WS 2009 Highlights

Before I get to writing my full race report, I thought I’d share some of the highlights from Western States last weekend. Pre-race anxiety/excitement in Squaw Valley is high with the competitive field and the increasing temperature forecasts for race day. Toenail color is Melon of Troy. I lead the race after the first 50 …

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Competition at Western States

One of the things I love about running Western States is the depth of the competition.  There isn’t a comparable 100 miler in this country in terms of quality of field and the fact that so many runners peak for this race.  As the race is very difficult to get into, my goal each year …

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On the Origin of Pacers

by Means of Western States 100, or the Preservation of Safety in the Struggle for a Finish This post was originally posted in June 2009 as part of the synchroblog project. As the sport of trail ultrarunning becomes more and more popular, the eyes of the world are beginning to notice us. And what do …

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Ten WS Predictions

Instead of all this talk about who’s gonna be in the top five or top ten, I thought us taper-wonked WS runners might want to make some lighter predictions for the race.  If you get named specifically, consider it an honor. 1. Who will wear the Sexiest Outfit? This is easy.  Jenn Shelton for the …

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Crewing a Western States Runner

Guest Post By Laurie Thornley So, you’ve volunteered to crew for Western States. Now what? Don’t panic. It’s actually a relatively simple process. If your runner has done his job, he will have provided you with adequate instructions for what he expects. All you need to do is follow his instructions, show up when and …

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