Race Reports

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HAT Run 50K
A race report by Andy Styer | March 2023  | HAT Run 50K
 


Hat 50k is a race that has been on my mind since I DNF’d it back in 2016 or 2017 ( I can’t exactly remember!) due to a rolled ankle. This year, it didn’t sell out, so I had the luxury of signing up a week before the race knowing I was well trained for a 50k on the fly. I had just completed the Naked Bavarian 40-miler a few weeks prior and was hoping to have a nice, clean race.
Well, as my luck (and the weather) would have it – no, it would be muddy like most of my races have been. Click here to read the full race report
 

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Ray is a Marathoner (and a Dad)!
A race report by Ray Ingaglio | November 2022  | The Philadelphia Marathon



December 16th, 2021: I recommitted myself to health and fitness. In the past 7 years since graduating college, I have been up and down with my weight and my overall fitness. I was 188 pounds, and I committed to losing 25. At the time, I knew that my body couldn’t handle running without injury without losing weight. I got down to 163 by mid-June. At the same time, I started running 2-3 times a week for 6-9 miles total. On July 4th weekend, down in Wildwood, NJ, I ran 6 miles in just over an hour–a max effort at the time and my longest run since 2009. My head started to contemplate checking a marathon off my bucket list. My wife was pregnant with our first child, and I said to myself, “Do it now, or you will find a million BS excuses not to.” I sat down with my wife and explained the time commitment this endeavor would take, especially Sunday mornings which were my long, slow run days. She agreed and training began immediately. Click here to read the full race report
 

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Making a List
A race report by Jason Karpinski | October 2022  | Black Forest 100K




Midnight, October 2nd: 70-ish anxious runners toe the line just mere feet outside a pavilion at Hyner Run State Park, surrounded by a surprising amount of cheering family and friends. For about a dozen of these individuals, it marks the final start to a year-long mission. (Spoiler alert: only 9 complete this grueling task.) What lies ahead of all these individuals is 7 hours of non-stop rain brought by the remnants of Hurricane Ian, 64 miles of constantly undulating hills, minimal aid stations (5 fully equipped; 3 water-only), and a couple dozen swiftly moving water crossings. In case you missed it, this race starts at midnight. This reason alone starts to show why the race slogan is “Diabolically Epic”. The other part that makes this race a bit different is that the racers are not allowed any outside crew or spectators from the moment the race begins until they cross the finish line. You truly do have to rely on your drop bags or of the ever-helpful strangers that run the aid stations. Click here to read the full race report
 

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“Freddy Foose Is Coming In — Tear Everything Down but the Clock!”
A race report by Fred Foose | October 2022  | Call of the Wilds 50k Waterville, PA



I came, and I answered …The Call of the Wilds!

The Challenge – A year earlier, when I signed up for this race, I saw myself as much more fit and ready to tackle what is considered one of the hardest 50Ks on the East Coast. I was going to make this my ‘A’ race of the year and do all I could to be ready. A year later, work, family, and a nagging hip issue found me, in my opinion, under-trained, sore, and debating whether or not to run this race. I had opportunity and excuses to step down to the 25K with no questions asked. No one would fault me and many running friends highly encouraged me to do so (very hard, you are sore, still just as challenging, they will let you switch before the race, etc.) But I am stubborn if nothing else and knew if I didn’t try I would wonder, “What if…” So, I packed up the truck… Click here to read the full race report
 

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Redemption, Hallucination, and a Moment of Bliss – An Oil Creek Adventure
A race report by Steve Vida | October 2022  | Oil Creek 100 Miler
 


Last year, I DNF’d the Oil Creek 100-Miler after 75 miles.  It was my first attempt at this distance. I returned in 2022 with a little more experience and confidence.
 
Everything about my 2022 race went smoothly.  I wasn’t sure how to pace the early parts of a 100-miler.  So I looked back at times from 2016, averaged the splits from the bottom 2/3 of finishers and used those as my targets.  I managed to run the first loop 20 minutes ahead of target.  The second loop was 7 more minutes ahead of target.  But the biggest boost came when I picked up my pacers for the third lap, and we came through 40 minutes faster than target.
 
Sometimes, all you need from a pacer is company.  But Matt Brophy and Jason Karpinski were bringing the deluxe pacer package to Oil Creek… Click here to read the full race report

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Eastern States 2022: A Race to Finish Last
A race report by Jason Karpinski | September 2022  | Eastern States 100

My Journey to Eastern States 100 and The PA Triple Crown
A race report by Brook Schell | September 2022  | Eastern States 100


“This is what trail running is all about.”

It all began back in 2015. I was fairly new to the trail running community, but quickly fell in love! Karen Blandford had reached out asking for help in crewing Jim at this race called Eastern States. Being new to it, I didn’t think much of it other than an opportunity to see what running 100 miles looks like and an opportunity to help a friend out. I knew I would never run 100 miles, and even told many people how crazy these runners are. After one weekend of witnessing this amazing event, I became curious.  I started asking questions, wanted to know how this affects the body, wondered why someone would do this and what they get out of it, and the list goes on and on. Standing at the finish line, watching the runners take their final steps on the course, I became inspired.  Maybe someday I can do this too…Click here to read the full race report

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The Inca Trail Marathon
A race report by Michael Whalen | September 2022  | The Inca Trail Marathon



As it was for most of us, the COVID Years were not fun for me. I found myself working way too many hours and not taking much time to run or engage in much social activity. In November 2021, I found that my state contract was ending and I had the opportunity to take a few months off of work. I was not sure how I was going to spend the time off, but I knew I wanted it to be epic! Read the full race report

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Warriors….come out to plaaay
A race report by Michelle Henry | August 2022  | The Warriors Ultra



Let me start off by saying I’m so excited that I was finally able to do this run! I had been so jealous and wanting to do this since Steve Vida, Jon Durand, and Jason Karpinski did it in 2020. Full disclosure and spoiler alert — I still haven’t done the whole run. But I did 17 of the 28 miles, and I’m proud of that!

What is The Warriors UltraRun?  Click here to read the full race report

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“When there’s a 3-D printed trophy of a velociraptor on the line…hot damn, I wanna win.” –Kelly Ammon

After running Dirty German 50M in May, my plan for the summer was just to take it easy. No goals. No training schedule. No races. The plan was going smoothly until one day a notification popped up on my Facebook feed. (Damn you Targeted Ads!) Big Woods Running Club was having a Memorial Day special on their TrailFest. I could now suffer just as much but for less money! Perfect!

I immediately texted Andy Styer, fellow Pacer and one of the race directors…. Click here to read the full race report

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Double Race Report: Worlds End 100K and Laurel Highlands 70-Miler
A race report by Andy Styer | June 2022  | Worlds End 100K and Laurel Highlands 70-Miler

Andy finishing the Laurel Highlands 70-mile ultra just a week after running Worlds End 100k!
I never intended to do these two races the same year, since they take place on back-to-back weekends. The plan was always to just do Laurel Highlands and that’s it. Well, I had my name on the waitlist for Worlds End, just in case I didn’t get into Laurel for some reason. I actually forgot about it, and since I was pretty deep on the list, I never removed myself once I was officially registered for Laurel Highlands. The last 3 weeks before the race I catapulted from 93rd down to single digits. It wasn’t until a week before Worlds End that I actually got in. Click here to read the full race report

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The Seneca 7
A race report by Lisa Domeshek | May 2022  | Seneca 7



In the early morning hours of Halloween 2019, I sit at my computer, stretching my fingers, preparing myself for the frenzy of the Seneca7 race registration.  The race is known to sell out within minutes, so I have to move quickly if I don’t want to miss out.  True to form, my friend Emily types faster and fortunately secures our spot.  We’re excited and have no idea that we won’t embark on this adventure for two and half long years. Click here to read the full race report

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Hyner 50K
A race report by Jason Karpinski | May 2022  | Hyner 50K



To say my first Hyner 50k experience was unique is an understatement. My day started bright and early around 3:45 a.m. with a shower. Michelle and I left at half past 4 (as planned) with an ETA of 7:27 a.m. All was going smoothly, and my mind was at ease…until my low tire pressure light switched on somewhere in the neighborhood of Minersville. One quick stop at a nearby Sheetz turned quickly to panic when their air pump was out of order, and I was able to put a dent in my tire with little effort. Frantically, I found a nearby Sunoco which was a mere 2.5 miles away. Unfortunately, as many of you may know, Pottsville’s roads are fairly unforgiving. Every bump in the road felt like a cramping hamstring (more of that to come later in the day). After paying $2 to attempt filling my tire, I faced the seemingly daunting task of changing my first flat tire. Luckily the donut was in good shape, and we were quickly back on the road. Our ETA was now 8:02.

Did I mention that the race start was scheduled to start at 8:00?? Click here to read the full race report