WESTWOOD, Mass. – Gordon Collins knows the questions that are about to come his way. He hasn’t been prepped for the interview or told what he’ll be asked in advance. But come on, how could he not anticipate being asked about the most obvious detail about the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra?

WESTWOOD, Mass. – Katya Divari’s eyes were locked on the narrow segment of singletrack trail. One last downhill, a final web of tangled tree roots and a quick uphill awaited her as she closed in on the finish line at Powissett Lodge. She made quick work of the descent, danced deftly through the roots and then paused before the final climb. The sun warmed the left side of her face as she spread her arms and looked up toward the blue sky above.

“Can you believe it?” Divari asked, a smile gracing her face. “So much better than yesterday.”

The Trail Animals Running Club played host to its fourth running of the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra and 15-mile night trail race on Feb. 4-5 at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass. Runners in the ultra were treated to the coldest Frozen Yeti on record as a historic cold snap blasted the region, leading to a -9 degree Fahrenheit temperature at the start with -28 degree wind chill. Ultimately, 47 runners logged ultra mileage and another 44 completed the 15-miler.

WESTWOOD, Mass. – Thirty miles and around 7 1/2 hours into his race, Patrick McEnaney made efficient work at the aid station. A wardrobe change, some extra snacks and refilled fluids, and he was ready to head back out for more. As McEnaney prepared to return to the trail, he paused to check in with a friend whose race was done and commend them for a successful day.

After a few congratulatory words and a fist bump, it was time to go.

“I have to get moving,” McEnaney said, a look of urgency on his face. “I’m starting to freeze.”

Following a one-week postponement due to a massive Nor’easter, the Trail Animals Running Club played host to the third running of the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra and the first edition of the 15-mile night race on Feb. 5-6 at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass.

The Trail Animals Running Club has postponed the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra and 15-mile night trail race by one week, the race directors announced in an email to runners at 6:11 p.m. today.

When the Trail Animals Running Club announced the cancellation of the 2021 TARCtic Frozen Yeti, it was done with a promise.

“FROZEN YETI 2022 PROMISES TO BE AWESOME!” wrote Josh Katzman, who co-directs the race with Surjeet Paintal and Carolyn Shreck.

WESTWOOD, Mass. – As the minutes ticked down before the 8 a.m. start of the second annual TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-hour ultra on Feb. 1-2, a crowd of 115 runners made their way from the cozy confines of Powisset Lodge to the starting line just a few yards away.

The starting line was no fancy blow-up arch, just a temporary marking from a foot-drag along the frost-covered ground. Within a few hours, the line would disappear, lost to the warming temperature and the footsteps of runners passing by on multiple trips through the three mini loops that made up the 15-mile clover-leaf course on Hale Reservation’s winding trail system. Continue reading Runners Enjoy Mild Weather, Big Miles at the Frozen Yeti →

WESTWOOD, Mass. – The Trail Animals Running Club played host to the second annual TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra on Feb. 1-2, 2020, at Hale Reservation. The following are a representative sample of photos from the race taken by MassUltra editor Chris Wristen. A full photo gallery with more than 200 pictures can be found on the MassUltra Facebook page at this link. Continue reading Photos: TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra →