FALL RIVER, Mass. – When Becca Pizzi completed the World Marathon Challenge in 2016, becoming the first American woman to do so, it was no surprise that the ultramarathon world quickly came knocking.
Pizzi fielded calls and emails from race directors inviting her to their events, but the native of Belmont, Mass., wasn’t yet ready to venture beyond the 26.2-mile distance. Ultras would have to wait.
Continue reading Pizzi Delivers Dynamite Performance in Ultra Debut at WatuppaThe Trail Animals Running Club played host to the 15th running of the Wapack and Back Trail Races on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Ashburnham, Mass. Runners took on either a 43-mile out-and-back of the Wapack Trail, a 50-mile race that included the 43-mile out-and-back and an additional seven miles, or a 21.5-mile one-way journey through the course. Since its founding in 2007 by Bogie Dumitrescu, the event has been held annually with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue reading Results: TARC Wapack and BackThe ninth running of the Watuppa Trail Races and fourth edition of the Watuppa 50K took place on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at Watuppa Reservation in Fall River, Mass. Runners took on 50K, 30K or 10K distances on a 10K loop course consisting of a mix of doubletrack trails, singletrack dirt, some pavement and gravel road.
Continue reading Results: Watuppa Trail RacesThe ninth edition of the Watuppa Trail Races and fourth running of the Watuppa 50K took place on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at Watuppa Reservation in Fall River, Mass. The following are a small sample of photos from the day. A full photo gallery by MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen with more than 125 photos can be found here on Facebook.
Continue reading Photos: Watuppa Trail RacesWESTON, Mass. – Shortly after crossing the finish line at the Trail Animals Running Club’s TARC Spring Classic, Johnathan Charles settled into a camp chair to give his legs a break. Sweat glistened on his brow and his lungs still burned from the effort, though his breathing had settled into a comfortable rhythm. Tired and content, he sported a grin from ear to ear.
Charles had good reason to be smiling – he’d just completed his first trail race and longest run ever.
Continue reading Special Moments Aplenty at TARC Spring ClassicThe 11th running of the Trail Animals Running Club’s TARC Spring Classic took place on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the Jericho Woods in Weston, Mass. Runners took on a variety of distances, from a 50K ultramarathon, to the marathon, half marathon and 10K races. The following are a sample of photos taken by MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen at the event. A full gallery of his photos can be viewed on Facebook in the 2023 TARC Spring Classic gallery.
Continue reading Photos: TARC Spring ClassicEver since running her first ultramarathon at the Castle to River Run 50K in 2019, Jenny Cavanagh has been hooked on long distances. She has finished numerous ultras in the years since, including the 2019 Ghost Train 100-miler.
Now, Cavanagh is more than just an ultra participant – she’s also a race director.
Continue reading Donahue Tops Field at Inaugural Spring Fever 8-HourThe inaugural Spring Fever 8-Hour Ultra and 5-mile and 5K trail races took place on Saturday, April 22, 2023, in Hingham, Mass. The event was the creation of Jen Cavanagh from TA fitness in Weymouth, and it took place at Wompatuck State Park in Hingham.
Continue reading Results: Spring Fever, 8-Hour, 5-Mile and 5KThe Trail Animals Running Club played host to the 11th running of the TARC Spring Classic on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the Jericho Woods in Weston, Mass. Around 300 runners took part in the various distance offerings, from a 50K ultra to marathon, half marathon and 10K distances.
Continue reading Results: TARC Spring ClassicThe 27th edition of the Trail Animals Running Club’s original event, the Trail Animals “Don’t Run Boston” 50K, took place on Saturday, April 16, 2023, at the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, Mass. In addition, the 14th edition of the DRB 50-miler also took place, with runners completing the 50K course and then completing an additional 19-mile loop. All photos in this gallery are by MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen.
Continue reading Photos: 27th Annual Trail Animals “Don’t Run Boston” Ultras
