TARC Summer Classic
Join us for the 2024 Trail Animals Running Club Summer Classic at Noon Hill Reservation, with 10M, 50K, and 40 mile distance options! You can read all the exciting details below!
Please note: This race sells out, and there are no refunds, no transfers, and no deferrals (except for emergencies)!
Saturday, August 17, 2024 in Medfield, Massachusetts
Stay tuned for event registration to open in Spring 2024.
Course Details:
Start/Finish Location: 170 Noonhill Road, Medfield, Massachusetts, 02052
Beat the heat along this 10 mile undulating loop at Noon Hill and Shattuck Reservation in Medfield, Massachusetts. The course is almost entirely forested gravel or singletrack, winding along the Charles River and culminating in a scenic viewpoint at the top of Noon Hill (see if you can spot Gillette Stadium in the distance!). The midday sun passing over the ridge gives the reservation its name.
Participants will be running a 10 mile loop course which starts and finishes at Holt Pond. The 50K runners will do a short loop around Holt Pond at the start to get in the extra distance they need to get to 31 miles. The course is mostly single track with some double track and a very short road section (around 100 yards). The terrain is not overly technical but there are plenty of roots and rocks. The total elevation per loop is approximately 1,000 feet which includes one trip to the vista on top of Medfield's 370 foot Noon Hill. We will throw in some extra rocks and roots for you as a bonus!
Both the 40 Mile and the 50K will start at 7:00 am sharp. There will be a mandatory trail briefing for all participants at 6:45 am. Bib pickup opens at 6:00 am. Participants have 11 hours to finish both of the ultra distances.
The 10 mile race will start at 9:00 am sharp. There will be a mandatory trail briefing for all participants at 8:45 am. Bib pickup opens at 8:00 am. Participants have 4 hours to finish the 10 mile event.
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. For the protection of sensitive ecological areas, runners will not be allowed to deviate from the course or to run outside of the designated trails. 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.
Cutoff Times: Participants have 11 hours to finish the 50K and 40 mile distances. Participants must start their last 10 mile loop by 3:30 pm so the sweepers can start and everyone can be off the course by 6:00 pm. We will do everything we can to help you finish within the allotted time. The cutoffs are in place for both runner safety as well as the time commitment of volunteers and DCR permit agreements. No race day changes of distance or drop downs. For your finishing time you must complete the distance you signed up for.
Aid Stations: We will have two aid stations on the 10 mile loop. The start/finish area aid station is accessible to all participants and will be every 10 miles. Participants pass the road crossing aid station approximately 3 miles and 6 miles into the 10 mile loop. Please note this is a cupless race and you will need to bring your own hydration system (handheld bottles, soft flasks, reusable cups, etc.). Participants can leave their own fuel and hydration on the tarp at the start/finish area.
You can expect the following at each aid station in addition to other surprises:
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Hyle Hydration, Soda, Water, & Ice (if you want to try out Hyle Hydration before the event, they were generous enough to give us the discount code TARC20 to share with everyone for use on their website)
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Watermelon, Orange, & Banana Slices
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Swedish Fish, Twizzlers, & Sour Patch Kids
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Various Cookies
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Potato Chips
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Peanut Butter
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Pickles
Please let us know what additional requests you might have, and we will see what we can do!
Leave No Trace: The TARC Fall Classic has a Leave No Trace policy. Please adhere to the Leave No Trace principles during the duration of the event (and we hope whenever you are out in nature).
Land Acknowledgement:
The TARC Summer Classic in Medfield is held on land that was once home to the Wompanoag people, the original stewards of this territory. We encourage our participants to educate themselves on the history of the land we will be running on as well as the history of the land where you train and call home.
Schedule:
Saturday, August 17, 2024 | Race Day
6:00 a.m. | Bib Pick Up Opens
6:45 a.m. | 40M & 50K Prerace Briefing
7:00 a.m. | 50M & 50K Race Start (& Yeti Howl!)
8:45 a.m. | 10M Prerace Briefing
9:00 a.m. | 10M Race Start (& Yeti Howl!)
1:00 p.m. | Course Closes for 10M Participants
3:30 p.m. | Last Loop Cutoff at the Start/Finish Area
6:00 p.m. | Course Closes for 40M & 50K Participants
Summer Course Preview Run:
We will be hosting one course preview run in July. Details will be available on Facebook and our Monthly Group Runs page. Join us for some casual training miles at Noon Hill Reservation.
Cost & Registration:
We keep the cost of all TARC events low to try and make our events as accessible as we can. The cost of the TARC Summer Classic is $35 for the 40M and 50K and $30 for the 10M. Please see below for information on our discounted youth entries. Our event profits are donated to land conservations & trusts in support of our trail running passion. Please reach out if the cost is in any way a barrier to you. We want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the incredible trails and community at our event.
No race day registration is offered, and online registration closes at the beginning of race week. We recommend registering early in advance, as this event will sell out.
Switching Distances or Canceling Registration:
TARC Summer Classic participants can edit their registration and distance through RunReg. Go to Account History and then Registration History and click "Edit" next to the Summer Classic. Change to the distance you desire and click "Update Registration." You will have the ability to edit your distance up to one week before the event. This gives our timing crew enough time to manage the bibs for all participants before race day. If you need help or have any questions, you can email the Race Director, but please try these methods first to expedite the process!
Participants will have to email the Race Director in order to cancel their registration.
Pregnancy Deferral Policy:
We understand there are many barriers for new parents and pregnant runners within the sport of trail running. Participants who become pregnant prior to race day or are the parents to a recent newborn can defer their entry to our event for up to two years. The race reserves the right to require additional proof of pregnancy. Please reach out to the Race Director at least one week prior to race day to process your deferral.
Refund Policy:
TARC races maintain a no refund policy. There will be no refunds 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.
USATF Mountain/Ultra/Trail Running Youth Initiative:
To raise awareness of trail races among young runners and increase participation, the American Trail Running Association has partnered with the USATF MUT Youth Initiative to create a “Youth Trail” certified program for race directors. The TARC Summer Classic is one of the early adopters of their program, and we offer discounted entries ($10 off) across all distances for youth 19 years old or under.
Please reach out if you are looking to register yourself or someone else through this program.
Trail Sisters Approved Event:
The TARC Summer 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.
Adaptive Athletes:
We welcome the participation of adaptive athletes at our event!
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Adaptive athletes must be able to run the course.
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Tethers and guides may be used for athletes with a visual impairment.
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Leg prosthetics may be used for amputees.
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Crutches, braces, or poles may be used if indicated/necessary, with approval from the Race Director.
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Please reach out with any questions or to let us know how we can best support you and your race day needs.
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Guides for adaptive athletes can register as participants if they want their own time/result.
Pacers & Crew:
Pacers are allowed for the participant's last loop for both the 50K and 40 mile distance at the TARC Summer Classic. Participants who do not adhere to these rules risk disqualification. Crew access is allowed only at the start/finish aid station. Crew should not attempt to visit the road crossing aid station. This is to allow for the necessary parking access for volunteers. Please be aware that parking is tight and parking spots are not guaranteed for crew unless they carpool with their runner(s). Participants are welcome to leave their gear by the start/finish area and they will pass it every 10 miles.
Volunteer Opportunities:
We need volunteers to help make this special day happen and to give our participants the experience they deserve! This includes help with bib pickup, course directing, aid stations, course sweeping, start/finish area support, parking guidance, etc. Volunteers are what make TARC events so fun and also run so smoothly. No experience is required, and it can be your first time attending one of our events! If you are bringing along family or friends to spectate, we encourage them to also get involved by volunteering. If you are running one of the shorter races, consider hanging around to help out afterward. Even if you can't make it on the day of the race, there are still opportunities to get involved. If you need service requirements for other races, we can also sign off on your hours! If we get enough folks, too, it's never a problem for our volunteers to become "course marshalls" and get some running in on the trails. All we ask is you help fill up some water bottles and tell runners they look awesome.
Please reach out if you or your organization are interested in volunteering. We welcome running clubs, hiking groups, sports teams, local businesses, and more to join us in August.
You can view the shifts and register here.
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. The looped nature of the course allows for the opportunity to frequently see other participants, so 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 start/finish area.
Parking & Travel:
TARC Summer Classic parking is at the Medfield Sportsmans Club in Medfield Massachusetts. There is no real address for the Medfield Sportsmans Club, but it is on Noon Hill Road in Medfield (not the Noon Hill Road in Norfolk less than one mile away). Noon Hill Road runs between South Street and Causeway Street. We will put signage at both intersections pointing the way to the race. Although the road starts off as paved at the South Street end, it quickly turns to dirt and stays dirt all the way to Causeway. Carpooling is highly recommended, as parking is somewhat tight at the Sportsmans Club (this is the main reason for the participant cap). We will have signs directing you to the appropriate parking area, as well as a volunteer parking attendant from the Sportsmans Club. Please follow their directions as to where to park. 10 Mile runners: Expect that the main lot will be filled by the time you arrive; you will probably be parking in the lot across from the MSC.
Participants can post in the Trail Animals Running Club Facebook Group or on the TARC Summer Classic Facebook event page coordinating carpools.
For all runners: Do not park on the road. Park in the Medfield Sportsman’s Club lots only. Parking at the start/finish lot is for race volunteers and porta potties only. If we see you parking on the road we’ll have to ask you to move.
Running in the Woods & Weather:
Please prepare for all manner of weather, insects, critters, trail rash, etc! Historically, this race has fluctuated between moderately warm 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!
History of the TARC Summer Classic:
Held of Aug 13, 2011
Held of Aug 18, 2012
Held of Aug 17, 2013
Held of Aug 16, 2014
Held of Aug 15, 2015
Held of Aug 13, 2016
Held of Aug 12, 2017
Held of Aug 11, 2018
Held of Aug 10, 2019
Scheduled Aug 2020 (canceled)
Held of Aug 7, 2021
Held on Aug 6, 2022
Held on Aug 19, 2023
Scheduled on Aug 17, 2024
Historical Results:
Starting in 2023, all results for the TARC Summer Classic can be found here.
Course Records:
10M Male Record: 01:08:30 | 2023 | Patrick Caron (26)
10M Female Record: 01:29:00 | 2022 | Rachel Bainbridge (36)
50K Male Record: 04:10:05 | 2016 | Matthew Veiga (29)
50K Female Record: 04:48:44 | 2014| Stacia Broderick (36)
40M Male Record: 06:22:55 | 2017 | Thomas Gennaro (31)
40M Female Record: 07:09:17 | 2019 | Samantha Leblanc (31)
Reviews & Reports:
Let us know if you have any reviews or reports of our event that you want to share with the community!