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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
When a Stranger Comes Into Town: UTMB Comes to Pennsylvania
UTMB’s arrival in PA is not just the addition of another race; it is the collision of two very different versions of trail running.
May 115 min read
'One Mile at a Time': Celebrating the Completion of the Ghost Town Trail Loop
Cambria County marked a historic milestone with the grand opening of the C&I Extension of the Ghost Town Trail, completing one of the largest looped rail trails in the nation. What began in 1994 as an ambitious vision has grown, mile by mile, into a regional asset that connects communities, restores landscapes, and strengthens the outdoor recreation economy.
Apr 238 min read
Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Economy Just Found Its Voice
Pennsylvania’s Outdoor Economy Just Found Its Voice with the Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania.
Apr 197 min read
Between Dirt and Lifestyle: Rethinking the “Outdoor vs. Outside” Divide
A provocative new argument from Wes Allen challenges the outdoor industry’s obsession with inflated participation and lifestyle-driven growth. But while the distinction between “outdoor” and “outside” economies is useful, the real opportunity, and risk, lies not in choosing between them, but in understanding how deeply intertwined they’ve become. Wes Allen, an outdoor retail leader based in Wyoming, offers a sharp critique of the modern outdoor industry by drawing a clear li
Apr 62 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
More Than Miles
It turns out all those miles in the woods aren’t just changing people—they’re changing entire communities.
Mar 235 min read
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