The backyard ultra format has taken ultrarunning by storm in recent years, and in 2022 the unique approach to racing made its way to the greater Boston Metro area when the Needham Running Club played host to the inaugural Needham Backyard Ultra.
Continue reading Backyard Ultra in Needham Returns with New NameTag Archives: Massachusetts
Dunning Stunning in Ultra Debut at Soggy Vegan Power 50K
By design, the Vegan Power 50K course presents ample opportunities to run a fast time on singletrack trails. The loop course with rolling hills and mix of technical spots and smooth sections is inviting – even tempting – for a trail-runner looking to throw down.
Continue reading Dunning Stunning in Ultra Debut at Soggy Vegan Power 50KRunners Deliver Numerous Record-Setting Performances at Chesterfield Gorge
For runners looking to throw down a fast time or pursue a personal record in an ultramarathon, the Chesterfield Gorge Ultra is a prime location. Though not flat, the rolling hills and sure-footing on fire roads make the out-and-back course an ideal venue to push the pace and run with confidence. That’s exactly what happened at the fifth edition of the event on June 3-4 at the Chesterfield Gorge Reservation in West Chesterfield, Mass.
Continue reading Runners Deliver Numerous Record-Setting Performances at Chesterfield GorgeResults: Vegan Power Trail Races
The Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service (BURCS) played host to the 10th annual Vegan Power 50K and 25K Trail Races on Saturday, June 17, 2023, at Pittsfield State Forest in Pittsfield, Mass. Runners took on a 5-mile loop course on singletrack trails racing multiple loops to complete their distance.
Continue reading Results: Vegan Power Trail RacesMassUltra Roundup: The CUT, Cayuga Trails, Worlds End, Old Dominion, Dam Yeti, and Sawmill
The Chesterfield Gorge Ultra in Massachusetts has quickly established itself as a popular early-June attraction for ultrarunners in New England, but there’s another low-key event that continues to tempt more runners to its course: the Connecticut Ultra Traverse, or CUT 112. The 112-mile north-south journey across the state is too much for some, so a 100K option was added in 2022 and a 50-mile version made its debut in 2023. There were many other popular ultras that attracted New Englanders during the June 2-4 weekend – including Cayuga Trails in nearby New York – but the CUT leads off this edition of the roundup.
Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: The CUT, Cayuga Trails, Worlds End, Old Dominion, Dam Yeti, and SawmillResults: Chesterfield Gorge Ultra
Beast Coast Trail Running played host to the fifth edition of the Chesterfield Gorge Ultra on June 3-4 at the Chesterfield Gorge Reservation in Chesterfield, Mass. Runners had 30 hours to complete 50K, 50-mile, 100K and 100-mile ultra distances, as well as a 25K race, all on a 15-mile round-trip out-and-back course through the scenic gorge.
Continue reading Results: Chesterfield Gorge Ultra
Lost In the Woods: Large Crop of Newcomers Take On DRB
MILTON, Mass. – Howie Breinan gathered the crowd of runners near the starting line by Houghton’s Pond for the pre-race briefing. Breinan scanned the faces looking back at him and recognized a few, but most were a bit unfamiliar – at least at this starting line.
Continue reading Lost In the Woods: Large Crop of Newcomers Take On DRB
Pacheco Cruises Through the Country, Wins Inaugural Free Spirit 50K
Matt Pacheco hasn’t been running ultramarathons very long – only since June 2022 – but one thing is certain every time he races: he’s there to win.
Continue reading Pacheco Cruises Through the Country, Wins Inaugural Free Spirit 50K
Free to Run Trail Races Return with New Course, Distances
After months of anticipation, registration for the Free to Run Trail Races opened on Saturday, May 27, on UltraSignup. The event, which has been a staple of the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service’s BURCS Badass Race Series since 2015, returns with a few new features for 2023.
Continue reading Free to Run Trail Races Return with New Course, Distances
MacDonald Defends Title on Tough Day at Wapack
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 Wapack
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