In-person running ultramarathon events have been largely halted in New England this winter as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the region, but an in-person skiing ultra event took place last weekend in New Hampshire that drew more than 80 competitors to the unique ultra-distance event. The Last Skier Standing race leads off this week’s roundup, which also includes the Rocky Raccoon 100-miler in Texas and the ICY-8 time-based ultra in Virginia.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Last Skier Standing, Rocky Raccoon 100, and ICY-8All posts by Chris Wristen
Vegan Power to be Virtual Again in 2021
When Alex Bancroft, Race Director for the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service’s (BURCS) Vegan Power 50K and 25K trail races, made the decision to make last year’s event virtual in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she hoped it would be a one-year change with in-person racing returning in 2021.
Continue reading Vegan Power to be Virtual Again in 2021MassUltra Roundup: Arches Ultra
The 2021 ultramarathon season continues to start slowly as the COVID-19 pandemic limits the number of in-person races in the United States. One of those races took place Saturday, Jan. 30, however, and a Massachusetts resident took home the overall win. That race – the Arches Ultra 50K – is highlighted in this week’s roundup.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Arches UltraMassUltra Roundup: Long Haul 100 and Coldwater Rumble
January 2021 continues to be unusually quiet as the national ultramarathon calendar is blanketed with cancellations due the pandemic, but a few New England residents made some noise with strong showings at two of the races that happened during the Jan. 16-17 weekend. New Hampshire’s Keith Lundquist was victorious in his 100-mile debut and Massachusetts’ Honora Einhorn earned a spot on the women’s podium during her ultra debut. Both of their efforts are included in this week’s roundup.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Long Haul 100 and Coldwater RumbleMassUltra Roundup: Bandera
The 2021 ultramarathon racing season is off to a slow start nationally as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to force race cancellations, but a handful of ultras took place in the United States during the Jan. 10-11 weekend. The most notable among them was the Bandera 100K in Texas, and two New England residents were among the finishers.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: BanderaTARC Cancels 3 More 2021 Races as Pandemic Rages On
The Trail Animals Running Club (TARC) was forced to cancel nine of its 10 trail races in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the United States. A massive spike in positive cases and hospitalizations tied to Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday gatherings and travel, coupled with a slow rollout of vaccines, made it clear that COVID-19 isn’t yet done ravaging the TARC Trail Series.
Continue reading TARC Cancels 3 More 2021 Races as Pandemic Rages OnMassUltra Roundup: San Tan Scramble
The first weekend of the new year is typically full of ultras around the United States, from fatass-style races to the popular Across the Years multi-day races in Arizona, to ringing-in-the-new-year races. Not this year. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc, some New Year’s races went virtual while most were canceled. Only a handful happened with in-person racing, and two Massachusetts residents took part in one of them. That race – Arizona’s San Tan Scramble – is covered in the first roundup of 2021.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: San Tan ScrambleFrom the Editor’s Desk: 2020 Reminded Us of Value of Community
It’s a little after 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31, just a few hours until we officially kick 2020 to the curb and welcome in 2021 with hope and optimism for better days ahead.
Continue reading From the Editor’s Desk: 2020 Reminded Us of Value of CommunityMassUltra Roundup: Desert Solstice
The 2020 ultrarunning season is quickly coming to a close, but some of the sport’s speediest 100-mile and 24-hour runners capitalized on one final chance to log major mileage on Dec. 12-13 at the 11th annual Desert Solstice track race in Arizona. Among them was Scott Traer of Woburn, Mass., and his sizzling performance earned him a roundup all to himself this week.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Desert SolsticeCape Cod Frozen Fat Ass 50K Will Take Place in 2021 – With a Twist
Two early-season ultramarathons in Massachusetts have already canceled their 2021 races due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but another is forging ahead. The Cape Cod Ultrarunning Society is going ahead with its plans to play host to 15th annual Cape Cod Frozen Fat Ass 50K/25K races.
Continue reading Cape Cod Frozen Fat Ass 50K Will Take Place in 2021 – With a Twist