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→
William Jackson and Kristen Smith have been mainstays near the front of the pack in recent years at the G.A.C. Mother’s Day 6-Hour Run, with Smith earning a few victories and Jackson coming close.
The 24th annual G.A.C. Mother’s Day 6-Hour Run took place Sunday, May 13, in Topsfield, Mass. Runners logged miles on a three-mile loop at Bradley Palmer State Forest. More than 70 runners completed at least one loop, and two runners hit the 40-mile mark. Continue reading Results: G.A.C. Mother’s Day 6-Hour→
The G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K has seen its share of cold, challenging weather conditions during the past 19 years, including a mid-race snowstorm in 2017 that sent some runners home early and forced others to scrape a few inches of fresh powder off of their windshields after finishing.
The forecast for the 20th annual Fat Ass 50K on Saturday at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield, Mass., looks like a recipe for frostbite, however, with The Weather Channel projecting a high of 4 degrees, a low of minus 9, and 17-mile-per-hour wind. Given the potentially dangerous conditions, the ultramarathon has been called off to ensure the safety of both runners and volunteers. Continue reading Frigid Temperatures Force Cancellation of G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K→
More than an inch of rainfall soaked the trails of Bradley Palmer State Park on Sunday, May 14, but that didn’t prevent the annual G.A.C. Mother’s Day 6-Hour Run from taking place for the 23rd year in a row.
The rain may have kept some runners home – 43 completed at least one loop of the course this year compared to more than 100 in 2016 – and fewer logged major mileage compared to years past. Still, a few of the event’s familiar faces weren’t deterred by the elements, and they ascended to the top of the leaderboard with the most miles. Continue reading A Salem Sweep at Mother’s Day 6-Hour→
