Tag Archives: Massachusetts

G.A.C.

Around 150 Runners Kick Off New Year at G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K

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Runners endured the full spectrum of weather conditions during the first 20 years of the G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K, from bone-chilling temperatures far below freezing, to blizzard conditions, to rain, ice, sun and unseasonably warm temperatures.

The 21st annual event took place Saturday, Jan. 4, at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield, Mass., and it featured a little bit of everything. Patches of snow and ice covered the 6.2-mile loop course, as did a fair amount of mud thanks to some thawing in the mid-40s temperatures and the rain that fell on and off during the race. The damp yet comfortable conditions were ideal for runners who sought several loops and didn’t mind having mud-coated calves and shoes. Continue reading Around 150 Runners Kick Off New Year at G.A.C. Fat Ass 50K →

BURCS

BURCS Series to Expand with Alford Springs 6-Hour Ultra

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For the past few years, the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service (BURCS) has kicked off its annual ultramarathon race series in mid-June. This year, the series will begin a few weeks sooner thanks to the introduction of a new race – the Alford Springs 6-Hour Ultra. Continue reading BURCS Series to Expand with Alford Springs 6-Hour Ultra →

Columns

From the Editor’s Desk: Cheers to the Givers

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Four-hundred laps around a track seems awful – at least to me. Running 402.3 laps sounds even worse.

That’s exactly what Joe McConaughy did on Saturday, Dec. 21, however. The 28-year-old Boston resident set out to complete 402.3 laps – 100 miles – on the Anderson High School track in Cincinnati, Ohio, as a fundraiser for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. His wife, Katie, was diagnosed with Crohn’s four years ago, so it’s something that has touched their family deeply.

Ultrarunning is a selfish endeavor in many ways. The countless hours and miles required just to prepare to run even longer distances mean that other people and activities are often put on hold. Joe’s track feat reminds us that our running can be done in service to others, too, and we can use ultrarunning as a vehicle for doing tremendous good. There is no cure for Crohn’s – at least not yet – but we’ll hopefully be a few steps closer to finding one thanks in part to the efforts of Joe and Katie. Continue reading From the Editor’s Desk: Cheers to the Givers →

TNFEC

North Face Cancels Endurance Challenge for 2020, Teases New Format

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For 13 years, The North Face Endurance Challenge was a staple of American trail- and ultrarunning – including the past three years in Massachusetts. The 2019 races were the last for the series, however. This morning, Friday, Dec. 20, The North Face announced the series is being canceled and hinted that a new format will follow. Continue reading North Face Cancels Endurance Challenge for 2020, Teases New Format →

TARC

Volunteers, Runners Dig Deep at Frigid, Snow-Packed Fells Winter Ultra

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When Jeff LeBlanc arrived at the Middlesex Fells Reservation on Saturday morning, Dec. 7, he knew a difficult but rewarding day awaited him. As race director for the Trail Animals Running Club’s Fells Winter Ultra, he was responsible for putting on one of Massachusetts’ original and toughest trail ultramarathons. Runners in the 40-mile race had to circle the reservation’s rocky, root-covered Skyline Trail five times; competitors in the 32-mile race had to complete four loops. Some would achieve their goals and others would come up short, but LeBlanc hoped to do everything in his power to enable them to succeed. Continue reading Volunteers, Runners Dig Deep at Frigid, Snow-Packed Fells Winter Ultra →

TARC

Photos: TARC Fells Winter Ultra

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The Trail Animals Running Club played host to its annual Fells Winter Ultra 40-mile and 32-mile trail ultramarathons on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, at the Middlesex Fells Reservation in Stoneham, Mass. It was a cold, snow-packed event, and Jon McInerney and Jeff LeBlanc shared the following photos from the event. Continue reading Photos: TARC Fells Winter Ultra →