the Ground Below

When running on trails, you often find yourself looking down frequently. You're trying to avoid roots, prevent twisting an ankle on loose rocks, and ensure that a puddle isn't unexpectedly deep. At some point, I decided to delve into understanding what I was observing. This curiosity led me to learn about different rocks, how they came to be where they are, and the characteristics of various bodies of water. Over time, earth sciences became a significant part of my racing experience, especially as I began competing across the country and the world. The stories of rocks, soil, and their formation are shared in these posts, highlighting their connection to the courses we run. Over the years, there have been some remarkable races with even more remarkable geology, some of which required background research for a full understanding.

Pike's Peak, close to the race venue for the Colorado Springs Trifecta Weekend 2024

As a trail runner, geology is divided into two categories: understanding the rocks and geological formations visible today while running, and understanding deep time and how everything arrived at its current state.

Foundational Articles

Rocks and Dirt

Geology and Deep Time

Geological History of FLorida

The Geology of Woodward Reserve in SoCal

Geology and Tectonics

Race Specific Geology

So Cal Trifecta A man-made reservoir reveals ancient rock formations.

Atlanta Trifecta Running through parts of a huge granite outcropping.

New River Trail Race The mighty New River shapes the topography of several states.

West Virginia Trifecta A race defined by an ancient gorge

Palmerton Super/Sprint The second oldest mountian range in the world that shaped the USA

HoustonTrifecta An ancient interior seaway helps us understand dirt

Virginia When a mountain isn't a mountain