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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
Black Forest Ultra
The VOID
Old Race Reports from Oil Creek
... plus old and new race reports, event news, updates, more...
Oil, Fire, and the Number of the Beast
A look back to the 2015 Oil Creek Trail Races, when the Running Devil took on the hills, rocks, mud and questionable life choices of Oil Creek State Park. In this Rocksylvania Dispatch flashback, revisit a race experience where the miles were long, the terrain was unforgiving, and the devil apparently had running shoes.
Oct 716 min read
Missed Connection: You, 30-Something Ultramarathoner; Me, The VOID
The VOID is a 180-mile ultramarathon through an abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike tunnel, where darkness, exhaustion, poor decisions and existential dread converge. This absurdly unhinged “Missed Connection” is a love letter to ultrarunners who willingly choose suffering, questionable life choices and 48 hours inside the abyss.
Oct 33 min read
The Great Mountain Lock: A First Frontier Story
Explore the history of Pennsylvania’s Allegheny corridor, where Indigenous trails became turnpikes, canals, railroads and highways. From Kittanning Gap and the Allegheny Portage Railroad to Horseshoe Curve and Route 22, discover how generations found their way through the mountains of the First Frontier.
Sep 2319 min read
The Megatransect: A Brief History of Questionable Decisions
The 2013 Megatransect was 26+ miles of technical Pennsylvania trail, 5,000 feet of climbing, boulder fields, creek crossings, and questionable decisions. Follow along as an undertrained runner discovers why “go light and fast” is excellent advice and why ignoring it makes the mountain considerably more interesting.
Sep 1720 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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