WESTWOOD, Mass. – When the Trail Animals gathered at Hale Reservation in early February, it was an unforgettably frigid affair as a historic cold snap plunged temperatures well below zero for the TARCtic Frozen Yeti. Seven weeks later, the Trail Animals returned to Hale on Saturday, March 25, for the sixth running of the club’s To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra, and the runners encountered a completely different experience.

The Trail Animals Running Club played host to the sixth running of the TARC To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra and “heavy” 5K on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass. Runners took on a 3.5-mile loop course on mostly singletrack trails, and they were treated to some of the best weather conditions in the event’s history with dry trail conditions and temperatures in the mid-30s to low 40s with just a few sprinkles and some sleet near the end. This gallery includes a small sample of photos taken by MassUltra Editor Chris Wristen during the event. A full gallery of 83 photos can be viewed on the MassUltra Facebook page.

The sixth running of the Trail Animals Running Club’s To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra and “heavy” 5K took place on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass. Runners raced on a 3.5-mile trail loop, either once for the “heavy” 5K or multiple times for the 6-hour event.

WESTWOOD, Mass. – On paper, Robert Lynch’s decision to go back out for one more loop seemed like wishful thinking.

Lynch already had seven loops and 24.5 miles on his legs. His previous three trips through the 3.5-mile course had taken the 46-year-old from Sharon, Mass., 47, 48 and 54 minutes, respectively. If he wanted to complete one more and have it count, he had to do it in less than 46 minutes.

The Trail Animals Running Club welcomed runners back to Hale Reservation for the return of the To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra on Saturday, March 26, 2022, following a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Runners were treated to near-perfect running conditions with mostly dry terrain, mostly sunny skies, and comfortable temperatures. The following are a sample of photos from the day taken by MassUltra editor Chris Wristen. To view a full photo gallery, visit the MassUltra Facebook page at this link.

The Trail Animals Running Club’s annual spring kickoff – the To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra and 5K  – returned from a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on Saturday, March 26, 2022, at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass. Runners were treated to near-perfect running conditions with a 42-degree start under partly cloudy skies, ultimately warming to 53 degrees and sunny by noon before some afternoon clouds rolled in and a breeze began to cool the course during the final hours as runners tackled their final trips around the 3.5-mile loop course.

In March of 2020, the To Hale and Back 6-Hour Ultra and 5K became the first Massachusetts trail ultramarathon to be a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just seven weeks earlier, the Trail Animals Running Club had played host to the TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour Ultra on some of the same trails at Hale Reservation in Westwood, Mass., in the first of what was supposed to be a 10-race season for the TARC Trail Series.