Conquer the Circumnavigation of the Lost and Bewildered River in the Wilds of Pennsylvania
RACE RESULTS AND REPORTS
2025 RACE FACTS
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Finish Rate. 258 started the event with 133 finishers. 51.5% finish rate.
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Male Overall. Michael Busada from Linden, PA. 22 hours 30 minutes 28 seconds.
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Female Overall. Justyna Wilson from Fairless Hills, PA won female overall in 24 hours and 39 minutes and 37 seconds. This is her second overall female win (2022).
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Travel to the Race. Participant that traveled the farthest was from the Philippines.
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Weather. In 2025 weather conditions were slightly warmer during the day with a high of 85F and cooler at night with a low of 56F with dew points in the 50's all day. Sky conditions were clear with some valley fog in the morning.
The average for the second weekend of August is a high of 82F and a low of 63F. On average, there is a 36% chance that more than 0.04 inches of total precipitation will fall throughout the day.
2025 OVERALL WINNERS
OVERALL MALE
Michael Busada
Linden, PA.
22 hours, 30 minutes.
OVERALL FEMALE
Justyna Wilson
Fairless Hills, PA
24 hours, 39 minutes.
2025 Videos
Rambling Bear Media: Over 250 runners lined up on August 9th to take on the Eastern States 100. With rough terrain, water crossings, unpredictable weather and over 20,000 feet of elevation gain, the Eastern States 100 is one of the most difficult 100 mile ultra marathons in the United States.
Bouncing Soles: Ever wondered what it really feels like to come in DEAD FREAKING LAST at a brutal 100-miler? In this video, I’m showing my Eastern States 100 experience—chasing cutoffs, fighting blisters, battling self-doubt, and learning firsthand that even those that known what their doing can have a bad day.
2025 Photos
Emily Shaffer, EMC Media - https://emcmedia.smugmug.com/Eastern-States-100-2025
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Lisa DeNardo Photography - https://lisadenardophotography.passgallery.com/-easternstates2025/gallery
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Phil Cuppernell, Rambling Bear Media - https://pixies.et/ZQDESsMa
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Jennifer Kamienski
Pre-event, Start, AS2 - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=jennifer.kamienski&set=a.10234897246405383
Aid Station 3 to Aid Station 5 - https://www.facebook.com/media/set?set=a.10234897672496035&type=3
Finish Line - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=jennifer.kamienski&set=a.10234897842700290
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Mike McNeil (Unofficial): Tomb Flats - https://photos.app.goo.gl/MqMcPZ9Z4XBomRsn6
RACE NARRATIVES
2025 Race Director Notes
There is beauty in the struggle—beauty in the fight to take just one more step.
Even in the earliest miles, you could see it in the faces at Aid Station 3: the fatigue, the pain, the quiet frustration. This course is designed to test you, to break you, to make you question why you came. Some were already carrying the marks of the trail, others wearing that far-off stare you never forget after years of directing these races.
And yet—there is beauty. The beauty of standing up again. The beauty of pushing forward when every muscle begs you to stop. The beauty of beginning another climb when you thought you had nothing left.
Most of the world tells us to avoid hardship, to protect ourselves from danger. But here, in the Pine Creek Valley on a cold Saturday morning, you chose the harder road. You ran headlong into uncertainty, knowing it could be your undoing, and still you went. Whether you didn’t finish, reached a personal best, or simply survived, I hope you found something out there—something that made you more than you were when you began.
For that, and for the courage you showed, know this: you are alive in the truest sense, and to us, every one of you is a champion.
Philip Perkins | Chasing 10K (2025 is Philip’s 7th Eastern States 100 finish) https://chasing10k.com/2025-eastern-states-100-race-report/
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Jim Blandford: Thanks to everyone who is a part of the Eastern States 100 race. This is an amazing race that takes so much time and energy. Karen and I have been here every year either running, crewing or spectating. The race keeps getting better each year
In 2014, I finished the Eastern States 100 as the “first official loser” of the race — 2nd place in 21:53:38.
In 2015, I made it halfway, sat down at mile 50, and called it a day — DNF.
This year, 11 years after I finished in 2014 and after two solid years of consistent running and hiking, I came back and finished 10th in 26:51:39.
I felt good for about 45 miles. After that, my run slowed to a hike. I rallied for a bit, but soon went back to hiking. By mile 63, I had convinced myself to drop. I’d already taken off my shoes, my pack, and even eased off my nutrition long before getting there. If you’ve seen the water crossing video, you know — I was already cleaning the mud off my legs because I was done.
I sat down, dropped my pack and took my shoes off. A few friends tried to talk me into going back out. I didn’t want to hear it. Then I saw Trevor Fye, he was surrounded by his own crew and friends trying to convince him to go back out. I walked over and said, “If you go back out, I’ll go with you and hike… I don’t want to run?” He agreed.
Back to my chair I went — shoes on, pack on, food in. I’m so glad I didn’t drop but it was so close. Trevors friend Conrad (who joined us at mile 80) Trevor and I put in the work and got it done. We hiked most of it, with a little shuffling on the flats/ downs. David Lantz joined us for a section before mile 80.
Crossing that finish line after wanting to stop felt really, really good.
Overall a lot of things went right. Nothing really went that badly other than losing some energy and that I was acting like a little itch at mile 63 :-0
Big shout-out to Karen for being the best life crew out there. She put a lot of time into keeping me on track for my races this year. Yeah, it’s only running, but it is a big part of our lives and we love this community of friends.
Thanks, Dave, Alex, Finley, and Chet for letting us tent with you during the race weekend. Thanks to the Hamburg Mountain Runners/Tuesday Hill Repeat crew for all the training.
Fun little story. After the race was canceled last year. The 2024 runners could enter the race before the race opened up to the public. I waited a little to put my name on the wait list. I think I was number seven. I got the email saying I was picked to sign up for the race. I saw the email and forgot about it. Now I had to put my name back on the wait list at the end. Now my number was, I think, in the 140s or 150s. Oops. It all worked out and I got in but I was a little nervous I wouldn’t get in.
Lastly, the 2024 Eastern States 100 race was canceled, but it was an amazing weekend for Karen and I. We talk about that weekend a lot. We had so much fun making many new friends and memories on that weekend. We got to see a lot of them last weekend but wish we had more time to hang out with them longer.
See you all on the trails soon!!!
2025 Race Reports
The Eastern States Trail-Endurance Alliance promotes trailrunning and the responsible use of public lands, through events such as the Eastern States 100, Ironstone 100K and Eagleton Trail Challenge, three footraces we manage as a stewardship for trailrunners and the community.