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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE

Free to Run Trail Races

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Pittsfield
US

Peter Mooney · flickr (CC BY-SA)Virginia State Parks · CC BY 2.0Virginia State Parks · CC BY 2.0Virginia State Parks · CC BY 2.0Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Virginia State Parks · CC BY 2.0NatalieMaynor · CC BY 2.0

Race date Sep expected: September 2027
City · Distance: Pittsfield · 50km
Entry fee: $100From the 2026 edition
Status: SoonSee how to enter ↗

2027Date September 2027 · expected · Soon

2026Date Sep 12, 2026 · Entry fee $55 · Start 08:00

Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 11, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

This course is promoted by the organizers as a "tough race."

Long climbs and fast descents follow one another, with some of the county's finest scenery along the way.

The venue is Pittsfield State Forest.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 2

EPRJane

“I was trying to put on a positive facade, but I was exhausted and miserable.”

Jane struggled with blisters and fueling problems late in Free to Run 50-Mile. She withdrew for safety after covering 44 miles.

Read the original on Eat Play Run J

JasonFinish time 4:10:51

“I switched out my bottles and headed out for the second lap.”

The runner recounts winning Free to Run Trail Marathon after two laps of a course with steep climbs. The report reviews checks on gear, hydration, and fueling before the next ultra.

Read the original on Must Love Jogs

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Free to Run BURCS Trail Races

Cornelia Schneider

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition

Ultra

Entry cost $100

subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

10 Miler

Entry cost $60

subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

25K

Entry cost $80

subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

5 Miler

Entry cost $55

subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 50km

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

From the 2026 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 08:00

START

Pittsfield, MA

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

1041 Cascade St, Pittsfield, MA

Finish · Google Maps

The 10 Miler, 50K, 25K, and 5 Miler events will be held together.

Start line is located in Pittsfield, MA, and departure time is 8 a.m. local time.

Course is a circular composition that returns to the starting point.

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

The Packet Pickup time has not been announced, so check the UltraSignup registration page.

Pittsfield State Forest, Pittsfield, MA

Google Maps

00 · the 25K and 15K at 09:00 · and the 5-mile at 09:30

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startPittsfield State Forest, 1041 Cascade St, Pittsfield, MA 01201 (near Berry Pond)
Getting to the finishSame location: start · finish area in Pittsfield State Forest
Transit cardNo dedicated transit card system; the race is held at Pittsfield State Forest, a rural trailhead outside town.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Pittsfield State Forest, 1041 Cascade St, Pittsfield, MA 01201 (near Berry Pond)

No public transit; rural state forest, car access only. Daily park parking fee typically applies in season.

Map

Getting to the finish

Same location: start/finish area in Pittsfield State Forest

Double-loop/figure-8 course (~15.5 miles combined, ~3000 ft gain) finishing via a descent back to the start/finish area

Map

Start shuttle

Not stated

Transit card

No dedicated transit card system; the race is held at Pittsfield State Forest, a rural trailhead outside town. Pittsfield's local Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) buses serve downtown Pittsfield but do not reach the state forest, so a car or rideshare is needed on race day.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

The 50K starts at 8:00 AM, the 25K and 15K at 9:00 AM, and the 5-mile race at 9:30 AM.

Course is designed as a double-loop (figure-eight) course, requiring pace management through repeated climbs and descents.

Times are local to Pittsfield. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Heart Of The Berkshires Motel

Motel · 4.7km

6.2/10(271)

View on Booking.com

Pittsfield car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Lake Views & Dock Access - Pittsfield Cottage!

Accommodation · 4.4km

View on Booking.com

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

Distances are straight-line from the start/finish area.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

Heart Of The Berkshires Motel

Motel · 4.7km

6.2/10(271)

View on Booking.com

Lake Views & Dock Access - Pittsfield Cottage!

Accommodation · 4.4km

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Closest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

LOCAL TRANSIT1

Pittsfield car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on map Seeing Pittsfield with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

Checklist Local eSIM · Trip.com Flight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelp Pace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Pittsfield runners' room

FAQ

When does Free to Run Trail Races 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in September 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, September 12, 2026.

How much is the Free to Run Trail Races 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $55.

What distances does Free to Run Trail Races 2027 offer?

Ultra. (From the 2026 edition)

What time does Free to Run Trail Races 2027 start?

The race starts at 08:00. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does Free to Run Trail Races 2027 start?

Pittsfield, MA. (From the 2026 edition)

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Free to Run Trail Races

About Free to Run Trail Races — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run