A rare September nor’easter is creeping toward New England, and the slow-moving storm is expected to bring heavy rain and damaging wind to much of the coastal region, including eastern and central Massachusetts. An additional consequence of the storm is the cancellation of two Massachusetts ultramarathons slated for this weekend.
On Friday, Sept. 25, both the MetroWest Backyard Ultra and the Race for the Refuge announced their events were canceled. Both announcements were made in Facebook posts from the race directors.
Around 10:30 a.m., MetroWest Backyard Ultra race directors Kiko Bracker and Bill Gallagher made their announcement.
“After much deliberation and with the safety of all participants in mind, we made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s MetroWest Backyard Ultra,” they wrote. “This weekend there is expected to be considerable and consistent rain (1-3 inches) and steady wind with gusts that may exceed 40 mph. The risk of falling branches and trees on a 100% forested course is just too great for our comfort and your safety. Although we cannot know the exact timing and severity of the storm, at this point in time we are confident that there exists enough risk to make holding the race both dangerous and irresponsible.”
The fifth annual event was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at its new home at Nobscot Scout Reservation in Sudbury following four years at the Needham Town Forest. The event won’t provide refunds, but is offering any registered runners to defer their entries to 2027.
Around the same time that the MetroWest announcement was made, Race for the Refuge race directors Judy Proteau and Beth Dougherty announced that their event, set for Sunday, Sept. 27, was also canceled.
“It is with disappointment that we must cancel the 2026 Race for the Refuge. Due to the expected storm and potential damage to the trees and trails we are unable to safely hold the race this year. We are so sorry that New England nature has not cooperated with us,” they wrote.
The nor-easter-related cancellations have not been limited to Massachusetts. In Maine, the Farm to Farm Ultra was scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 27, in Freeport, but it has also been canceled “to ensure runner safety and trail longevity.”
