Runners have had the option of going beyond 100 miles for several years at the Ghost Train Rail Trail Races; it’s a time-based event, after all, rather than distance-specific.
When it comes to ultramarathons, Jeff LeBlanc has typically been a behind-the-scenes guy. Sure, he has run his share of ultras – and he has run them quite well – but he also finds great enjoyment in supporting the efforts of others as they pursue their goals.
While you might find LeBlanc knocking out a 10-miler on a Sunday at the Middlesex Fells Reservation, you’re more likely to find the 33-year-old resident of Woburn, Mass., flipping quesadillas at an aid station, refilling water jugs and hydration packs, sweeping a course or offering witty comments and sharing helpful information on the Trail Animals Running Club’s Facebook page.Continue reading From Behind-the-Scenes Star to 100-Mile Finisher, LeBlanc Goes the Distance→
After a few busy weeks of ultramarathon racing in New England, the Oct. 26-27 weekend had a lighter load of races. Still, a few runners from the region traveled to take on courses in new places. That included Tyler Andrews of Cambridge whose trip to Pennsylvania included a victory at the USATF 50-Mile Road National Championship at Tussey Mountainback. Several runners ventured to Arizona for the Javelina Jundred, including Brookline resident Davis Cutter who finished in the top 10 percent of the field at the massive race in the desert. Those performances and more are included in this week’s roundup. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Tussey Mountainback, Javelina, Kansas Rails-to-Trails, Nor’witch, and the IAU 24-Hour World Championships→
The Trail Animals Running Club’s 11th annual Ghost Train Rail Trail Races took place Oct. 19-20 at Camp Tevya in Brookline, N.H. Runners had 30 hours to complete as many 15-mile out-and-backs on the rail trail as they wanted. Continue reading Results: TARC Ghost Train Rail Trail Races→
The Oct. 19-20 weekend was huge in New England as hundreds of ultrarunners took a ride on the Trail Animals Running Club’s 30-hour Ghost Train Rail Trail Races just across the border in New Hampshire. A few found other venues to run, however, and all turned in strong performances. From Kehr Davis winning the same race twice in one year in New York, to Garrett Simon’s runner-up finish at the Wawayanda Wonderful 50-miler in New Jersey, to Ryan Fecteau’s top-10 outing at the Moab 240, runners from the region represented it well. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Moab 240, Castle to River, and Wawayanda Wonderful→
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→
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.
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→
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→
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