Category Archives: BURCS

‘Magic’ Moments Abound at 2024 Notchview Ultra

WINDSOR, Mass. – Moments after concluding her 64.6-mile effort at the Notchview Ultra, Kimberly Boisvert walked to the Race Headquarters pop-up tent and chatted away with Race Director Benn Griffin and volunteer Mark Bancroft about her experience during the previous 26 hours.

Race Director Benn Griffin, left, and volunteers Mark Bancroft and Rebecca Gonzalez-Kreisberg relax in the shade while cheering on runners during the Notchview Ultra. Photo by Chris Wristen/MassUltra

It was Sunday afternoon and Boisvert was ending her 48-hour race early, but she had loved every moment of her time on the 1.9-mile cross-country ski loop through Notchview Reservation. The event began at noon Friday, July 12, and would conclude at noon Monday, July 15. Boisvert had missed the 12-hour racers who were already finished, but she’d shared some time and miles with her fellow 48-hour racers, as well as some of the runners in the 72-hour, 24-hour and 6-hour races, and a few remaining in the event’s lone distance-specific race, the 100.7-miler. She had run under the stars on a clear night, and endured the heat and humidity of parts of two sun-soaked days. She had logged major miles and shared many stories and laughs with her fellow runners. If the ear-to-ear smile she wore was any indication, she’d loved every second of it.

“This place is magic!” Boisvert exclaimed to Griffin and Bancroft, summing up her experience.

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Photos: 2024 Notchview Ultra

The Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service (BURCS) played host to the ninth edition of the Notchview Ultra on July 12-15, 2024, at Notchview Reservation in Windsor, Mass. Runners took on a distance-specific 100.7-mile race or time-based 72-hour, 48-hour, 24-hour, 12-hour and 6-hour ultras on a 1.9-mile cross-country ski loop course. The following is a small sample of photos taken by MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen. A larger gallery can be viewed on the MassUltra Facebook page.

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Results: Notchview Ultra

The Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service (BURCS) played host to the ninth edition of the Notchview Ultra on July 12-15 at Notchview Reservation in Windsor, Mass. Runners took on either a distance-specific 100.7-mile ultramarathon or a variety of time-based race options of 72, 48, 24, 12 or 6 hours, all of them on a 1.9-mile loop course on cross-country ski trails.

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Hoogkamer, Claiborne Bring the Storm Before the Storm at Vegan Power 50K

The storm was a comin’, that much was certain as runners arrived at Pittsfield State Forest for the 11th running of the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service’s Vegan Power 50K, as well as its 25K and 5-mile trail races, on Saturday, June 22, at Pittsfield State Forest in Pittsfield, Mass.

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Results: BURCS Vegan Power Trail Races

The Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service (BURCS) played host to the 11th running of the Vegan Power 50K ultramarathon, along with 25K and 5-mile trail races on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at Pittsfield State Forest in Pittsfield, Mass. All three distances took place on a 5-mile loop course, and proceeds from the event benefited local animal sanctuaries.

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Runners Conquer Revamped Course at Free to Run Trail Races

A few new surprises were in store for runners at the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service’s (BURCS) Free to Run Trail Races this year.

The event still raises funds to support Free to Run, Inc., a nonprofit organization that seeks to enable women and girls in conflict regions to engage in physical and outdoor activities. That part of the event was unchanged.

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Results: BURCS Free to Run Trail Races

The eighth edition of the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service’s (BURCS) Free to Run Trail Races took place Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, at Pittsfield State Forest in Pittsfield, Mass. This year’s event included a redesigned course and new distances. The traditional 50-miler remained, but the marathon and half marathons were replaced with 50K, 25K and 15K distances.

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