TARC Spring Classic
The 2024 TARC Spring Classic is a 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon, & 50K taking place on Saturday, April 20 in the Jericho Town Forest of bucolic Weston, Massachusetts. This is a low key no swag race. We try to keep it cheap and a portion of the race’s proceeds go back to the conservation groups whose trails we run on.
The start/finish and parking are located in a field at 292 Concord Road, Weston, Massachusetts, 02493.
Additional parking may be required down the street which is a short walk to the start/finish
Race Day Schedule:
Pre-Race Meeting: 7:45 AM
10k Start time: 8:00 AM
Half/Full/50k Start time: 8:15 AM
Course Description:
The Spring Classic course is relatively flat and smooth and is great for beginners, experts and speedsters alike. We carefully crafted a bespoke 10K loop out of an artisanal maze of twisting trails that runners will compete a number of times according to the distance chosen. For the half marathon and marathon distance we’ll add an extra little bit to get you to near your desired goal. We by no means guarantee you’ll get an exact distance but that’s half the fun!
The start/end of the loop hosts the course’s only aid station.
Course Markings: The course will be well marked with flagging all along the trails and with signs at any major intersections so that participants can easily stay on route (as long as they are paying attention!). Participants should be sure to review both the course maps and the course description beforehand to understand the general layout of the various distances. We recommend participants also download the GPX file and load it onto their GPS watches if they have one for additional reassurance. If you go off course on race day, you must backtrack, as opposed to making up your own version of the course. Review of GPS files will be done if it is believed the course was not followed by any given participant. Participants found to have not done the course as marked may be unable to get an official finish time. Please let the volunteers know at the aid stations if there are any navigation issues and we will work with you and others to sort them out.
THIS RACE IS CUPLESS. BRING YOUR OWN CUP OR BOTTLE FOR WATER/HOT PRODUCT IF WE HAVE IT.
Cut Off Times:
We love our volunteers and want to respect their time, as such we strictly enforce our cutoffs so that everyone can get home in a predictable time frame. Over all the distances, Runners will have till 2:15 PM to start their last loop and must be finished by 4:00PM. Sweepers will be on the course removing markers at 2:30 PM and runners must stay ahead of them. If you anticipate needing more time to complete your race please contact us and we can potentially arrange for an earlier start.
Volunteers:
If you are interested in volunteering we will need folks to help with the following:
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Help set up/break down
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Check runners in
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Park cars
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Fill water bottles
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Stand in the woods shouting at people
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Just generally have a good time outdoors
The volunteer signup sheet can be found here.
Trail Sisters Approved Event:
The TARC Spring Classic is proud to be Trail Sisters Approved! The commitment includes, when applicable, equal podium spots, equal prize money & awards, women’s specific swag & apparel, menstrual products at aid station parta potties (where applicable), and equal opportunity/space for women on the starting line. You can learn more about the standards and their awesome organization here.
Pride on Foot Partner:
Pride on Foot works with run groups, race directors, and fitness organizations who want to understand how to be more accepting and inclusive of Transgender, Genderqueer Intersex, Gender non conforming, and Non binary people. Through education and policy changes they create affirming, inviting, and safe spaces where everyone can be free to workout while living an authentic life.
Participant Camaraderie:
Whether you are competing for the win or bringing up the rear of the pack, we are all out on the trails to have fun and move our bodies in nature. All of our participants are incredible for just getting to the starting line, and you all have impressive journeys for getting there. On race day, we hope you will be everyone else's top cheerleader, cheering on and providing support for one another throughout the morning. Be sure to spread the love and joy with your fellow trail animals. We also welcome and encourage you to bring chairs and stick around after your own race to cheer on other participants as they come through the finish.
Running in the Woods & Weather:
Please prepare for all manner of weather, insects, critters, trail rash, etc! Historically, this race has fluctuated between nice and cool days and uber duber hot ones! In New England, we have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best!
Community Resources:
Looking for folks to run and train with? Here are some local groups:
TARC Blue Hills & Great Brook Farm State Park Monthly Group Runs
Northeast Trail Crew Weekly Runs
Greater Framingham Running Club
Looking for trail shoes and gear? Here are some local stores we recommend:
Marathon Sports (multiple locations)
Heartbreak Hill Running Company (multiple locations)
Fleet Feet/JackRabbit (multiple locations)
Recreation Equipment Inc. (multiple locations)
New England Running Company & Trail (Beverly)
Charles River Running (Norwood)
Who We Are:
The Trail Animals Running Club is a nonprofit running club rooted in the Boston area. We aim to act as community stewards by providing equitable access to trail running and promoting positive trail running culture. We welcome people of all races, nationalities, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities & expressions, ages, and abilities. Our event profits are donated to land conservations & trusts in support of our trail running passion. You can RSVP for emails about our runs here.
Trail Animals Running Club Apparel:
You can purchase our fun club apparel here! We are working on offering additional apparel which will be added to this page!
Refund Policy:
TARC races maintain a no refund policy. There will be NO refunds or deferrals for ANY reason. Any requests for a refund will be politely directed to this blurb. Please consider your race entry a donation to the trails, but one where you also get a chance to challenge yourself physically and mentally while taking in all the beauty the landscape has to offer.
Reviews & Reports:
Let us know if you have any reviews or reports of our event that you want to share with the community!