“It Takes A Village”. An African proverb meaning that to raise a child in their village, it was believed to help a child get the best chance for success and survival; it was a whole team or village effort to make it happen. I love this proverb because in ultra running, I too think it “takes a village”, or a collective group to achieve true greatness and positive impact both to the runner but also to other runners and non-runners alike. The achievements of one is great but what moves mountains is when the achievement is of many.
To put it simply, that is why I run and why I ran the Bay Circuit trail in its entirety. For me, it was always about community and about the experiences gained through sharing the experience together. The project came up quickly after our thoughts to try and go to the Atacama Desert in Chile was called-off due to lack of receiving the type of financial support required to take the TSP LA to Vegas and TSP Atacama double in one year project off of the table because of the need to bring out the right amount of crew required for success. In many ways, this pivot was the right decision. Rather than spending thousands of our own dollars on a lavish running vacation, why not re-invest in a project closer to home.
And so the BCT FKT was born. The Bay Circuit trail is a 231 mile long trail that forms a big crescent loop around 37 differing communities, towns, villages out in the suburbs and local communities that call the Boston Metro home. The BCT is a special trail. Highly underutilized. Many using the trail never really accounting for what this true long-distance gem is right in their own backyards. Imagine a wooded path full of New England rocks, pine needles, tranquility that feels uniquely your own. The peace of the trail is special. It is not over-crowded. It feels private and yet you are always a shouts away from a town center, T Train stop, and a Cumberland’s Farm (New England Convenience Store). In the Northeast, finding a 200+ mile trail is hard to come by, but even unheard of when you account for the trail’s proximity to a major metropolitan area, Boston. Heck, you would be hard-pressed to find a 200 mile long trail right in the suburbs of Denver, without really driving out into the mountains. The Bay Circuit trail is a hidden gem in the greater ecosystem of trail running and is Southern New England’s true emerald necklace. You can literally fly into Boston and access any of the trail heads via public transportation. I would be hard-pressed to find such a trail elsewhere. The trail merges through some of the best trails and natural areas in each town community often linking those through short road sections. The flow of the trail is one continuous trail with blazes marked in white and light blue Bay Circuit Trail signs all across the entirety of the trail. The Trail is “unfinished” through West Bridgewater and Lowell, Massachusetts where the trail must be connected through the runner’s own creativity and ingenuity as it involves urban, city running to reach the next trail access point.
The FKT History of the Trail:
Art Beauregard was the first recorded FKT on the FKT .com site in June of 2020 to get the trail set-up was an official FKT. Then Lyla Harrod Completed their Self-supported FKT in 2021 and Matt Dibb was the current record holder in 3 days, 20 hours, 13 minutes and 14 seconds. The goal with the FKT on my end would be to see if I could go after Matt Dibb’s record as Matt actually made it a stage race when he set his record. He would run during the day and then sleep at a hotel or friend’s house overnight before starting the next morning. For me, it was going to be done in one continuous push, with the occasional nap thrown in. We set a goal at 72 hours to run the 221 mile route as the whole trail has sections that are not run in the fkt.
Building a Team:
Making the decision to run the BCT FKT in August, we only had a few short months to build a crew, pacers, and volunteers to help make this project one to remember. My wife’s business, Chaos Crewing Company along with her partners, Kesley and Brittany, were instrumental in the logistics of preparation and execution of our team before, during and after. Our crew at the core was Ashlee, Kelsey and Brittany but soon we connected with Matt Dibb and Ben Manning, who was the crew chief who assisted Matt to the FKT in 2022. What makes the ultra community so great was that Matt and Ben soon joined our main management team as they provided great logistical intel on the course for navigation, crew access, and much more. What you may not know is that an FKT many times is like being a race director. It is putting on your own event. We did everything from fundraising for the Food Recovery Network through cool BCT FKT t-shirts to building a cast of community volunteers, pacers, as well as key crew-accessible access points along with my own race pacing plan. It’s a lot. Hence the story of building a village. The strength of the collective far outweighs the strength of one! New England has a vibrant running community known for technical wooded singletrack full of rocks and roots and a great grass-roots racing scene. I also did not have a ton of time to scout out all the trail on my own two feet so I was really lucky to have many in the community help scout the trail in my absence to help me and the team come race day.
As an athlete for the new New England division of the Aravaipa Running Team, Jamil and his team at Araviapa/ Mountain Outpost did some amazing pre-race interviews and would provide a live-stream during key check-points throughout the FKT. Getting some Youtube time like this on such a great platform that Aravaipa Running has built was such an honor and something New England and the Northeast has not seen much of. But that was the hope all along. To showcase New England and put more attention on these great trails that fly under the radar.
With our plan in place, it was almost time to run.
The FKT Day 1:
We drove out to the Southern Terminus on a Thursday morning in November. Traffic was hectic at 5am in the morning. We arrived at the Bayberry Hill Farm access point near Duxbury and walked to the start. It was a crisp and damp New England morning. Temps hovered in the mid 30’s with the chance of sleet and wet, cold rain forecast for the entire day and night 1. Just as the sun came up, I took my time making sure all my watches were set, and at 6:38am, to the sound of “Go” I was off. I left the little beach, with my phone in hand as I missed my first turn- immediately realizing my mistake and turning back left when I initially went right. The beauty of an FKT is its purity. As a runner, you are taking on a monumental challenge but without all of the pomp and circumstance of tents, running banners, loud DJs blaring music, water cup stations and much more. It is quiet and just you and your close community together.
The first half of the day was just settling in. After the first mile of road, I entered the woods of a nearby nature preserve. A beautiful pine-needle trail lay before me in beautiful November Fall foliage. Hearing the slight pittle-pattle of rain on the tops of the trees as I moved through this first trail juncture, I paused for a moment and just took a deep breath. Upon Exhaling, I said “Wow, this is New England!” It was beautiful Fall trails. I moved through the lower bogs and swamps of this first section with a flow I can only describe as magic. I had that feeling, this was going to be a good run. A lot can happen in 221 miles but I was off to a great start. My plan with the team was to be aggressive the first 50 miles to get through the swamps and bogs so that I could navigate the hilly sections at night. I hit many 8-9 minute miles that first 50 miles. The trail would loop around various sandy trails around ponds through the woods. I encountered the most overgrown portions of the trail through here where some thorns and thick brush could be found just a few steps off from the main trail. Those first 30 miles felt like clockwork. It was just enjoying what I love most, running through nature.
As I approached West Bridgewater, we would have a check-in with Aravaipa Running on their Mountain Outpost channel of how my run was going so far. There was a bridge section that closed-off the trail from me so I had to detour up and around where we ended up making a local grocery store our checkpoint. I rolled through there grabbing new bottles of Naak drink mix, eating some ramen noodles, and off I went. We focused on efficiency the whole way through the FKT. I planned on spending only 3-10 minutes at most through the first checkpoints on Day 1, to allow me more time towards sleep. Ben ran with me some up to the trail access to Hockomock Swamp.
The Bridgewater Triangle:
The Bridgewater Triangle is a section of Massachusetts the Bay Circuit trail goes through that is known for weird phenomena to occur in the town and especially in the various natural trails and places of nature. Think Bermuda triangle mixed with Ghost Adventures, and Expedition Unknown with Bigfoot sightings, Aliens, Ghosts, and so much more. I pushed hard through Hockomock Swamp as I ran on an endless powerline section that ran right through the artery of the swamp. I also hit knee deep water here too from a cranberry bog that had flooded because of all the rain that hit the area. The Bay Circuit trail is unique as you cross through so many different environment types. From the wooded swamps and bogs, we transition into more hilly wooded and steep trails of Moose Hill and Noon Hill Reservations. Borderland State Park was a great section full of rock gardens and nice technical New England trail running. It was my first time at this park and I need to come back. Borderland began this transition into the more rugged trail-sections.
From this section the rain began to come down harder as I neared the ball fields near Sharon, MA. It was now nearing the afternoon and with almost 50 miles in, I was right on pace for a 7:08 50 mile split. I hit the polo fields around 4 pm, about an hour before it would be dark. We took an extended 10 minute stop here to change into my night clothes, eat a subway footlong, and really fuel for some of the most elevation and technical trails I would encounter on this trail. Ben would be my pacer through this first night section along with Brittany later on. With Ben we pushed onward to Moose Hill.
Moose Hill is what I call my local section. Only a 25 minute drive, it is my closest access point to the BCT. As darkness hit, the rain began to intensify as we pushed through this section. My plan here was to run controlled and conserve some energy in the harder sections. We still kept the foot on the gas in the 10-13 minute mile range.
In terms of nutrition, I have been on a decade-long journey of finding my own best strategy. For all those curious, my nutrition strategy is simple: eat lots of good carbs, fats, and proteins. In other words, eat a complete diet. What I have learned is how do best get all those types of nutrition while on the run. Sometimes I get all 3 through a protein shake. Most times I balance what I eat with food I would eat normally throghout the day: hummus, olives, cheeses, pita, gummy bears and more. I have learned that you cannot sustain yourself on just taking in sugary gels for 200+ miles without your body craving more variety. I have become more fat-adapted and that has served me well with utilizing all fuel, even that what your body holds. I have trained my gut to metabolize carbs, fats and proteins all more efficiently and that has allowed me to eat all forms well.
Moose Hill went quickly as we entered into Walpole and then onto Noon Hill. We stopped at a section of the trail where we had a whole cheer squad ready for us. This was the beginning of having the community come out to support this run. We had a great photo op here and then proceeded onward into the night.
My pace had slowed some but I was still well within a masterful pace. If I had continued my pace, an 16 hour 100 mile split was possible. I think instead I split a low 18 hour split after taking a nap overnight. I ran with Brittany through Noon Hill which had crazy fog that reminded me of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Fog so thick, it was hard to see your hand in front of your face at times. It would whoosh in and then pass through, like a ghost. At moments, we would have to stop as navigation through here did not always align perfectly with Matt Dibb’s GPX file. When in doubt, we followed the BCT trail markers. We made it through these tough sections and then I was then on my own as the clock hit Midnight. The rest of the part before the aid station at the Market Basket near Framingham was a blur. Dark wooded trails with some road sections was the story. The wet and soul-crushing mist really got into my bones a little as I pushed towards the Market Basket. It was here nearly 100 miles in where I needed a nap. We napped for an hour with another 15 minutes to warm-up with some delicious ramen noodles and instant mashed potatoes that Kevin, whipped up on the Jet boil. Damn those potatoes were good. That warmth really warmed me up and just like that I was off again into the early morning–around 2-3 am.
I felt so much better with a nice nap. It is amazing what an hour can do for you. The brain fog and soreness I developed was gone. It was like I was fresh again. Sleep is your friend and if you use it strategically, it can make all the difference.
Start of Day 2:
Once I made it behind the Fed Ex Ship center, I would be joined by my next pacer, Max. Max would take me up through Sudbury and Callahan State Park and through Wayland. This section started with a nice flat ATV style path before we soon ascended up and up. I thought the majority of the technical New England rocks and climbs were done but I was horribly wrong. I soon found that this course punishes you, time and time again. You only get a break for a few road miles before hitting another difficult trail section. Sometimes the trails are fast and tame, but often you would be met with a difficult rock-hopping section later-on.
Tippling Rock was really cool with some nice views of Boston. It was wonderful to get to know Max and he did a great job pacing me through. We had a very brisk pace often hitting 9 minute miles on the roads overall but moving in the 8 minute miles, but on occasion, I would stop briefly to use the restroom or tie a shoe. I really enjoyed this section as the early morning hit. I had run about 116 miles in 24 hours and was on a really great clip.
I spent the time with Max learning about his mountain biking experiences and stories as well as myself talking all about the sponsorship landscape in trail and ultra running. Soon Max would drop me off-at the first rail trail section in downtown Wayland. From there, I would make my way up to Concord, home of the Concord Market or as us New Englanders like to say “Concord Mahket”, one of the oldest country store/markets in the country. The rail trail was nice as I entered into a nice uptempo pace. The weather was lovely as the rain had subsided and partly cloudy skies would be in the forecast but without any precipitation. I soon would enter another section of trail after leaving the bike path. This was a similar story of the BCT.
Being in the New England woods just felt like home. It is hard for me to put a finger on it but just the way the light plays within the pine trees is really special. I hit another crew access point at a train depot and post office. I took an extended break here to use the bathroom. Then I hit what I thought was a rail trail but instead was a rocky and rooty mountain bike path. It took me into more woods with some stream crossings and then soon onward to Walden Pond.
Walden Pond is a famous location on the BCT. And something fun is that the BCT traverses many historical locations throughout the 221+ mile route. That makes it something unique about the course. Walden Pond is famous for being a home of sorts for writer Henry David Thoreau. He wrote Walden; or, Life in the Woods, one of the greatest stories and accounts of human and nature. As I rounded Walden Pond, I was joined by some people walking around the pond, taking their own tour. As I rounded the final bend of the pond: I was soon joined by Jeff Hunt out on the course as he would take me through Concord. Jeff ran out to me to meet me as now it was around 11am or so and about 30 hours into the FKT. Now in the 130+ mile range, things were going well. I had weathered the night stretch and was ready to start pushing. Jeff was great as he was a wealth of knowledge about Concord and the famous “Shot heard around the world”. There would be another crew check-in at the Concord Mahket as well as an Mountain Outpost live check-in:
I picked up some of Jeff’s friends. Fueled quickly getting some new Naak drink mix in my bottles, had some DR pepper, hummus and salt and vinegar chips and then I was out. It was a little wild through that juncture. We then had some road miles through town and going across the bridge that had the famous Revolutionary War “shot heard round the world” before hitting some more trail. We pushed the pace here. I hung on running low 8 minute miles. It felt good, but the fatigue from running on all the rocks was getting to me a little.
We pushed through the Annursac Conservation land which had some nice technical trails. It was at this point that I was fading a little. Then onto the next park. As we hit the Bruce Freeman rail trail into the next section, I was hoping to open it up here. I was now 150+ miles in and it was now time to move. But my legs and feet felt toasted. I cruised into the aid with pain clearly evident on my face. It was here that I would part ways with my pacer crew with Jeff and then pick up a new pacer.
It was now the late afternoon and I needed to make a push on the Bruce Freeman Rail trail for about a 12 mile stretch before running up and through the city of Lowell, which at night does go through a few “rough” sections. I sat in the chair, grimacing in pain. The bottoms of my feet were hurting from all of the technical running over rocks. I took some time here and with the help of Brittany massaging the bottoms of my feet, I was put back-together as I headed out. It was at this point that I picked up pacer: Tim Remaiewicz as we worked our way on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, to Lowell. This part was a little of a slog for me. It took me some time to get back up to pace eventually going from 11 minute miles soon to 9 and 10. I had previewed this section of the course and really looked forward to it. Tim kept me motivated as we worked our way through. This rail trail is lovely as you move through nice New England woods on either side. The miles ticked through as I began to get a second wind of sorts.
We passed on the underpass into the Showcase Cinema shopping complex as the evening hours were starting to come by. We transitioned quickly through this section to push through Lowell in the last remaining glimmers of daylight. I gulped down some Dr. Pepper, a protein shake and some chips and avacados and was out. I picked up Ben Manning and Tim hung around for another leg up through Lowell. We pushed through at 8-9 minute miles into the interior of the city. Once we crossed over from Raven Road, we began to climb into really quaint little neighborhoods up into the hills. This section was tough as I really wanted to walk here, but I kept plugging away. It was almost dark here and we had made the push through the urban center of Lowell unscathed. The route here paralleled the river. The path through here is a section where the BCT stops and picks up on the other side of Lowell. The route we followed through here was what Matt Dibb ran in 2021. As we turned off from River road, we then hit a trail section that would lead up to a cemetery back onto River Road and then past a golf course, followed by a left turn back onto the BCT trail near a water tower.
NIGHT 2:
Darkness descended upon us in Night 2. We navigated some weird off-trail paths along the river trying to find our bearings. We kept going straight on this path up on a cliff of sorts as now looking back, we needed to turn right rather than staying the course. Ben, Tim and myself struggled with finding the correct route. Eventually, after 10-15 minutes, I decided to lay on a tree stump as they scouted this section in the dark. After what felt like an eternity but was more like 45 minutes of time, we finally found the line to the Cemetery and back onto the course. I was already riding my big A+ goal closely and knew now it would be difficult to achieve a sub 48 BCT FKT time with that diversion. As we hit the trail, this section went through Fish Brook and High Plain reservation. I was a little frustrated but determined to continue the faster pace. The trail ran along the Merrimack River up on the hill tops as we would weave up and down the trail. Sections were wet and muddy and just as my road shoes had me slip on the terrain, headlamps shone back at us. It was a father and his two daughters who knew the area well , ended up helping to pace us into the Andover Dog Park. They gave me a friendship bracelet, Honey Stinger waffle, and lots of encouragement which was sooo needed at this point in the run. I was really struggling mentally at this point and needed a reset. By the time we hit the Andover Dog Park, Aravaipa had the live stream where I immediately went into our car to just vent a little. Everything had gone pretty well with very minor navigation and this last miss-cue was a big one possibly losing 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes off of my end time. It happens. Things could always be worse and in the moment, I felt defeated. Ashlee took great care of me- ensuring I was still near the low 50 hour range if I stick with it. I took a 20 minute rest to reset my mind and cool-off. After the reset, it was time to get back to work.
Andover Dog Park–The 2nd Night Doldrums.
Ben and the Father of the two daughters decided to help pace me the next section. We had a few miles of roads before hitting another trail ridge that was so cool, running up on this ridge where below, was the town of Andover, a local middle school, and UPS center. I could make things out through the darkness and truly was the beauty of the BCT. That the trail could allow us to traverse an entire town by being in the woods is exactly what most of the Bay Circuit trail is. We pushed through the Indian Ridge Reservation section and then to the Pan Athletic Center which would be my next check point. We had a nice 600 foot climb on the roads on Phillips street up to the Pan Athletic center and I really loved pushing up that hill.
At the Pan Athletic Center, I felt like I was back on track again. The negative thoughts from Andover were now a thing of the past, as I was motivated to push through the evening. It would be here at the Pan Athletic Center where I would pick up my next pacer: Austin Darley. It was awesome seeing everyone here. We took a 15 minute break here, getting rolled out and re-stocked with some warm mashed potatoes and broth. this was a section where we initial thought about me having my last nap, but I did not want my momentum to stop. I felt that I could push to the next check point, some 19 miles away. This was Austin’s first time pacing anyone and I was grateful for his help and support and wanted him to know that he was going to be alright. We headed on the fields at before 10pm as we got a little turned around on the road before finally figuring out our bearings and hitting the trail. Once on the trail, we would be weaving through 17 miles of trail. We were in the Charles Ward Reservation as we worked our way through Holt hill. This section was almost like being in a dream sequence. We heard coyotes in the distance, saw some deer eyes, and had a mix of rocky/technical singletrack, swamp bogs, and then open farm fields. It was a mix of so many different types of terrain. We worked our way through Harold Parker State Forest to Watkins way. After a nice push about half-way, we got turned around a little in the neighborhood before finding the correct way to go. All of our navigation errors were slight and we would stop and triple check the maps before continuing onward. I know that Austin was feeling bad about this but he did great helping me navigate and work as a team to get through this difficult section. As we hit Boxford State Forest, I began to slow and get really tired. I needed Austin to be my eyes for me on this section as 14 and 15 minute miles became the norm as the terrain became more technical as we went past mile long wooden bridges across some really cool swamp bogs that sparkled in the night sky. This section felt like a dream sequence. Something that is unique to Southern New England is how dang peaceful the woods can be out here. In November, it feels even more peaceful.
I knew I needed a nap and a refresh as we navigated this section. My eyes were losing focus, the first warning sign of sleep deprivation. Remember, I had only slept 1 hour in 40+ hours. As we left one state forest to another and hit a section to cross the road, I sat down on a nearby bench just to focus a little more. We were only 4 miles away at that point. It helped as we pushed through the last section. I kept tripping on the technical wet leaves and rocks as the night temperatures hovered near freezing. I had to hold-on for dear life here. That 17 mile stretch took me quite a bit of time near 4 hours. We arrived to the check point as I saw Max and company’s headlamps and car headlights in the near distance. We pushed all the way to civilization. It was so nice to see everyone. Austin did an amazing job getting me through that tough section of technical singletrack over night 2 which is always the crux of these 200 plus mile efforts. Ashlee and the team at Chaos crew immediately had me eat some warm mashed potatoes, broth as we changed my clothes into some dry and warm clothes before I would take a nice 1.5 hour nap. I knew that a 48 hour finish was going to be out of reach by sub 55 hour finish was definitely obtainable. I soon learned that only 30 miles remained as I was at the 200 mile mark. That nap was just what the doctor ordered. I felt like a million bucks after the nap and was ready to go just as the early morning light started to poke through before 5am.
Brittany and Max would be pacing me this short 6 mile section before running the last 24 miles with Matt Dibb to the finish. It was at this moment, that I felt strong and almost like reborn in a way. The hardest parts of the run were long gone and now it was just a nice jaunt to the beach on Plum Island. The morning air was crisp but the sunshine would be plentiful which would be a nice break from the clouds and rain we had earlier in the FKT. We turned onto a little path which was the wrong direction and quickly adjusted course. Back on the trail we had some trail miles then road miles, then some trail miles.
As I came into this next checkpoint, it was great to see Matt all dressed-up in a Sonic the Hedgehog onesie. You do not get that everyday. We laughed and shared some fun banter as I striped down into my shorts and a light thermal hoody. After some Mcdonalds hash browns and some protein shakes, we were off. The miles with Matt was a truly special experience. As the previous record holder of the BCT FKT, it was like in the Olympics where the torch gets passed along. In this run, Matt would eventually be passing the torch to me. We spent the miles through Georgetown-Rowley State Forest- onward getting to know one another. The conversation just flowed. Physically I felt great but my right calf had some severe swelling, a knot of sorts that prevented me from really pushing off with it so with my Leki trekking poles, kind of shuffled along. As we crossed over Route 1 on an pedestrian overpass, That would be the last major road we would cross over before the finish. The morning was windy, sunny, and truly glorious. We passed through Willowdale Forest then into the town of Rowley, a quaint New England village on Route 1A which we would stay on for the next 7 miles before one last trail section and then a 5k straight on the road to the finish. We projected when I would finish and it looked like I would be done before lunch time which was great. We had an aid station on the other side of the bridge and that would be the last one before seeing the team at the finish.
We crossed the bridge and posed for a photo as only 5 more miles were left. We ran some backroads as Ben Manning joined us after the last trail section. We had one last trail climb up, then down before running on the road then onto some farm land. We chatted and reminisced about the wild adventure the BCT is. Matt started picking up the pace as I felt pretty gassed and was hoping I could muster in a nice finishing kick to close out this epic adventure. After the Spence-Pierce little farm, we hit the last stretch of road. Only a 5k to go. The tempo had gradually increased from 13 minutes a mile to 12, 10, 9. Like a countdown, I slowly was able to respond and soon my body said, “Let’s make this last 3 miles, one to remember”. The strain in my calf, well it suddenly subsided as if my body willed it so. We had cars honking at us- spectators of the run-as we maneuvered to the beach. Matt mentioned we needed some music and on came Cascada’s “Everytime We touch” a millennial banger. That suddenly sped things up, 8 minute miles now became in the 7’s. I had not run this pace since mile 1 of a 227 mile journey. Like out of the classic scene from “Chariots of Fire” where the runners run in perfect sync on the beach, that was what it felt like in the moment with Ben, Matt, and myself, stride for stride. In those moments, it almost did feel like time slowed. It felt like a major victory for us all. Running 53 hours for a 227 mile run was pretty dang special and though far from perfect execution on my part, it was pretty dang close. And in truth, what is? That is why we continue to run these races, challenges, fkts; is to see how close we can get to perfection as humanly possible. And the truth is that perfection can be viewed in the eye of the beholder. For me and this BCT FKT experience, this was perfection, given everything.
Soon the song ended and Matt put on one more song…the opening sequence came on and I immediately bursted into joy: “Livin’ on A Prayer” by Bon Jovi. I was blown away that someone had to have told Matt that these songs were top picks for me. Either that, or maybe that was just part of the magic.
Matt and myself kept ratcheting the pace down. 7, 6, 5? With less than a mile to go, it felt like all of nothing. Soon we could see the big USA flag which signified the entrance to the beach. We continued to stay next to one another-stride for stride. This whole journey would soon be over. 227 miles under 54 hours. Once the beach entrance came to, Matt soon dropped back as I continued onward seeing our team cheering on the sand. The rest of the moment was a blur. It was all about getting to the water line. In what felt like an instant, I was running through a stream of champagne Kelsey had popped open and as the water rushed over my feet, it was done.
I was able to hug my superstar wife, Ashlee, the Crew mastermind and OG of this whole project. I hugged Matt Dibb, Kelsey, Brittany, Ben, Max, as we walked back to our car. Jamil and Patrick Caron were on the livestream with Mountain Outpost/Aravaipa Running as we did a little interview and recap of the run.
I also had the chance to talk more with Chris Wirsten of Massultra who published one of the most authentic recounts of a run I have ever read. On his own time, took countless photos and documented this monumental run.
Now as I prepare to embark on the Cocodona 250 mile again this May 2024, I feel an immense sense of pride coming into the race. You see, the Bay Circuit trail will forever be Southern New England’s long distance trail. It is a modern marvel and one that is more than meets the eye. It is hard like the rocks, mud, roots New England trails are known for, but also fast, diverse and complete. You see, this run was not really about setting a record, a Fastest Known time, though that was a result of the run. But rather it was about bringing people together in sharing the love for trail running in New England and rallying behind a central cause. You see though my name may be attached to this FKT for now, the list, the village that was built to pull this off, is plenty. Ultra running is best when it is a team sport. And the narrative around team vs individual needs to be told more. I am so grateful for everyone that made this run what it was. It truly was life-changing and eye-opening to me of what is possible when we work together.
Now I hope the Bay Circuit trail inspires you, to explore its vast network of trails, and I hope to see some of you run the whole trail one day soon. New England is a special place, and a really special place to run. I am so lucky to feel like this is home.
Cresting the Summit 