The pile began forming long before race day.
Months before the fifth annual Free to Run Trail Races took place on Saturday, Sept. 14, trail- and ultrarunners had already begun dropping off shoes with race organizers from the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service that would ultimately go to the non-profit organization that shares the race’s name. Continue reading Runners Pile Up Shoes, Miles at Free to Run
The Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service (BURCS) played host to the fifth annual Free to Run 50-mile ultramarathon, marathon and half marathon trail races on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, at Pittsfield State Forest. New women’s course records were set in the marathon and half marathon races. Continue reading Results: Free to Run Trail Races
For the past four years, Greg Soutiea had his speedy legs firmly planted on the top of the podium at the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service’s Sweltering Summer 8-Hour Ultra.
Soutiea dominated the race each year, always winning with at least 5 1/2 miles more than his closest competitor. The former resident of Quincy, Mass., now lives on the Maine coast, making the trip to Clapp Park in Pittsfield, Mass., a particularly long haul. As a result, after dominating the race from 2015-2018 when he secured the four biggest mileage totals in race history, Soutiea was absent from the seventh annual event on Saturday, Aug. 10. That meant a new champion would be crowned at the race around the .355-mile loop cinder track at Clapp Park.
And what a race it was. Continue reading New Champions Crowned at Sweltering Summer
The Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service played host to its sixth annual Sweltering Summer 8-Hour Ultra on Saturday, Aug. 10, at Clapp Park in Pittsfield, Mass. Yuki Chorney earned the No. 2 spot on the women’s course record board with her 51.16-mile performance while Eric Ciocca earned the men’s victory in his BURCS debut. Continue reading Results: BURCS Sweltering Summer 8-Hour Ultra
Runners put up some big numbers during the first three years of the Jug End Loop Ultra, including men’s and women’s course-record mileage that went untouched at this year’s race. That said, the fourth annual Jug featured plenty of big numbers of its own on Saturday, July 27, at Jug End State Reservation in Egremont, Mass.
For one thing, the 76 runners who took on the 6-hour race made up the largest field in the event’s brief history, and they were joined by more runners in the 27-mile and 4.2-mile races. While the participation tally brought a smile to race director Benn Griffin’s face, he was even more proud by the most impactful big number the runners delivered: $3,600. Continue reading Runners Deliver Big Numbers, Make Bigger Impact at Jug End
The fourth annual Jug End Loop Ultra took place Saturday, July 27, at Jug End State Reservation in Egremont, Mass. Runners took on a 4.2-mile loop course, with a .88-mile mini loop used during the final hour. Additionally, runners had the option of racing a 27-miler and a 4.2-miler. Continue reading Results: Jug End Loop Ultra
WINDSOR, Mass. – For most of the weekend, Ann Alessandrini was an unstoppable force.
From the moment she started the 72-hour race at the Notchview Ultra at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 4, until her final dash through the field and across the finish line three days later, Alessandrini captured the imagination of her fellow ultrarunners who marveled at her speed, her endurance and – perhaps above all else – her grit. Continue reading Alessandrini’s 201.4-Mile Performance Highlights Huge Weekend at Notchview Ultra
The Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service played host to the Notchview Ultra from July 4-7 at Notchview Reservation in Windsor, Mass. Runners took on a variety of distance options, from 72-, 48-, 24-, 12-, 6- and 3-hour timed events to the Quadzilla (four 52Ks within 72 hours), all on a 1.9-mile trail loop course. Continue reading Results: Notchview Ultra
WINDSOR, Mass. – What started as a 6-hour event in 2015 known as the BURCS Summer Fat Ass soon grew into a 24-hour race. In 2019, it morphed into a massive multi-day event rebranded as the Notchview Ultra, offering runners the opportunity to tackle a 1.9-mile trail loop for 72, 48, 24, 12, 6 or 3 hours from July 4-7 at Notchview Reservation. The following are a sample of photos from the weekend. A full photo gallery can be found on the MassUltra Facebook page. Continue reading Photos: Notchview Ultra
With two victories to his credit at trail ultramarathons in eastern Massachusetts already this year, Brian Burke set his sights on the trails of western Massachusetts on Saturday, June 22, when he took part in the Vegan Power 50K in Pittsfield, Mass.
By the time he was done, Burke had earned his first win in the west after a day of tough racing and fast running on the singletrack dirt and rocky, root-covered trails of Pittsfield State Forest. Continue reading Burke Continues Big Year with Victory at Vegan Power 50K
