Name of the Race: Free Spirit 50K, Leyden, MA
Race/Event Distance: 50 kilometers
Date: May 16, 2026
Describe the Event: Free Spirit is pretty much everything I love about races: low-key, old school 50K on hilly, rural dirt roads. No fluff. No lame t-shirts. No crowds. It is very much what you would envision running in rural Vermont is like. Pizza and beer at the finish, located at the town hall, that’s enjoyed while cheering in fellow runners.
How did you prepare for the race/event? In April, Kristina and I ran a couple tough marathons (okay, she ran 3 marathons, I ran 2) and we hiked up a bunch of state high points. I didn’t feel quite as fit as last year, but I ran a few minutes faster, so I guess my April training was successful.
Any notable moments? At the start, a woman took off like a rocket! Something spectacular was going to happen: a spectacular blow-up or a spectacular course record. She smoked everyone, including the course record. It was pretty cool to witness for 2 minutes and get reports from aid stations along the way just how much she was kicking everyone’s butt. I learned that Free Spirit was her ultramarathon debut and she is a former Mt Washington Road Race champ.
What do you wish you had known about this race/event before starting? Just how cool and well organized it is. The race director also directs the New England Green River Marathon, which is much larger with more fluff, and I appreciate that he successfully directs races that differ so greatly.