Two 100-mile ultramarathons challenged New England residents with opposing types of terrain – crushed gravel on a smooth rail-trail in Pennsylvania and rugged, steep mountains in Utah – and runners from the region handled both just fine on the Sept. 5-8 weekend. Lynnfield resident Lori Mitchener’s overall win at the Pine Creek Challenge 100 in Pennsylvania leads off this week’s roundup, and her performance is joined by the successful finish at Wasatch Front by five New England residents. Additionally, the Water Gap 50K in Pennsylvania, the McKenzie River Trail Run in Oregon, and the Yeti Snakebite 50K in Georgia are included in this week’s roundup. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Pine Creek, Wasatch Front, Water Gap, McKenzie River, and Yeti Snakebite
All posts by Chris Wristen
Daylor, D’Alessio Successfully Circle Mont Blanc at UTMB; McConaughy Completes CCC for 2nd Time
Thousands of ultrarunners descended on the European Alps for the 17th annual Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc – dubbed the World Summit of Trail-Running – from Aug. 26 through Sept. 1 as world-class mountain runners and world-class mountain lovers of varying speeds and natural abilities shared the trails on some of ultrarunning’s most hallowed trails.
The event offered five ultramarathon-distance races, three of which counted runners from New England among the finishers. Continue reading Daylor, D’Alessio Successfully Circle Mont Blanc at UTMB; McConaughy Completes CCC for 2nd Time
MassUltra Roundup: Jay Peak and the Rut
With most of the ultrarunning world’s eyes on the European Alps last weekend for the self-proclaimed World Summit of Trail-Running at the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, the race schedule across the country was notably lighter during Labor Day weekend. A few runners from New England made the journey to Europe for UTMB and its associate races – we’ll have those covered in a separate roundup – but a few runners headed to nearby Vermont for a 33-mile ultra at the Jay Peak Trail Running Festival while others traveled to Idaho for the gnarly Run the Rut 50K. Both of those are covered in this week’s roundup. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Jay Peak and the Rut
New Last Person Standing Ultra Slated for October
Since its inaugural running with less than two-dozen participants seven years ago, the Big Backyard Ultra in Bell Buckle, Tenn. – a quirky last person standing race – has grown into an event that attracts some of the best ultrarunners on the planet.
It has also sparked something of a revolution in the sport as new races adopting the same format have popped up across the country in recent years, attempting to recreate some of the magic of the original event that was the brainchild of the man behind the Barkley Marathons, Gary Cantrell, also known as Lazarus Lake.
Now, one of those races is coming to Massachusetts. Continue reading New Last Person Standing Ultra Slated for October
Midstate Massive Ultra Trail is a Race Five Years in the Making
When the first wave of runners in the Midstate Massive Ultra Trail depart Windblown Cross Country Ski Area in New Hampshire and head for the Massachusetts border to begin their North-South crossing of the Bay State, it will represent more than just the start of the first point-to-point 100-mile ultramarathon across Massachusetts. The 100-mile/50-mile/30-mile event on Oct. 12-13 will mark the fulfillment of a dream five years in the making. Continue reading Midstate Massive Ultra Trail is a Race Five Years in the Making
MassUltra Roundup: Castle Peak, Lost Cat, Cascade Crest, and Anchor Down
After a few busy weeks of in-state ultras in Massachusetts, Aug. 24-25 was a quiet racing weekend in the Bay State. That didn’t keep runners from New England off the trails, however. Several raced in neighboring Vermont at the Lost Cat 50K, while a few headed to the West Cost to race at the Castle Peak 100K in California and the Cascade Crest 100-miler in Washington. Britta Clark was among them as the 25-year-old from Goshen, Vt., delivered a course record-setting performance at Castle Peak. Additionally, we tracked down results from the Anchor Down Ultra on Aug. 16-17 in Rhode Island for this week’s roundup. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Castle Peak, Lost Cat, Cascade Crest, and Anchor Down
MassUltra Roundup: Habanero Hundred, Waldo, Fat Dog, Lean Horse, and Twisted Branch
After a few jam-packed weekends of ultramarathon racing in Massachusetts, the Aug. 17-18 weekend was quiet in the Bay State. Runners from the region traveled to other parts of the country to race, however, and turned in strong showings. None had a bigger weekend than Ryan Fecteau as the resident of Danvers, Mass., set a new course record with his victory at the Habanero Hundred in Texas. Additionally, new New England resident Brent Kocis turned in a fourth-place showing at the Waldo 100K in Oregon. In addition to those races, the Lean Horse 100 from South Dakota and the Twisted Branch 100K from New York are included in this week’s roundup, and we also tracked down results from the Fat Dog 120 in Canada from the weekend prior. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Habanero Hundred, Waldo, Fat Dog, Lean Horse, and Twisted Branch
With 100 on the Horizon, LeBlanc Blazes at Summer Classic
The Idaho Mountain Trail Ultra Festival (IMTUF) 100-miler is a month away, but that didn’t stop Samantha LeBlanc from entering the TARC Summer Classic for a tune-up run.
IMTUF is a rugged mountain race, whereas the Summer Classic on Saturday, Aug. 10, had plenty of rocks and roots but a lot more runnable surface on the trails of Noon Hill Reservation in Medfield, Mass. That meant there’d be a lot more running and a lot less power-hiking practice for LeBlanc – and she made the most of the opportunity to throw down some speed. Continue reading With 100 on the Horizon, LeBlanc Blazes at Summer Classic
New Champions Crowned at Sweltering Summer
For the past four years, Greg Soutiea had his speedy legs firmly planted on the top of the podium at the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service’s Sweltering Summer 8-Hour Ultra.
Soutiea dominated the race each year, always winning with at least 5 1/2 miles more than his closest competitor. The former resident of Quincy, Mass., now lives on the Maine coast, making the trip to Clapp Park in Pittsfield, Mass., a particularly long haul. As a result, after dominating the race from 2015-2018 when he secured the four biggest mileage totals in race history, Soutiea was absent from the seventh annual event on Saturday, Aug. 10. That meant a new champion would be crowned at the race around the .355-mile loop cinder track at Clapp Park.
And what a race it was. Continue reading New Champions Crowned at Sweltering Summer
MassUltra Roundup: Catskill Mountain, Eastern States, Ragged, Beast of Burden, Green Lakes, and the Nifty Fifty
Even with two in-state ultramarathons on the Aug. 10-11 weekend, several runners headed beyond the Bay State to race. Six of those races are featured in this week’s roundup, led by Cambridge resident Jenny Hoffman’s overall victory at the Catskill Mountain 100K and the return of the Eastern States 100. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Catskill Mountain, Eastern States, Ragged, Beast of Burden, Green Lakes, and the Nifty Fifty
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