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Summary
A behind-the-scenes look at trail races and race directing in Pennsylvania—where logistics, chaos, and questionable decisions meet the woods. Part field notes, part long-winded opinion, and part rediscovery of races past. It's also an exploration of the places that make it all possible—the overlooked landscapes, their history, and the outdoor economy that quietly shapes them.
Coming Soon
The First Frontier
The Hero's Journey
The VOID
... plus old and new race reports, event news, updates, more...
Debby Downer: “It’s Only A Matter of Time”
In August 2024, Tropical Storm Debby turned Eastern States 100 into a battle against rising water, flooded roads, changing forecasts and one impossible decision: cancel the race. In this week’s Rockslyvania Dispatch, I look back at the 16-hour fight to save Eastern States, what ultimately forced us to concede, and what happened afterward. And somewhere on a dam beneath a sky full of Perseid meteors, I realized that sometimes the most important thing is not what you lost, but
2 days ago20 min read
The Eastern States 100: Ten Things You Should Know About the Race Everyone Suddenly Seems to Be Talking About
The Eastern States 100 is having a moment. After Kaylee Frederick's record-setting overall victory, more people are discovering what we've known for years: this is no ordinary 100-miler. It's 103.5 miles of rugged Pennsylvania Wilds, 21,000 feet of climbing, August heat, a roughly 50% finish rate, and a whole lot of grassroots grit. Here's what makes Eastern States different—and why the race is about far more than finishing times.
6 days ago10 min read
Pine Creek Valley: A Landscape Written in Stone, Water, and Sweat
Let's look at the forces that shaped the Pine Creek Valley, a little-known Declaration of Independence that happened here on the very same day as Philadelphia's, and how lumber transformed one of Pennsylvania's wildest landscapes.
Jul 2210 min read
A Finish Worth the Finish
The finish line is not just another piece of race equipment. It is the place where months, and sometimes years, of work, hope, suffering, compromise, and determination finally come to a head. It deserves character. It deserves a finish line that reflects the same spirit we try to bring to every event we put on.
Jul 52 min read
Featured Posts
Blog Roll
Debby Downer: “It’s Only A Matter of Time”
In August 2024, Tropical Storm Debby turned Eastern States 100 into a battle against rising water, flooded roads, changing forecasts and one impossible decision: cancel the race. In this week’s Rockslyvania Dispatch, I look back at the 16-hour fight to save Eastern States, what ultimately forced us to concede, and what happened afterward. And somewhere on a dam beneath a sky full of Perseid meteors, I realized that sometimes the most important thing is not what you lost, but
2 days ago20 min read
The Eastern States 100: Ten Things You Should Know About the Race Everyone Suddenly Seems to Be Talking About
The Eastern States 100 is having a moment. After Kaylee Frederick's record-setting overall victory, more people are discovering what we've known for years: this is no ordinary 100-miler. It's 103.5 miles of rugged Pennsylvania Wilds, 21,000 feet of climbing, August heat, a roughly 50% finish rate, and a whole lot of grassroots grit. Here's what makes Eastern States different—and why the race is about far more than finishing times.
6 days ago10 min read
Pine Creek Valley: A Landscape Written in Stone, Water, and Sweat
Let's look at the forces that shaped the Pine Creek Valley, a little-known Declaration of Independence that happened here on the very same day as Philadelphia's, and how lumber transformed one of Pennsylvania's wildest landscapes.
Jul 2210 min read
A Finish Worth the Finish
The finish line is not just another piece of race equipment. It is the place where months, and sometimes years, of work, hope, suffering, compromise, and determination finally come to a head. It deserves character. It deserves a finish line that reflects the same spirit we try to bring to every event we put on.
Jul 52 min read
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark: Eastern States BLACKOUT
In this edition of Rocksylvania Dispatch, I explore why darkness feels so unsettling, how runners can safely and confidently embrace night running, and why some of the most memorable miles happen after sunset. Along the way, I'll introduce Eastern States: BLACKOUT—a unique overnight training camp designed to remove the mystery from the nighttime sections of the Eastern States 100 by turning fear of the unknown into familiarity with the trail.
Jun 29 min read
Built to Last: How Eastern States Found Its Path
In 2019, Eastern States 100 wasn’t just changing leadership—it was redefining what it meant to build something that endures. What followed was a shift toward stewardship, community, and a long-view philosophy rooted in the trails themselves. [ The Eastern States Trail-Endurance Alliance is a not-for-profit organization that promotes trailrunning and the responsible use of public lands, through events such as the Eastern States 100, Eagleton Trail Challenge and Ironstone 100K,
Mar 316 min read
An Open Letter to the Unprepared
Ultrarunning—especially Eastern States 100—isn’t something you stumble into. This is a reminder to show up prepared, informed, and ready to earn your way through every mile. It seems like every few weeks I feel compelled to rant about something. This is one of those times. Old Man Yells at Cloud. An RD Yells at Cloud. This one’s about taking it seriously. Not in a dramatic, self-important way. Not in a “this defines your entire existence” kind of way. But in the very real, ve
Mar 233 min read
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