The temperature was nearly 80 degrees, but it felt even hotter when runners gathered in front of the metal gate that serves as the starting line for the TARC Summer Classic. It was only 7 a.m., on Saturday, Aug. 8, and it was already shaping up to be a scorcher.

MEDFIELD, Mass. – Rather than the typical mid-summer sauna, the TARC Summer Classic welcomed runners with remarkably pleasant conditions for the 14th annual event on Saturday, Aug. 16, at Noon Hill Reservation in Medfield. That’s not to say it was easy by any means; runners still had to overcome an uncomfortable mix of mosquitoes and humidity, but temperatures that ranged from the upper 50s to low 80s made for a mostly delightful day in the woods.

The Trail Animals Running Club played host to the 14th edition of the TARC Summer Classic on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, at Noon Hill Reservation in Medfield, Mass. Runners took on 40-mile and 50K ultramarathon distances or a single-loop 10-mile race on rocky, rooty trails.

The Trail Animals Running Club (TARC) played host to the 14th edition of the TARC Summer Classic on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, at Noon Hill Reservation in Medfield, Mass. Runners took on the traditional 40-mile and 50K distances, while a 10-miler was offered for the second year in a row. The following is a small sample of photos from the race by MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen. A full photo gallery can be viewed on the MassUltra Flickr page.

MEDFIELD, Mass. – A few moments after completing his first of four 10-mile loops at the Trail Animals Running Club’s TARC Summer Classic, Jason Bacon called out to Race Director Laura Ricci.

Bacon didn’t need medical attention, and he wasn’t making any plans to drop out of the race. Instead, he needed to make an introduction.

The Trail Animals Running Club (TARC) played host to the 13th edition of the TARC Summer Classic on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, at Noon Hill Reservation in Medfield, Mass. Runners took on 40-mile and 50K ultramarathons as well as a 10-mile trail race on a loop course.