Two runners on the rise added another notable mark on their racing resumes with wins at the Wapack and Back 50-miler on Saturday, May 12, in Ashburnham, Mass. For one, the race capped a long recovery from injury; for the other, it was the latest strong performance in what has been an impressive two-year stretch. For both, it was their first time winning the classic New England ultramarathon. Continue reading Wapack Wins are Latest Notable Feats for Veiga, LeBlanc
MassUltra Roundup: Manchester 2 Monadnock, UROC, Riverlands, D2D2D, Quicksilver, and Ice Age
May 12-13 was a busy weekend for in-state races with Wapack and Back and the G.A.C. Mother’s Day 6-Hour Run, but that didn’t mean it was a quiet weekend for ultrarunners hitting the road beyond the Bay State. From nearby Manchester 2 Monadnock in New Hampshire and the Riverlands 100 in Maine, to races in the heartland and the west, the ultramarathon season continues to ramp up as summer nears. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Manchester 2 Monadnock, UROC, Riverlands, D2D2D, Quicksilver, and Ice Age
Results: Wapack and Back
The Trail Animals Running Club’s 12th annual Wapack and Back 50-miler, 43-miler, and 21.5-miler took place Saturday, May 12, in Ashburnham, Mass. The 50-mile and 43-mile races took runners along the Wapack Trail from Mt. Watatic to North Pack Mountain and back. The 21.5-mile race started at North Pack Mountain and took runners back to Mt. Watatic. Continue reading Results: Wapack and Back
MassUltra Roundup (Part 2): Big A, Bear Mountain, Wildflower, and Miwok
Last weekend’s busy ultramarathon schedule was so jam-packed that it merited two roundups. Part 1 featured the White Lake Ultras, as well as the Connecticut Trail Mixers’ Spring Fling, the Salt Flats 100, the Strolling Jim 40, and the Mt. Si 50K. Part 2 catches you up on the Big A 50K in Maine, The North Face Endurance Challenge 50-mile and 50K ultras at Bear Mountain in New York, the Wildflower 50K in Texas, and the Miwok 100K in California. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup (Part 2): Big A, Bear Mountain, Wildflower, and Miwok
MassUltra Roundup (Part 1): White Lake, Spring Fling, Salt Flats, Strolling Jim, and Mt. Si
The 2018 ultra season is starting to hit full swing with at least 38 ultramarathons taking place in North America during the first weekend of May. Runners from the Bay State scattered to tackle races throughout the country, from nearby New England states to trails out West. In fact, the weekend was so jam-packed with performances that it merits a two-part roundup this week. Here’s the first part. Stay tuned for Part 2 (Bear Mountain, Big A 50K, Peak). Continue reading MassUltra Roundup (Part 1): White Lake, Spring Fling, Salt Flats, Strolling Jim, and Mt. Si
MassUltra Roundup: Promise Land, Jack Bristol, TNFEC-DC, the Canyons, and Zion
A few of the Northeast’s classic ultras – Virginia’s Promise Land 50K, Connecticut’s Jack Bristol Ultras at Lake Waramaug, and The North Face Endurance Challenge’s annual stop outside Washington, D.C. – attracted ultrarunners from Massachusetts, as did a relatively new ultra out West on some of the sport’s most hallowed grounds. Additionally, we tracked down the results of the Zion 100 from April 21-22, which included a handful of buckle-earners from the Bay State. Those five races make for plenty of reading in this week’s roundup. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Promise Land, Jack Bristol, TNFEC-DC, the Canyons, and Zion
Big Bear 50K Relocating to Watuppa Reservation for 2018
The inaugural Big Bear 50K was a spirited and competitive affair in 2017, with 23 runners finishing the ultramarathon and another 35 completing the 30K race at the DCR Massasoit State Park in East Taunton, Mass. Organizers from Northeast Race Management were eagerly looking forward to growing the event in its second year. Continue reading Big Bear 50K Relocating to Watuppa Reservation for 2018
Historically Chilly DRB Doesn’t Deter Runners
Runners who took part in the 122nd Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16, endured some of the gnarliest conditions in recent memory as a monsoon-like thunderstorm pummeled runners for the duration of the race.
Twenty-four hours earlier at the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, Mass., runners at the 22nd annual Don’t Run Boston 50K were spared the downpour, but they battled through the coldest DRB in event history with temperatures in the 30s and afternoon snow flurries. Continue reading Historically Chilly DRB Doesn’t Deter Runners
Endurance Legend Pharr Davis to Speak May 10 in Natick
One of the modern giants of human endurance is returning to New England. Ultra-endurance hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis will speak at the Natick Outdoor Store at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 10, in Natick, Mass., as part of a tour to promote her new book, “The Pursuit of Endurance: Harnessing the Record-Breaking Power of Strength and Resilience.” Continue reading Endurance Legend Pharr Davis to Speak May 10 in Natick
Allen Capitalizes On Warm Weather with Speedy Performance at Spring Classic
WESTON, Mass. – The TARC Spring Classic has developed a reputation for damp, drizzly weather and chilly temperatures during recent years, and this year was shaping up to be more of the same when multiple late-season snowstorms pounded the region in recent weeks.
When race day rolled around, however, runners were granted a reprieve from the challenging conditions and instead were treated to one of the finest days for running in 2018. Sunny skies, temperatures in the upper 50s, and mostly dry trails made for fast running and a spirited day of running at the eighth annual TARC Spring Classic on Saturday, April 21. Continue reading Allen Capitalizes On Warm Weather with Speedy Performance at Spring Classic
MassUltra 