Eastern States 100

🏔️ Race Overview

Eastern States 100 is 103 rocky miles with +20,000ft of elevation gain and a finisher rate of about 49 percent. Welcome to Pennsylvania!

Registration opens October 1st at 6pm EST.

🌄 Course Details

• Challenging Terrain: Only the hardiest of runners will complete this circumnavigation of Pine Creek.
• Scenic Trails: Runners will experience portions of some of the most scenic and most challenging trails in Pennsylvania.
• Wildlife: Deer, bear, bald eagles, and rattlesnakes may be seen.
• Unique Crossings: You will cross Pine Creek on a former railroad trestle before climbing to the panoramic Ramsey Bend Vista.

📋 Qualifying for Eastern States

The Eastern States 100 is not an entry-level ultramarathon. The course terrain, elevation gain, and weather conditions present unique challenges that require significant prior trail running experience.

✅ Minimum Qualification Requirement

• 50K Finish: All participants must have finished at least one advertised 50K trail race within the official cut-off time prior to registering/picked from the waitlist for Eastern States 100.
• Timing: The qualifying race must take place between January 1, 2024, and the date of registration/picked from the waitlist.
• Official Events: The race must be an officially organized trail event with publicly available results.

🚫 Non-Qualifying Events

• Timed Events: Timed events (e.g., 12-hour, 24-hour races).
• FKTs: Fastest Known Times, peak bagging or Long-Distance runs/hikes.
• OCR: Obstacle Course Races.
• Triathlons: Events unless the run portion is a 50K trail race with official results.

🛑 Completion Requirement

• 50K Requirement: The qualifying 50K must be completed prior to registration. Registrants who do not meet this requirement will not be accepted.
• Flexibility: Limited flexibility on the January 1, 2024 date may be granted only in extenuating life circumstances.

⚖️ Rationale

• Finish Rates: Eastern States 100 has averaged just a 49% finish rate, dropping into the 30% range in hot years.
• Experienced Participants: The 50K requirement ensures that the participant has experience in a race environment.
• Course Challenges: Our course is unforgiving with relentless climbs, rugged terrain, and frequent severe weather.
• Consistency: We’re keeping it simple and consistent (50K Trail event).

👟 Participant Responsibility

• Research: It is the responsibility of each participant to research the course, review maps, and seek advice from past finishers before entering.
• Readiness: Race management will not provide individualized assessments of readiness.

🙌 Supported vs. Unsupported Classes

At Eastern States 100, runners are classified into two categories:

• Supported: Crew assistance is allowed at designated crew-accessible aid stations, and pacers are permitted starting at approved points along the course.
• Unsupported: No crew and no pacers are allowed at any point during the race.

❓ Common Questions

• Spectators: Yes, spectators are welcome at crew-designated aid stations, but may not provide aid.
• Reclassification: If you need crew or a pacer during the race, you will simply be reclassified as a Supported Runner.
• Aid Stations: All runners, regardless of category, have full access to official aid stations.
• Recognition: Unsupported runners earn bragging rights and respect, with some memento as recognition.

📝 Additional Information

For more details, please visit the official race page: Eastern States 100 Race Page.