Tag Archives: Current Events

For Levandosky, Land Conservation is Key to Protecting, Expanding Trails

While out for a run on the Ware River Rail-Trail on Tuesday, March 31, Steve Levandosky encountered a sign that inspired him to stop, pull out his phone and snap a photo.
“Use of this trail is a privilege & not a right,” the sign read.

The message resonated with Levandosky—both the first and second parts of it. Continue reading For Levandosky, Land Conservation is Key to Protecting, Expanding Trails

From the Editor’s Desk: Telling Stories While Our Sport Presses Pause

Whether you first started reading the site this year or you’ve been following along from the beginning in early 2016, you likely came to MassUltra because you care about your local ultrarunning community. You’re here because you want to know the latest news, because you draw inspiration from the people around you, or because you simply want to feel a little more connected. It’s probably some combination of all of those reasons; in fact, all of them played a role in my decision to launch this site four-plus years ago, and they are why it continues today. Continue reading From the Editor’s Desk: Telling Stories While Our Sport Presses Pause

TARC Spring Classic is Latest Race Canceled Due to COVID-19

Michael McDuffie and Annie Gagliardi, co-Race Directors for the Trail Animals Running Club’s TARC Spring Classic, hoped their race on April 25 in Weston, Mass., would be able to avoid cancellation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they let runners know not to get their hopes up. Just days ago, McDuffie pegged the chances of the race taking place at “15.2 percent.”

On Wednesday evening, the percentage dropped to zero when McDuffie made the announcement that the race was canceled. Continue reading TARC Spring Classic is Latest Race Canceled Due to COVID-19

Massachusetts Ultrarunning Groups Adjust as COVID-19 Situation Evolves

Since its first documented cases in November 2019, the novel coronavirus — known as COVID-19 — has spread from China to the rest of the world. During that time, it has brought business, sporting events and many other aspects of everyday life to a halt.

New England has not been immune to the impacts of COVID-19, or its spread. Cases have been identified throughout the region, including 123 cases here in Massachusetts as of today, up from 15 on Thursday, most of them linked to a conference held by biotechnology company Biogen Inc. in downtown Boston. On Tuesday, March 10, Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts in response to COVID-19. A day later, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic, having infected more than 115,000 people worldwide, more than 4,200 of those cases resulting in death. Since then, both numbers have continued to swell. Continue reading Massachusetts Ultrarunning Groups Adjust as COVID-19 Situation Evolves

To Hale and Back Canceled in Precautionary Response to COVID-19

The Trail Animals Running Club’s To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra and 5K, scheduled for March 22 at Hale Reservation, has been canceled as a precautionary measure due to COVID-19. The decision was made following discussions with the Westwood Board of Health. Continue reading To Hale and Back Canceled in Precautionary Response to COVID-19