The Oct. 12-13 weekend was a big one for ultramarathons – and not just in Massachusetts. Sure, several runners took part in the Midstate Massive Ultra-Trail races and a few dozen more tackled the Race for DFL, but several runners ventured beyond the Bay State to race. From victories at the Ultra Trails Lake Tahoe 100-miler in California by Haroldas Subertas of Amesbury, Mass., and the Cloudsplitter 50K by Tyler Dion of Leominster, Mass., to a first-time ultra for Brian Bayness of Winchester, Mass., in New Jersey, to the Big Brad Ultras in Maine, the Muleskinner 50 in Pennsylvania and the Tesla Hertz ultras in New York, there was plenty of racing to go around. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Lake Tahoe, Batona, Cloudsplitter, Big Brad, Muleskinner, and Tesla Hertz
All posts by Chris Wristen
Massive Challenge: Midstate Trail Pushes Runners to the Limit at Inaugural Ultra
BARRE, Mass. – The precise moment may have varied from runner to runner, but for all of them it came somewhere between Wachusett Mountain and Barre Falls Dam. That’s where – more than 40 miles into the inaugural Midstate Massive 100-mile ultramarathon – darkness began to fall and the runners became acutely aware of the magnitude of the challenge they’d taken on.
They’d already conquered the most technical terrain and biggest climbs that the course had to offer, but now they had to navigate the leaf-covered Midstate Trail through thick forest by the glow of headlamps and a full moon. Continue reading Massive Challenge: Midstate Trail Pushes Runners to the Limit at Inaugural Ultra
DFL Means WIN for Anthony at Last Person Standing Race
PELHAM, Mass. – About a dozen runners – some with weary legs, others still surprisingly fresh – lingered by their aid supplies just a few feet from the starting line. They had three more minutes before it was time to go again. Continue reading DFL Means WIN for Anthony at Last Person Standing Race
Results: Race for DFL
The inaugural Race for DFL, a last person standing event from race director Amy Rusiecki, took place Oct. 12-13 on the singletrack trails of Pelham, Mass. Runners took on a 4.16-mile loop and had one hour to complete the loop and return to the starting line to go again. The loop was repeated on the hour, every hour, until one last runner remained. In addition to the last person standing race, runners had the option to run one loop of the course while hopping in at the hour of their choosing. Continue reading Results: Race for DFL
Results: Midstate Massive Ultra-Trail
The inaugural Midstate Massive Ultra-Trail 100-mile, 50-mile and 30-mile trail ultramarathons took place Oct. 12-13, crossing the state of Massachusetts from north to south, beginning in New Hampshire and crossing into Rhode Island before finishing back in Massachusetts at Douglas State Forest. Continue reading Results: Midstate Massive Ultra-Trail
Photos: Midstate Massive Ultra-Trail
The inaugural running of the Midstate Massive Ultra-Trail 100-mile, 50-mile and 30-mile ultramarathons took place Oct. 12-13, 2019, on the Midstate Trail crossing Massachusetts from north to south. The following are a sample of photos from the race. A full photo gallery can be found on the MassUltra Facebook page at this link. Continue reading Photos: Midstate Massive Ultra-Trail
Photos: Race for DFL
The inaugural Race for DFL last person standing event took place Oct. 12-13 at a farm in Pelham, Mass. Runners took on a 4.25-mile loop course that was almost entirely singletrack trails in the woods. They had one hour to complete the loop and be back at the starting line to begin the next, with a new race beginning on the hour, every hour, until only one runner remained. A full photo gallery from this event can be found on the MassUltra Facebook page at this link. The following are just a few photos from that gallery. All photos in this gallery are by Chris Wristen/MassUltra. Continue reading Photos: Race for DFL
MassUltra Roundup: Grindstone, Cuyamaca, Bubba’s Backyard, Hennepin, and Blues Cruise
Grindstone weekend is always a big weekend for New England ultrarunners, and this year was no different. Thirteen runners from New England spent Oct. 4-6 on the course in Swoope, Va., with six of them earning their first 100-mile finishes. Other 100-mile runners headed to Illinois for the Hennepin 100, while three Massachusetts residents went all the way to California to run the Cuyamaca 100K. Closer to home, a few runners took on the Blues Cruise 50K in Pennsylvania while several more took on a Last Person Standing race in New Hampshire. It all made for a jam-packed weekend of racing and we have it covered in this week’s roundup. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Grindstone, Cuyamaca, Bubba’s Backyard, Hennepin, and Blues Cruise
MassUltra Roundup: The Yeti, the Bear, Vermont 50, Beebe Farm, and Mt. Taylor
Sept. 26-28 was a jam-packed weekend for ultrarunners in New England between the TARC Fall Classic in Massachusetts, the Vermont 50 and the Beebe Farm 48 – also in Vermont. The latter two are included in this week’s roundup, along with 100-mile races in Virginia and Utah, and a 50K in New Mexico. This intro is short, but this week’s roundup is long. There’s plenty to read, starting with Boston resident Lance Doherty’s win at the Yeti 100. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: The Yeti, the Bear, Vermont 50, Beebe Farm, and Mt. Taylor
Runners Handle the Heat at Sun-Soaked Fall Classic
CARLISLE, Mass. — The fall feelings didn’t last long. Shortly after the headlamps were ditched and the sun rose over Great Brook Farm State Park on Saturday, Sept. 28, the ninth annual TARC Fall Classic turned into a toasty trail-running affair.
Gone were the 49-degree temperatures that chilled runners as they huddled at the starting line. In their place were sunny skies, lots of sweat and a 70-degree morning that evolved into an 80-degree afternoon. It made for challenging conditions on a day where many in attendance were likely eager to enjoy the cooler comfort that late September typically brings to New England. Several runners withdrew as the day progressed, but many persevered and some had breakthrough performances. The Fall Classic’s 10-mile loop course is designed to be fast with its good footing and rolling hills, and this year’s 50-mile and 50K ultramarathons didn’t disappoint. Continue reading Runners Handle the Heat at Sun-Soaked Fall Classic
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