2026 SMAC Race Series

Come Join the Fun!

The SMAC Race Series challenges runners of all abilities and ages to take part in as many of the 13 featured races as they can between March and November. The races encompass varying lengths and landscapes all in western Massachusetts.

What’s new this year:

• We’re expanding to 13 races over the course of nine months – March to November – giving you more options and more opportunities to compete all season long.
• You only need to complete 6 races to be eligible for Series awards and earn your shirt.
• To make the Series even more flexible, we will now only count your best 8 scores toward your overall total — so if it’s just not your day, it won’t set you back.
• BUT, there is still incentive to complete as many races as you can! We’re adding participation points for every race you run — 1 point per kilometer — to your total score because showing up is half the battle.
• And for those who want to go the distance, we’ll have a special award for anyone who completes the baker’s dozen: all 13 races.

Participants will earn points based on finish times using Age Graded Scoring. All races run count towards a participant’s total score. At the conclusion of the series, those with the most points will receive awards.

Prizes will be awarded at the SMAC annual meeting at the end of the year. 

Register for the series at https://www.runreg.com/smac-raceseries.

• Free Registration to SMAC members, 
• $25 for non-members  (Join SMAC and you can register for Free!)

Age Graded Scoring: 

• Participant times will be scaled by USATF-approved age factors for the closest calibrated race distance (e.g. the 5-mile scaling factors will be used for the 4.8 mile, 5 mile, 5.5 mile, and 8K races). These scale factors are 1 or less than one, and adjust race times so they may be directly compared between participants of different ages.  A participant’s age as of 12/31/2025 will be used.
  • For example, a 54 year old female who runs a 25 minute 5K will have an age-graded time of 21.37 minutes, and a 34 year old female with the same time on the same course will have an age-graded time of 24.90 minutes.  
• The race series participant with the best age-graded time will receive 100 series points, and all other participants will receive points equal to the winner’s age-graded time divided by their age-graded time, times 100.  
  • In this example, the 54 year old would receive 100 series points as the age-graded winner, and the 34 year old would receive (21.37 / 24.90)*100 = 85.8 series points.
• Completing all 10 races earns an additional 75 points. Completing 9 races earns an additional 50 points; 7-8 earns an additional 25 points. Race directors earn 40 points.

2026 Series Lineup

MARCH

• Ron Hebert Memorial 8 Miler – Saturday, March 28, 2026
  • SMAC Ron Hebert Memorial Road Race Online Registration

APRIL

• Syrup Stampede 5K & 2K Fun Run/Walk – Sunday, April 12, 2026
  • https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Florence/SyrupStampede

MAY

• Dandelion Dash 5K & Mushroom Mile – Sunday, May 3, 2026
  • https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Hadley/DandelionDashandMushroomMile

JUNE

• Pound the Pavement 5K – Saturday, June 6, 2026
  • https://asmg.com/roadrace/
• Lake Wyola Road Race –Sunday, Jun 14, 2026
  • Register here

JULY

• Coach Ray Willis  & NoHo 5K Trail Run — Tuesday, July 21 (NEW DATE)
  • No advance registration. Learn more here
• Northfield Summer 5K — Thursday, July 9
  • No advance registration. Learn more here

AUGUST

• Bridge of Flowers Classic 10K – Saturday, August 8, 2026
  • https://www.runreg.com/bridgeofflowersrace

SEPTEMBER

• *Summit Run 5K – Sunday, September 20, 2026
  • https://sugarloafmountainathletic.org/events/summit-run-5k/
• Swanzey Covered Bridges Half Marathon –Sunday, September 6
  • Registration link:
    2026 — Swanzey Covered Bridges Half-Marathon, Elijah’s Race — Race Roster — Registration, Marketing, Fundraising

OCTOBER

• Covered Bridge Classic 10K – Sunday, October 4, 2026
  • Registration to come
• Dan Barry Memorial Potato Road Race – Date to be confirmed
  • Registration to come

NOVEMBER

• Roadtown Turkey Trot 5K – Sunday, November 22, 2026
  • https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Shutesbury/RoadtownTurkeyTrot5k

2025 Race Series Standings

2024 Race Series Standings

2023 Race Series Standings