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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.
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What is Eastern States Trail Endurance-Alliance?
Behind-the-Scenes of Debbi Downer
The Women of Eastern States
Long Live The Barrens
Could Ironstone 100K Be The Most Heritage Packed Race
... race reports, event news and updates, more...
The Dirty Kiln Trail Race: A Race Directors Report (2012)
I again go back into the archives and dig up an old blog post after the inaugural Dirty Kiln Trail Race from 2012. It has been a couple of weeks since our first trail race as one of the race directors. I really do not know where to begin. This had been a seven month long endeavor and we have made a lot of memories. Instead of trying to put together a chronological list of what happened, here is a list of items point by point. The Park It has been a pleasure working with the
2 days ago9 min read
Stoking the Flames of the Dirty Kiln (2012)
We go back into the Way-Back Machine for a post I wrote in 2012, a month before the first Dirty Kiln Trail Race, when four friends embarked on an adventure which began a true origin story. The last few months I have been busy prepping for the Dirty Kiln Trail Races. The founding members of the Allegheny Trailrunners, myself, Matt Lindsey, Ethan Imhoff, and Adam McGinnis have been hard at work preparing for our first trail race in our race series. The last few months I have b
2 days ago4 min read
Dirty Kiln: Mud, Steel, and Something… Else
Canoe Creek State Park isn’t just a place to run—it’s a landscape shaped by industry, scars, and slow recovery. From lime kilns that fed Pittsburgh’s steel boom to bat populations clawing their way back, every mile here carries a story… including the one behind the name “Dirty Kiln.” My story with Canoe Creek State Park goes back a while. Fourth grade. Early 80s. My dad and I had what were probably the first mountain bikes in Blair County—or at least that’s how it felt at the
2 days ago5 min read
Dirty Kiln: 15 Years Around the Lake
Fifteen years in, Dirty Kiln still isn’t trying to be the hardest race—it’s just quietly becoming one of the most meaningful. Let me tell you something about Dirty Kiln. It’s hitting 15 years now—which, depending on how you measure time, either feels like a long run or like it all happened in one blur of mud, sweat, and “we’ll figure it out as we go.” I’ve directed a lot of races over the years. Short ones, long ones, and the kind that make you question your life choices some
4 days ago4 min read
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The Mullet Chronicles: Hyner, Hot Pants, and Hell-a-va Time
"Crossovers are a pain in the a–. Everybody hates doing them, but they’re like ratings crack, and it's a bad addiction because you don't want to overuse it." — Dick Wolf (Producer of Law & Order and Chicago franchises), regarding TV crossover episodes. I haven’t even cracked a dozen posts on this blog and somehow… we’re already doing a crossover episode. Things are moving fast. Too fast. Like blasting down Huff Run with supreme confidence… only to cramp like your legs have be
4 hours ago2 min read
The Dirty Kiln Trail Race: A Race Directors Report (2012)
I again go back into the archives and dig up an old blog post after the inaugural Dirty Kiln Trail Race from 2012. It has been a couple of weeks since our first trail race as one of the race directors. I really do not know where to begin. This had been a seven month long endeavor and we have made a lot of memories. Instead of trying to put together a chronological list of what happened, here is a list of items point by point. The Park It has been a pleasure working with the
2 days ago9 min read
Stoking the Flames of the Dirty Kiln (2012)
We go back into the Way-Back Machine for a post I wrote in 2012, a month before the first Dirty Kiln Trail Race, when four friends embarked on an adventure which began a true origin story. The last few months I have been busy prepping for the Dirty Kiln Trail Races. The founding members of the Allegheny Trailrunners, myself, Matt Lindsey, Ethan Imhoff, and Adam McGinnis have been hard at work preparing for our first trail race in our race series. The last few months I have b
2 days ago4 min read
Dirty Kiln: Mud, Steel, and Something… Else
Canoe Creek State Park isn’t just a place to run—it’s a landscape shaped by industry, scars, and slow recovery. From lime kilns that fed Pittsburgh’s steel boom to bat populations clawing their way back, every mile here carries a story… including the one behind the name “Dirty Kiln.” My story with Canoe Creek State Park goes back a while. Fourth grade. Early 80s. My dad and I had what were probably the first mountain bikes in Blair County—or at least that’s how it felt at the
2 days ago5 min read
One Dam Good Trail Race
Tucked along the shores of Quemahoning Reservoir, the On the Dam Trail Race is everything a grassroots trail event should be—scenic, a little rugged, and built around community. If you’re looking for a spring race that reminds you why you love trails in the first place, this is it. [Note: Friends and the race director asked me to share some info about this event. Apparently, I’m “long-winded but effective,” which I believe was followed by “I have no idea why people listen to
3 days ago4 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
4 days ago3 min read
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