Скачать или смотреть Fat Ass 50k Ultramarathon. Topsfield, Mass. Jan 2025

About the race:
Organizers: https://www.gaconline.net
This was the 25th year for this race. It's a 10k loop that you can do 1-5 times. Very informal.
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tpqwFnF7KTnd6...


Weather:
Cold but not hideous. As Roger says in the beginning, there was one patch of ice, but it was on a small down slope with plenty of small rocks coming through it and loads of space around it. No snow anywhere. Winds were a little brutal on the final stretch of asphalt, but for the most part the trees broke things up.


About the video:
-I was just experimenting with a wrist-mounted GoPro 9. I put it away after the first lap. Editing (including music) was done using the Power Director phone app.
-First rearview shot was captured by running backwards. Other rearview shots were captured by holding my wrist straight out with only the camera pointing backwards.
-I was happy with the stability, but disappointed with the battery life which was likely affected by the cold (15f I think?).
-After the shoot I was second guessing my decision to go with the wide shot, but in the end I think it worked out alright, showed the scenery better and was less intrusive.
I have no idea what that freeze frame at the end was about. When I was editing I thought it was a phone glitch.
-I'll probably try one of my more recent model GoPros next time and just continue to experiment.


My own experience:
-This was fun. My first attempt at anything longer than 15 miles. As stated above it was very informal: no registration required, no bib numbers, free (you're just encouraged to bring something for the food table), choose your own distance. I was hoping for four laps, but neglected to hydrate sufficiently so ended up only doing three (and even that was a bit more hiking than I was hoping to do). Anyway, experience points gained/lesson learned/ leaves me plenty of room for improvement. Improvements are always impressive.
-I enjoyed the course. It was a nice mixture of carriage roads, single tracks, fields, mild/rolling elevation changes with a little bit of closed asphalt. The course is kind of shaped like a headless ghost waving its arms (sorry if that's a little too Rorschach), and you pass the parking area just before the finish line on each lap so it was pretty easy to do a quick change of shoes or whatever if needed.
-It was cold, but I still dropped a bottom layer after the first lap so not too too cold. I started the race wearing an untested pair of waterproof trail runners. I tried switching to my usual lighter shoes after that lap but felt the wind blowing right through them as soon as I stepped out of my car so switched back. To keep my face warm I grew a beard.

  / strava  

Much appreciation to Gil's Athletic Club (G.A.C.) for continuing to organize this event.