WESTWOOD, Mass. – Tension was high on the back deck of Powissett Lodge as race director Melissa Arnold, official timer Norm Sheppard, and about a dozen runners and volunteers peered out into the woods. Two runners were approaching, but would they make it in time?
Continue reading Last-Minute Finishes, Family Miles Highlight Soggy Day at To Hale and BackTag Archives: Massachusetts
Photos: TARC To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra
The Trail Animals Running Club played host to the seventh edition of the TARC To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra and 3.5-mile trail race on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass. The following are a small sample of photos taken by MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen at the race; a full gallery of 72 photos can be viewed here. Additionally, professional wedding photographer Chris Arson was on the scene and captured images from the day with a full gallery available here.
Continue reading Photos: TARC To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra
Results: TARC To Hale and Back
The Trail Animals Running Club played host to the seventh running of the TARC To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra and 3.5-mile trail race on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass. Runners took on a 3.5-mile loop course on mostly singletrack trails on a cold, rainy early-spring day where temperatures ranged from 33 degrees at the start to the low 40s at the high. It rained for the duration of the event, and runners encountered plenty of mud along the way.
Continue reading Results: TARC To Hale and Back
Beast Coast Trail Running Bringing New Ultra to Ashfield in June
Rumors have swirled for months that Amy Rusiecki had a new race in the works. On Thursday, March 21, the Beast Coast Trail Running leader made it official.
Continue reading Beast Coast Trail Running Bringing New Ultra to Ashfield in June
MetroWest Backyard Ultra Returning for Third Year
When the Backyard Ultra craze began sweeping the country and the Boston metro area was left without its own event, the Needham Running Club stepped in to fill the void and launched the Needham Backyard Ultra in 2022. Twenty-six runners took part in that inaugural race that May with Daniel Leonard earning the victory after 12 hours and 50.04 miles of running. A year later, the event rebranded itself as the MetroWest Backyard Ultra, and moved to the fall. This time, Jason Kaplan was the victor after 17 hours and 70.89 miles.
Continue reading MetroWest Backyard Ultra Returning for Third Year
Listen: ZenduranceNow Podcast Welcomes MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen
ZenduranceNow Coaching’s Meghan Fanning, Sean Meehan, and Sam Farnsworth welcomed MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen onto their podcast for some trail talk.
Continue reading Listen: ZenduranceNow Podcast Welcomes MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen
Runners Capitalize on Conditions as Record Number of Buckles Earned at Frozen Yeti
WESTWOOD, Mass. – A few minutes into the pre-race briefing, TARCtic Frozen Yeti co-Race Director Surjeet Paintal turned the floor over to course-marking captain Chris Martin who had the honor of delivering the best news runners could hope for.
“The course is beautiful. You probably have the best conditions in the history of this race,” Martin told the nearly 100 runners gathered inside Powissett Lodge awaiting the start of the 30-hour ultramarathon at Hale Reservation.
Continue reading Runners Capitalize on Conditions as Record Number of Buckles Earned at Frozen Yeti
Photos: 2024 TARCtic Frozen Yeti
The Trail Animals Running Club played host to the fifth edition of the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra and 15-Mile Night Race on Feb. 3-4, 2024, at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass. Runners enjoyed some of the best weather in event history with with no precipitation, a temperature around 30 degrees at the start on Saturday, sunny skies and a high in the mid-30s, overnight temperatures in the mid-20s, and a sunny Sunday morning that crept above freezing for the final hours before reaching the upper-30s by the time the race ended on early Sunday afternoon. All photos in this gallery by MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen (who was running the race and didn’t take many). To view a full photo gallery from the event, check out the great work by Garrett Simon who was out on the course and took nearly 500 photos.
Continue reading Photos: 2024 TARCtic Frozen Yeti
Results: 2024 TARCtic Frozen Yeti
The Trail Animals Running Club played host to the fifth edition of the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra and 15-Mile Night Race on Feb. 3-4, 2024, at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass. Runners took on a 15+-mile clover-leaf style course consisting of three approximately 5-mile mini-loops. Runners enjoyed seasonably good weather with no precipitation, a temperature around 30 degrees at the start on Saturday, sunny skies and a high in the mid-30s, overnight temperatures in the mid-20s, and a sunny Sunday morning that crept above freezing for the final hours before reaching the upper-30s by the time the race ended on early Sunday afternoon.
Continue reading Results: 2024 TARCtic Frozen Yeti
Goodwill, Good Times at 24th G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K
TOPSFIELD, Mass. – In the days prior to the G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K, concerns mounted about the possibility of a massive pileup of snow on the trails, in the parking lot, and on the roads leading to Bradley Palmer State Park.
Continue reading Goodwill, Good Times at 24th G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K
