A pair of newcomers to the TARC Summer Classic delivered an electrifying battle for the men’s 40-mile victory while a race veteran upped her distance and dominated the women’s field on Saturday, Aug. 12, at Noon Hill Reservation in Medfield, Mass. Continue reading Gennaro Edges Pulli, Lowe Dominates at TARC Summer Classic
Tag Archives: Massachusetts
Soutiea Sizzles at Sweltering Summer Ultra
There’s a certain simplicity to time-based races that seems to have a magnetic pull on Greg Soutiea. From Arizona to New Jersey, from Tennessee to Massachusetts, the 33-year-old resident of Quincy, Mass., has traveled near and far to compete at timed events.
“I like having a very clearly defined ‘finish line’ and I like that all competitors are on the same course (often still visible) for the entire race,” Soutiea said. “I also really like that these races offer the ability to ‘shut off’ my brain and just focus on my stride, pace, nutrition, and heart rate. I don’t have to worry about where to turn, how many miles are left, how far to an aid station, where the other runners are, etc., the kind of things that other road or trail races make runners worry about. Literally all I have to think about is running in circles and focusing on how to make the steps in front of me more efficient.” Continue reading Soutiea Sizzles at Sweltering Summer Ultra
Results: Sweltering Summer 8-Hour Ultra
The Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service (BURCS) played host to its fifth annual Sweltering Summer Ultramarathon on Saturday, Aug. 12, at Clapp Park in Pittsfield, Mass. Continue reading Results: Sweltering Summer 8-Hour Ultra
Results: TARC Summer Classic Ultras
The sixth annual TARC Summer Classic took place Saturday, Aug. 12, at Noon Hill Reservation in Medfield, Mass. Continue reading Results: TARC Summer Classic Ultras
McConaughy Aims for Ambitious Appalachian Trail Speed Record
Editor’s Note: The interview with Joe McConaughy for this story took place July 14, a few days before he began his Appalachian Trail Fastest Known Time pursuit. As of today’s publication, Joe should be about halfway through his journey if all is going according to plan.
Whether on the trail or in everyday life, Joe McConaughy is a tough guy to track down. That has been particularly true this year. Whether it’s racing among national elites at West Coast ultramarathons, putting in long hours at a job he enjoys in sales for international travel/education company Education First, or spending quality time with his girlfriend Katie Kiracofe, most of McConaughy’s time has been spent on the go.
Knowing this, it was no surprise that it took a week to coordinate a time that would work to discuss the Boston resident’s grand summer adventure. This was the last – and only – time that would work. He’d spent a week in Canada with spotty cell service.
Today (July 14), he’s in Seattle, dropping off Katie at a Ragnar Relay event and visiting his family. Tomorrow he’ll hop a plane to Georgia. Shortly thereafter, he will disappear into the woods. Continue reading McConaughy Aims for Ambitious Appalachian Trail Speed Record
Davis, Defusco Lead MA Runners at Jug End Loop Ultra
The second running of the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service’s Jug End Loop 6-Hour Ultra featured explosive turnout and impressive performances on Saturday, July 19, at Jug End State Reservation in Egremont, Mass.
Sixty-nine runners took part in this year’s event – more than double the 30 from 2016 – and 25 surpassed the marathon distance by anywhere from a few steps to many miles. Fourteen ran at least a 50K. The fastest performances were turned in by last year’s runner-up and a pair of Massachusetts residents. Continue reading Davis, Defusco Lead MA Runners at Jug End Loop Ultra
More Time, More Miles at BURCS Summer Fat Ass
Demand for big mileage opportunities has grown in western Massachusetts in recent years, and the Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service (BURCS) responded first with the expansion of its BURCS Badass Race Series to include additional events, and then this year with time extensions for the organization’s annual Summer Fat Ass Run.
The Summer Fat Ass was a six-hour event during its first two years, and last year both runners and organizers discussed the possibility of doubling – and maybe even quadrupling – the time limit so runners could try to achieve 50- and 100-mile goals. That conversation laid the foundation for the third annual Summer Fat Ass, which expanded into a two-day affair on July 8-9 at Notchview Reservation in Windsor, Mass. In addition to the standard six-hour event, runners could also choose to run for 12 hours or 24 hours. The result was that dozens of new faces turned out for the event, and many people set personal milestones, all of which pleased race director Benn Griffin. Continue reading More Time, More Miles at BURCS Summer Fat Ass
Results: BURCS Summer Fat Ass Run
The Berkshire Ultra Running Community for Service’s third annual BURCS Summer Fat Ass Run took place July 8-9 at Notchview Reservation in Windsor, Mass. Continue reading Results: BURCS Summer Fat Ass Run
MassUltra Roundup: IAU 24-Hour World Championships
Massachusetts was represented on the world stage at the International Association of Ultrarunners’ 24-Hour World Championships on July 1-2 in Belfast, Ireland.
Cambridge resident Jenny Hoffman was one of seven women who represented the United States at the World Championships as a member of the US National 24-Hour Running Team. Continue reading MassUltra Roundup: IAU 24-Hour World Championships
Fresh Faces, Fast Times at Vegan Power 50K
Course record-holders Jason Mintz of Syracuse, N.Y., and Laura Kline of New Paltz, N.Y., were absent from this year’s Vegan Power 50K with Mintz racing the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run and Kline serving as his pacer. Additionally, 2016 women’s champion Samantha LeBlanc of Woburn, Mass., took part in the relay portion of Vegan Power. That left the door open for new faces to contend for first-place finishes.
New champions emerged, and it was a tale of two races at the fourth annual Vegan Power 50K as the men’s field featured a runaway winner and the women’s field produced a close battle for the podium positions on Saturday, June 17, at Pittsfield State Forest in Pittsfield, Mass. Continue reading Fresh Faces, Fast Times at Vegan Power 50K
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