Breland for the win in 1:27:00. Breland, 35, of Somerville, Mass., was second in 1:30:00. It was a two-minute and one-place improvement for Breland from 2024. Chris Barton, 44, of Arlington, Mass., rounded out the male podium in 1:39:00. 

In the female field, 38-year-old Rebecca Laliberte of Dartmouth, Mass., led the way in 1:48:00, followed by 58-year-old Phyllis Lowry of Framingham, Mass., in 1:56:00, and 23-year-old Rotem Leshed of Brookline, Mass., in 2:03:01. Tara Fisler, 16, led the nonbinary field in 2:15:01.