Newtown Square Man Faces Challenge of Eastern States 100

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A Eastern States 100 runner in the woods of Pine Creek in Pennsylvania.
Image via easternstates100.com.

Imagine an Olympic event among the mountains and trails of north central Pennsylvania that lasts a grueling 36 hours with an axe as a prize instead of medals, writes Rob Senior for The Mercury.

You’ve just imagined the Eastern States 100, run this year by Newtown Square resident Nick Ciarrocchi.

This ultramarathon has taken place since 2014 and is rated as the world’s ninth-most challenging ultramarathon.

This year, competitors raced through the scenic Pine Creek watershed, starting and finishing in Little Pine State Park in Waterville. The race started at 5 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, and ended at 5 p.m. Sunday.

It’s a course of 20,000 feet of cumulative climbing involving parks, trails, mountains, mud, water, and other elements.

Ciarrocchi, who played football and lacrosse at Marple Newtown in high school, has done the Broad Street Run while a student at Temple University. He followed up with the 50-mile Pine Creek Challenge and a 100K in Utah last April.

The Eastern States 100 will be his longest race to date.

 “I find the biggest thing I get is a sense of purpose and fulfillment from the entire process, from training to crossing the finish line.”

 Read more at The Mercury about this ultramarathon.

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