It took a record-setting performance to deny Patrick Caron the victory in the 50-mile race at the TARC Fall Classic in 2015.
Caron wouldn’t be denied the victory two years in a row. Continue reading Caron Sets New Standard at TARC Fall Classic
MassUltra Roundup: Last Man Standing, and Jay Peak
Quincy’s Damon is Last Woman Standing at “Last Man Standing” Ultramarathon
The inaugural Last Man Standing Ultramarathon was a battle of attrition Saturday, Sept. 3, at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine, as 111 runners toed the starting line of the approximately 4.2-mile loop course … and then they toed it again … and again … and again … on the hour, every hour, until no runner could complete the loop within the hour allotted for each loop. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Last Man Standing, and Jay Peak
Rusieckis, Fourcade Complete UTMB
The 2016 Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) was one of the hottest and most grueling on record, with more than 40 percent of the starting field falling by the wayside by the time the 46 1/2-hour time limit had expired.
Nearly 1,800 runners toed the starting line in Chamonix, France, and more than 730 dropped along the 170-kilometer (105.6-mile) course. Of the 1,468 runners who reached the finish line after conquering more than 32,000 feet of vertical gain and temperatures in the upper 80s, three finishers hailed from Massachusetts. Continue reading Rusieckis, Fourcade Complete UTMB
MassUltra Roundup: Cascade Crest, ADK, and Tamalpa Headlands
Traer Blazes to Runner-Up Finish at Cascade Crest 100
Fast times were to be expected at the Cascade Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run. After all, defending champion Jesse Lang was back for the race on Saturday, Aug. 27, in Easton, Wash., a year after recording the second-fastest time in course history.
Adding to the speed factor was that Scott Traer made the cross-country trip from Woburn, Mass., to tackle the mountain race with more than 22,000 feet of vertical gain. Throw in speedy Texan Paul Terranova from Austin – a top-20 finisher at Western States in June and the runner-up at the Rocky Raccoon 100 in February – and another Western States top-20 finisher, Benjamin Bucklin of Spokane, Wash., and the competition was stout. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Cascade Crest, ADK, and Tamalpa Headlands
Buckle Up: Harvard Friends Strike Gold at Leadville
More than two decades ago, six college kids from the Boston area headed West to strike it big and, thanks to savvy planning and a string of daring escapades, returned home with a lucrative haul.
Their destination: Vegas. Their game: blackjack. Their prize: cold, hard cash. Their university: M.I.T.
Last winter, four college kids from a university a mile away hatched a new plan to head West in pursuit of a hefty reward. Their game was far different – no cards to count; the number 25 more important than 21. The prize they sought amounted to little more than a partial wardrobe upgrade and a lifetime of personal pride. Continue reading Buckle Up: Harvard Friends Strike Gold at Leadville
MassUltra Roundup: Leadville, Waldo, Squamish, Hampshire, Anchor Down, and the Anchorage Run Fest
Eight from Massachusetts Overcome the Altitude at Leadville Trail 100
Eight Massachusetts residents were among the 340 runners to complete the Leadville Trail 100, also known as “the Race Across the Sky” for its high altitude. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Leadville, Waldo, Squamish, Hampshire, Anchor Down, and the Anchorage Run Fest
TARC 100 to Take Hiatus After 2016
The yeti isn’t exactly riding off into the sunset; he’s just going into hibernation.
The Trail Animals Running Club (TARC) and its ape-like mascot won’t be taking over Hale Reservation in October 2017 or, as it stands now, for the next few Octobers. Continue reading TARC 100 to Take Hiatus After 2016
BURCS Plays Host to Inaugural Jug End Loop Ultra
The latest addition to the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service’s race lineup made its debut Saturday, Aug. 20, with the inaugural running of the Jug End Loop Ultra 6-hour event at Jug End State Reservation in Egremont, Mass.
A total of 30 runners recorded miles, including 12 who ran beyond the marathon distance – whether by just a few strides or quite a few miles. Continue reading BURCS Plays Host to Inaugural Jug End Loop Ultra
The Rock Run Canceled for 2016
The Rock Run has been a staple of Massachusetts ultrarunning since 1988.
The approximately 50-mile run/swim ultra around the island of Nantucket, Mass., will take a hiatus in 2016, however. According to the event’s website, “Race Director Jamie Ranney, suffered a leg injury” and is facing a lengthy recovery that has interfered with his ability to put on the event. Continue reading The Rock Run Canceled for 2016
MassUltra Roundup: Eastern States, Fat Dog, Summer Beast, and Six Hours in Paradise
Caron Makes Gritty 100-Mile Debut at Eastern States
Patrick Caron has been running ultramarathons for just shy of a year, and he has quickly made his presence felt on the trails of New England.
For his 100-mile debut, however, he traveled to the Rust Belt to take on the rugged trails of north-central Pennsylvania at Little Pine State Park in Waterville. Rather than choosing more friendly terrain for his first 100, Caron elected to tackle the Eastern States 100 on course that is equal parts gorgeous and grueling with its stunning scenery and 19,000-plus feet of vertical gain. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Eastern States, Fat Dog, Summer Beast, and Six Hours in Paradise
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