For 18 years, the Stone Cat Trail Races challenged runners with 50-mile and marathon distances. The race organizers from G.A.C. in Topsfield transitioned the event to a single-distance offering of a 50K in 2019, and that inaugural event featured impressive performances and competitive battles in both the women’s and men’s races, setting the stage for a highly anticipated second edition of the 50K in 2020.
Runners endured the full spectrum of weather conditions during the first 20 years of the G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K, from bone-chilling temperatures far below freezing, to blizzard conditions, to rain, ice, sun and unseasonably warm temperatures.
The 21st annual event took place Saturday, Jan. 4, at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield, Mass., and it featured a little bit of everything. Patches of snow and ice covered the 6.2-mile loop course, as did a fair amount of mud thanks to some thawing in the mid-40s temperatures and the rain that fell on and off during the race. The damp yet comfortable conditions were ideal for runners who sought several loops and didn’t mind having mud-coated calves and shoes.Continue reading Around 150 Runners Kick Off New Year at G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K→
The 21st annual G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K took place Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield, Mass. Around 150 runners took part in the classic New England ultramarathon to kick off the new year, with 30 completing five loops of the course for a 50K finish and another dozen completing a marathon.Continue reading Results: G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K→
IPSWICH, Mass. – The friendly banter, the anxious smiles, the fidgeting and deep breathing… all were on display in the minutes leading up to the start of the Stone Cat 50K, foreshadowing what was about to happen.
Yes, the runners were chilly – it was just 31 degrees on this sunny Saturday morning – but they were also nervous. This day was going to hurt, especially for those who hoped to contend for the win. After 18 years of offering 50-mile and marathon distances, the Stone Cat organizers combined the two races into a single 50K offering this year. That meant the fastest fellas were all in one race, and they all knew it. Continue reading A Stacked Field, a Spirited Race and a Smith Victory at Stone Cat→
IPSWICH, Mass. – When Cori Nawn stepped to the starting line of the Stone Cat 50K on Saturday morning, she didn’t know what to expect of the competition around her. Then again, it wasn’t of much concern to her. She was just happy to be there.
“I recently moved back to the area from Texas,” Nawn said. “I lived in San Antonio for five years and I moved back up here after getting my Ph.D. I’m really happy to be back, and I just wanted to run a fall race because fall is my favorite season.” Continue reading Nawn Celebrates Return to New England with Stone Cat Victory→
The 19th annual Stone Cat Trail Race and first running of the event as a 50K rather than a 50-mile/marathon event took place Saturday, Nov. 2, at Willowdale State Forest in Ipswich, Mass. The following are just a handful of photos from the race. A full photo gallery with 163 photos can be viewed on the MassUltra Facebook page at this link. Continue reading Photos: Stone Cat 50K→
The 19th annual Stone Cat Trail Race took place Saturday, Nov. 2, at Willowdale State Forest in Ipswich, Mass. While it was the 19th running of the event, it was also the first year that it has been a 50K race. In previous years Stone Cat has been a 50-mile and marathon event. The new distance meant course records were up for grabs, and more than 200 runners took part in this year’s race.Continue reading Results: Stone Cat 50K→
TOPSFIELD, Mass. – A thunderstorm inched closer to Topsfield during the morning hours on Saturday, Jan. 5, creating an ominous sky above and around Bradley Palmer State Park.
Runners coming to the G.A.C. Fat Ass 50 from the north and south drove through spurts of steady precipitation. Upon arrival at the park, however, they experienced reprieve from the rain. Radar showed that the storm that for hours had barreled toward the park split as it neared the Topsfield town border. There was rain to the north and rain to the south, but Bradley Palmer State Park was dry. Indeed, it was a good day to run. Continue reading Little Rain, Lot of Good Times at 20th Annual G.A.C. Fat Ass 50→
The 20th annual G.A.C. Fat Ass 50 took place on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield, Mass. Around 150 runners took part, with 30 completing a 50K distance and another eight running a marathon. Continue reading G.A.C. Fat Ass 50→
The 20th annual running of the G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K took place on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield, Mass. The following are a small sample of the photos taken during the 6-hour trail race. A full photo gallery with 186 photos can be found on the MassUltra Facebook page here. Continue reading Photos: G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K→
