Tag Archives: Massachusetts

From the Editor’s Desk: Personal and Community Engagement Made 2017 Special

A steady downpour pelted Alex and me as we made our way through the streets of Chamonix, rounded the final turn and – with the thumping sound of spectators banging on signboards echoing off the walls of the surrounding buildings – ran the final steps of the CCC 101K hand-in-hand, crossed the finish line and immediately collapsed into each other’s arms in a long embrace.

It was late-morning on Sept. 2. Four years and one day earlier we’d shared a starting line in Whistler, B.C., to take on a mountain 50-miler just days after meeting for the first time. It was during that trip that we first talked about running the CCC. Now, after four years of waiting and more than 25 hours of running and hiking through the Alps, we were done. Continue reading From the Editor’s Desk: Personal and Community Engagement Made 2017 Special

Ciocca top Male, Brochu Tops Fast Women’s Field at Seth’s Fat Ass 50K

Eric Ciocca dominated the overall field, but a pack of fast women stole the show during the final Massachusetts ultramarathon of 2017 at Seth’s Fat Ass 50K on Saturday, Dec. 16, in Springfield.

Racing on a 5K paved loop in Forest Park, runners had seven hours to lap the course 10 times and be credited with a 50K finish. Sixty-eight took on the challenge, and 21 completed the distance – 20 of them officially within the seven-hour limit. Continue reading Ciocca top Male, Brochu Tops Fast Women’s Field at Seth’s Fat Ass 50K

MassUltra Roundup: Hellgate, Tallahassee, and Spooner’s Cove

Kelsey Allen of Wendell and Amy Rusiecki of South Deerfield represented Massachusetts with strong races at the tough Hellgate 100K in Virginia on Saturday in the most high-profile of the weekend’s out-of-state ultramarathons. Additionally, Bolton’s Sandra Richards turned in a fast 50K in Florida, and Nick Velonis of Danvers ran a 50K in California. Their races are featured in one of the final roundups of 2017. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: Hellgate, Tallahassee, and Spooner’s Cove

Globe-Trotting Thompson Savors Homecoming Run at Fells Winter Ultra

STONEHAM, Mass. – For most of the 111 runners who took on either the 32- or 40-mile races at the Trail Animals Running Club’s Fells Winter Ultra on Saturday, Dec. 2, the most difficult part of the event was the four or five laps they ran around the rocky, rooty, leaf-blanketed Skyline Trail at the Middlesex Fells Reservation.

For one of them, however, the toughest part was simply getting there. Continue reading Globe-Trotting Thompson Savors Homecoming Run at Fells Winter Ultra

Pulli Enjoys Hard-Earned Victory on Home Turf

STONEHAM, Mass. –Barely two minutes had passed since Michael Pulli finished the Fells Winter Ultra 32-miler on Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Middlesex Fells Reservation, and Pulli stood near the finish line applauding as his closest competitor blazed across the finish line.

“That guy was coming on strong!” Pulli said, praising the performance of Marek Telus. Continue reading Pulli Enjoys Hard-Earned Victory on Home Turf

After Arm-Twisting, Karssemeijer Races, Wins Fells 32-Miler

STONEHAM, Mass. – Roos Karssemeijer planned to stay home on Saturday, Nov. 2, rather than running the 32-mile race at the Trail Animals Running Club’s annual Fells Winter Ultra.

The prior two weeks had been busy, between work and a cross-country trip to run an ultramarathon in California, so she was exhausted. Besides, the friend she’d signed up to run with had to cancel. Continue reading After Arm-Twisting, Karssemeijer Races, Wins Fells 32-Miler

No Headlamp Necessary: Rose Outruns Darkness, Others in Fells 40-Mile Victory

STONEHAM, Mass. – Emily Rose had a few simple goals for the Fells Winter Ultra 40-miler, and none of them involved winning.

“Today I wanted to not get timed out; I didn’t want to DNF because of time,” she said. “My next goal was I didn’t want to need to have a headlamp, and I just wanted to not be hurting a lot – which I wasn’t. I actually felt really good!” Continue reading No Headlamp Necessary: Rose Outruns Darkness, Others in Fells 40-Mile Victory

Burleigh Delivers Strong Performance in Massachusetts Debut, Wins Fells 40-Miler

STONEHAM, Mass. – Isaac Burleigh hasn’t lived in Massachusetts for very long – he moved to Somerville from Socorro, N.M., in September – but he spent his first two months in town exploring the trails of the Middlesex Fells Reservation.

Burleigh ultimately made the Fells his first trail race in Massachusetts. He joined 27 other runners in taking on the 40-mile race at the Trail Animals Running Club’s Fells Winter Ultra on Saturday, Dec. 2. The Fells has dozens of miles of trails winding throughout the more than 2,200-acre reservation. The race consisted of five eight-mile loops of the Skyline Trail and took runners over the reservation’s biggest climbs and some of its most technical sections. Continue reading Burleigh Delivers Strong Performance in Massachusetts Debut, Wins Fells 40-Miler