During the first 13 years of the Wapack and Back Trail Races only two runners won back-to-back titles in either the 50-mile or 43-mile distances – Josh Katzman during his 2012 and 2013 runs that remain the top two men’s 50-mile performances in event history, and Debbie Livingston’s winning performances in the women’s field in 2013 and 2014.
Continue reading MacDonald Defends Title on Tough Day at WapackMassUltra Roundup: Massanutten, Dirty German, Run Ragged, and Cruel Jewel
May is winding down quickly and May 20-21 was a mostly quiet weekend of ultramarathon racing in New England. The Run Ragged Last One Standing was the lone race in the region, and runners traveled to a few other ultras along the East Coast. Most notably, nine New Englanders earned finishes at the Massanutten 100-miler in Virginia, including Fairhaven’s Kevin Mullen who completed the challenging race for the seventh time. Additionally, Marblehead’s Kate Cook successfully finished the 50-miler at the Dirty German Endurance Fest in her final tune-up before running Western States next month. Those efforts lead off this edition of the roundup.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Massanutten, Dirty German, Run Ragged, and Cruel Jewel
Results: Trail Animals “Don’t Run Boston” 50K and 50-Mile Ultras
The 27th edition of the Trail Animals Running Club’s original event, the Trail Animals “Don’t Run Boston” 50K, took place on Saturday, April 16, 2023, at the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, Mass. In addition, the 14th edition of the DRB 50-miler also took place. The 6 a.m. wave start enjoyed 50-degree temperatures, fog, and a little bit of light drizzle, and similar conditions greeted runners in the 8 a.m. start wave. The day was overcast throughout, humid and breezy with temperatures in the low- to mid-50s throughout the day.
Continue reading Results: Trail Animals “Don’t Run Boston” 50K and 50-Mile UltrasMassUltra Roundup: Cross-Connecticut Run for Mental Health, Manchester 2 Monadnock, and Blood Root
Part I of our May 13-14 weekend roundup focused on ultras beyond New England. Here in Part II, we catch up on results from three New England ultras beyond the Bay State. Each saw some big performances by runners from the region. In Connecticut, Clorice Reinhardt and Jenny Hoffman turned in the top two women’s times in course history at the Cross-Connecticut Run for Mental Health. In New Hampshire, the men’s and women’s course records fell at the Manchester 2 Monadnock 55-miler. And in Vermont, runners gutted out hard-earned finishes at 100 miles, 50 miles and 50K at the Blood Root Ultra. Read on to learn more about it.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Cross-Connecticut Run for Mental Health, Manchester 2 Monadnock, and Blood Root
Results: Free Spirit 50K
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.
Continue reading Results: Free Spirit 50K
From Ice to Ultras, Chara Finds Success Through Tenacity, Teamwork
FALL RIVER, Mass. – As Zdeno Chara prepared to sign a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins in September 2022 and officially retire from the National Hockey League following a 24-year career, the future hall-of-famer skimmed the agreement and immediately began to laugh.
After signing the document which allowed him to retire as a Bruin, Chara turned to the crowd assembled.
Continue reading From Ice to Ultras, Chara Finds Success Through Tenacity, Teamwork
Pizzi Delivers Dynamite Performance in Ultra Debut at Watuppa
FALL RIVER, Mass. – When Becca Pizzi completed the World Marathon Challenge in 2016, becoming the first American woman to do so, it was no surprise that the ultramarathon world quickly came knocking.
Pizzi fielded calls and emails from race directors inviting her to their events, but the native of Belmont, Mass., wasn’t yet ready to venture beyond the 26.2-mile distance. Ultras would have to wait.
Continue reading Pizzi Delivers Dynamite Performance in Ultra Debut at WatuppaResults: TARC Wapack and Back
The Trail Animals Running Club played host to the 15th running of the Wapack and Back Trail Races on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Ashburnham, Mass. Runners took on either a 43-mile out-and-back of the Wapack Trail, a 50-mile race that included the 43-mile out-and-back and an additional seven miles, or a 21.5-mile one-way journey through the course. Since its founding in 2007 by Bogie Dumitrescu, the event has been held annually with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue reading Results: TARC Wapack and Back
MassUltra Roundup: PCT 50, Hellbender 100, Thelma and Louise, Mayapple, and Ram Party
A few weeks ago, Kara Olivito raced to victory in the 50K at the Trail Animals Running Club’s TARC Spring Classic. Her face lit up as she talked about the day, and continued to as she discussed her upcoming plans to return to California and run the PCT 50-miler. Her optimism was matched by her performance as Olivito raced to victory on Saturday, May 13. Her performance highlighted a busy weekend for New England ultrarunners both throughout the region and across the country. We’ll have separate articles on last weekend’s two Massachusetts ultras – Wapack and Back and Watuppa – and we’re still waiting on results to come in for the other New England ultras, but Olivito’s big performance kicks off this edition of the roundup.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: PCT 50, Hellbender 100, Thelma and Louise, Mayapple, and Ram Party
Results: Watuppa Trail Races
The ninth running of the Watuppa Trail Races and fourth edition of the Watuppa 50K took place on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at Watuppa Reservation in Fall River, Mass. Runners took on 50K, 30K or 10K distances on a 10K loop course consisting of a mix of doubletrack trails, singletrack dirt, some pavement and gravel road.
Continue reading Results: Watuppa Trail Races
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