The Village Ultra was created in 2017 to use running as a way to raise funds to support worthy causes and organizations. Given that it takes place in New Salem, Mass., and allows runners to explore the quaint town on foot, it was fitting that the 10th edition of the Village Ultra sought to preserve a critical piece of New Salem history.
“In 2026, we brought it back local, as local as it gets!” explained Carla Halpern, a New Salem resident who co-directs the event with Nancy Mead. “This year we raised funds for the iconic 1794 Meetinghouse right in ‘downtown’ New Salem.”
This year’s run took place over a 24-hour span from Oct. 10-11 and once again treated runners to a non-competitive choose-your-own-adventure-style run consisting of a variety of mini loops and out-and-backs throughout town. Runners decided which loops to run and when, and collected colored beads associated with each loop to track their mileage.
While each runner had their own personal goals and motivations for the weekend, all contributed to raising funds to benefit the historic New Salem 1794 Meetinghouse.
According to the 1794 Meetinghouse website, the town was settled in 1737 and incorporated in 1753. Construction of the Meetinghouse began in 1794 to create a gathering place for civic and religious activities. The building has been renovated through the years, and in 1953 it became an event venue. In 1978, it was placed in the National Registry of Historic Places.
Today, the 1794 Meetinghouse continues to play host to events and remains a prominent place in the life of the town.
“ The 1794 is a local artspace that often showcases local talent,” Halpern noted. “The Meetinghouse participates fully in New Salem events, such as Old Home Days, with raffles and snacks. We have a regular schedule of concerts every summer and have entertained performers from all over the country at very reasonable prices. The Quabbin Valley Pro Musica chorus has a yearly concert as well, and we support their other events in the North Quabbin area. In past years, New Salem playwright Dorothy Johnson wrote and directed plays at the Meetinghouse, which were wonderful experiences for many and were very well-attended. We have recently coordinated with the New Salem Academy Trustees to use their building for pre-concert Q & A sessions with the performers before they go on our stage.”
The facility remains an important part of the community, so several New Salem residents turned out to walk in support of the cause, as did a number of familiar faces from the New England trail- and ultrarunning community who have been regulars at the event through the years.
This year’s event raised at least $1,278, Halpern said.
Twenty runners took part in the event, two of them running their miles remotely but donating to the cause. Some completed a quarter-mile loop around the Town Common, while others logged ultramarathon mileage.
Halpern led all runners with 52.55 miles, a Village Ultra personal best in her final long run before the Charlotte Marathon in November. Jessie Makela was second with 51 miles, a feat all the more impressive because she only ran for half the time and completed her miles on the hardest mini-loop.
“Jessie Makela was our absolute powerhouse. She came for 12 hours and did 21 laps of the notoriously steep Gold Loop,” Halpern said. “The only person who has ever done anything like that was…Jessie Makela in 2019 when she performed a similar feat. No one else has ever come close. The rain started in the last 90 minutes and Jessie, soaking wet, kept going. On her last lap, darkness fell. Co-RD Nan Mead drove down the Gold Loop and followed Jessie back up in her car so that Jessie could run in her headlights.”
Mead was third overall with 31.4 miles completed in addition to her race directing duties.
Aya Bowen was the second-youngest participant at age 20, and she finished fourth overall with 30.15 miles.
“Aya is already a seasoned ultrarunner,” Halpern noted. “She had a goal of getting 30 miles, and she did it with pure joy!”
Len Rickman earned an ultra finish with 27.6 miles, sharing many of them with his wife Kay who completed 26.7 miles.
“Len Rickman continues to thrive after four years with a donor kidney,” said Halpern, a kidney donor herself. “Slow and steady, taking time to appreciate the trees and stars and all the natural beauty, he easily surpassed his previous year’s mileage. Len and Kay were celebrating their 38th wedding anniversary and Len just celebrated his 70th birthday!”
Others logging ultra mileage included Elena Pepe-Solutric and Barbara Graf who finished 27 miles apiece, and Adriana Bago who ran 26.3 miles, a tenth of a mile more than husband Dietmar Bago who completed a marathon.
“ TVU regulars Dietmar and Adriana brought tons of food for the aid station, including the Romanian brandy chocolates,” Halpern noted. “Dietmar put in a marathon, but Adriana was like “that’s all you got?” and made hers an ultra.”
Village Ultra regulars Benn Griffin and Su Hoyle ran remotely this year. Griffin ran a marathon, and Hoyle completed a half marathon on cobblestones during a trip to Inverness, Scotland.
Additional runners who turned in big miles were Village Ultra regulars Rachel Roy (20.2 miles) and Anne Craig (13.1 miles).
A trio of travelers—Sarah, Marie and 15-year-old Geo stopped in for 3.3 miles apiece while en route to Montreal. Additionally, Deb Vondal completed 2.2 miles and Sue Cloutier and Peter Cross each completed a quarter-mile on the common.
Although the Village Ultra is now over, anyone interested in contributing to support the 1794 Meetinghouse can do so at this link.
