Robbert Struyven has done most of his ultramarathon racing in Europe, but the postdoctoral researcher at Harvard Medical School has been gradually making his mark on the trails of New England.

The last time Ashley Hensel-Browning raced an ultramarathon in Massachusetts, it was back in 2021 when she went beyond the marathon distance for the first time and completed the 50K race at the Chesterfield Gorge Ultra.

Matt Pacheco hasn’t been running ultramarathons very long – only since June 2022 – but one thing is certain every time he races: he’s there to win.

The inaugural Free Spirit 50K took place Sunday, May 21, in Leyden, Mass. The race took place on dirt country roads in both Massachusetts and Vermont, with around 4,200 feet of climbing along the way.

When Laure and Tom Van den Broeck Raffensperger founded the New England Green River Marathon, they crafted an event that took runners on a scenic journey through rural communities and past 1800s-era infrastructure while traveling through two states.

For their newest creation – the Free Spirit 50K Ultra – they invite runners to turn back the clock even further.