The temperature was nearly 80 degrees, but it felt even hotter when runners gathered in front of the metal gate that serves as the starting line for the TARC Summer Classic. It was only 7 a.m., on Saturday, Aug. 8, and it was already shaping up to be a scorcher.

The Summer Classic has typically been the hottest event in the Trail Animals Running Club’s TARC Trail Series since its launch in 2011, but the 15th edition of the event may have been the hottest and stickiest on record as runners took on 40-mile, 50K and 10-mile distances on the rocky, rooty trails of Noon Hill Reservation in Medfield, Mass. A dedicated crew of volunteers were on hand to keep runners fed and hydrated and monitor their well-being on a day where the temperature climbed into the 90s with a feels-like that nearly touched triple-digits.

The heat and humidity took their toll on runners throughout the day, especially for those in the 40-mile and 50K ultramarathons that required them to complete four or three laps of the 10-mile course with around 1,000 feet of climbing per loop. Ten runners who started the 40-mile race dropped down for 50K finishes.

Ultimately, 13 runners completed all four loops for 40-mile finishes, and some were familiar faces who’ve handled the Summer Classic heat, humidity and bugs previously. Brendan Walsh was the 40-mile runner-up in 2025 and enjoyed far more pleasant conditions. The 25-year-old from Westford, Mass., returned this year, ran 34 minutes faster, and earned his first ultra victory in 7:27. Summer Classic newcomer Ariel Velasquez, 24, of Dover, N.H., led for much of the day before hamstring problems upended his run during the final loop. Velasquez ultimately finished second in 7:55. Summer Classic regular Michael Latham completed the male podium for the second year in a row, finishing third overall in 8:50. For Latham, 38, of Brockton, Mass., it was his eighth time completing the 40-miler. In the female field, Kelsa Konieczynski, 26, of Cambridge, Mass., and Jacqueline Scanlon, 29, of Belmont, Mass., finished together and tied for the win in 9:41 in the first Summer Classic appearance for both women. Lindsey Cambria, 43, of Waltham, Mass., completed the podium in 10:34.

Of the 40 runners who earned 50K finishes in the three-lap race, a quarter of them started the day aiming to finish four loops. Those at the front of the field always had their sights set on three laps–plus a bonus loop around Holt Pond at the start for the necessary extra mile. Michael Bligh, 23, of Cambridge, Mass., led for most of the day and won the race comfortably in 5:10. Runner-up Lionel Bertschy, 33, of Somerville, Mass., followed a half-hour later in 5:40. Simon Bass, 27, of Weston, Mass., completed the male podium in 6:20 and placed fourth overall. First-place female Rachel Hurley, 25, of Worcester, Mass., dominated the field and won her race handily in 5:46 while finishing third overall. Mari Engelhardt, 47, of Marshfield, Mass., was the female runner-up and fifth overall finisher in 6:45. Duong Thi Nguyen, 36, of Milton, Mass., completed the podium in 6:50.

Meurant, Kelly Top 10-Mile Field

One of the first orders of business taken by Annette Florczak and Laura Ricci when they took over as co-Race Directors for the TARC Summer Classic in 2022 was the addition of a 10-mile race. The idea was to offer a sub-ultra distance option to an event that had always been ultra-focused, making it more approachable to trail runners of all levels of experience, ability, and interest. The race quickly proved to be a popular option, and that was once again the case this year as 37 runners completed a single loop of the course.

The top 10 runners finished in less than 2 hours, including male and female champions Drake Meurant and Angela Kelly. Meurant, 29, of Boston, Mass., led all runners in 1:36, fending off runner-up Jason Kaplan, 44, also of Boston, who followed in 1:39. Kelly, 40, of Somerville, Mass., finished third overall in 1:42 and outdistanced her closest competitor in the female field by 15 minutes.

Geoff Peyton, 40, of Arlington, Mass., completed the male podium and placed fourth overall in 1:44. Kelly was joined on the female podium by Phyllis Lowry, 59, of Framingham, Mass., and Anna Peters, 30, of Braintree, Mass., who finished in 1:57 and 1:59, respectively, and were eighth and 10th overall.