Western States Endurance Run

The Western States Endurance Run, known commonly as the Western States 100 or Western States, is a 100.2-mile (161 km) ultramarathon that takes place on California's Sierra Nevada Mountains trails each year on the last full weekend of June. Western States is the oldest and one of the most competitive ultramarathons in the United States, and is administered by the nonprofit Western States Endurance Run Foundation.

Western States Endurance Run
Western States Endurance Run logo patch
DateLast weekend of June
LocationPalisades Tahoe, California
Event typeUltramarathon trail run
Distance100.2 miles (161 km)
Established1977
Course recordsMen: 14:09:28 (2019)
Jim Walmsley
Women: 15:29:34 (2023)
Courtney Dauwalter
Official sitewww.wser.org
Runners, WS 2010.
The finish line to the Western States 100 at Placer High School

The Western States 100 is one of the five 100-mile races that comprise the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning, which also includes the Old Dominion 100, Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run, the Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run in Utah, and the Leadville Trail 100 in Colorado.

History

The Western States Trail Ride was first completed on foot by seven soldiers from Fort Riley, Kansas during the 1972 event, proving that the mountain course could be marched in less than two days.[1] In 1974 Gordy Ainsleigh was the first to run it in under 24 hours. Ainsleigh had finished the Western States Trail Ride (Tevis Cup) in 1971 and 1972 on horseback, but in 1973 his new horse was pulled with lameness at the 29-mile checkpoint. In 1974, with the inspiration and encouragement of Drucilla Barner, the first woman to win the Tevis Cup and Secretary of the Western States Trail Foundation, Gordy joined the horses of the Western States Trail Ride to see if he could complete the course on foot in under 24 hours. Twenty-three hours and forty-two minutes later Gordy arrived in Auburn, proving that a runner could cover the Western States trail in a day.

Sixteen runners signed up for the first official Western States Endurance Run in 1977, and started along with the horses in the Tevis Cup. Thirteen of the 16 had dropped out or were pulled by the midpoint that year. Of the three remaining runners, only Andy Gonzales finished in the 24-hour time limit set for the horses. The other two, Peter Mattei and Ralph Paffenbarger, finished in 28 hours and 36 minutes (unofficially), leading to the establishment of the 30-hour bronze buckle time limit for runners.[2] The Run organization later became its own entity: The Western States Endurance Run Foundation.

The following year, 1978, 63 runners competed and 30 runners finished the first Western States Endurance Run. The race was held on a separate date, independent of the Tevis Cup Trail Ride. Pat Smythe became the first woman to finish Western States.[3]

As the event grew in notoriety, a lottery system was created in 1981 to allocate the available positions. A limited number of entries will be reserved to the top two men and the top two women finishers of the five Altra Golden Ticket Series races[4] and the top-ten finishers of the preceding Western States race. After the few select entries are awarded, a lottery is then held to fill the field from a pool of qualified applicants. In 2017, a wait list was implemented with replacement runners selected from the wait list to ensure that the 369 allowable starting spots are completely filled.

In 1984, the Granite Chief Wilderness was created under the provisions of the 1964 Wilderness Act, and about four miles (6 km) of the trail were within the new boundaries. The wilderness designation would normally mean that the Forest Service would not be able to allow organized events in the area. In 1988, however, the Endurance Run (and the original Trail Ride) was finally given Congressional permission to continue, but with the number of runners limited to 369, the size of the 1984 field.

Course

The race starts at the base of the Palisades Tahoe ski resort in Olympic Valley and finishes at the Placer High School track in Auburn, California. The terrain is quite rugged, frequently showcasing snow on the highest passes and record hot temperatures throughout the course.[5] Runners ascend a cumulative total of 18,090 feet (5500 m) and descend a total of 22,970 feet (7000 m) on mountain trails before reaching the finish. Because of the length, the race commences at 5 a.m. and continues through the day and into the night. Runners finishing before the 30-hour time limit for the race receive a commemorative bronze belt buckle, while runners finishing in under 24 hours receive a silver belt buckle.

Results

Tim Twietmeyer, an ultra-marathoner from California completed the race a record 25 times, all in under 24 hours, and winning the race five times.

Scott Jurek's 2005 victory was his seventh consecutive win.

Ann Trason won the women's race fourteen times.[6]

In 2008 the race was canceled due to bad air quality and smoke from an unprecedented number of wildfires.[7]

The 2009 winners of the race were Hal Koerner and Anita Ortiz. In 2010, Geoff Roes overtook Anton Krupicka at the Brown's Bar checkpoint with 10.1 miles to go to win the race and set a new course record with 15:07:04. Tracy Garneau won the women's race in 19:01:55. Amy Palmiero-Winters, a transtibial amputee, became the first amputee in history to complete the race, in 27:43:10.

In 2012, Ellie Greenwood bested the seemingly unbreakable course record set by Ann Trason in 1994 by nearly an hour with a new record time of 16:47:19. The same year, Timothy Olson ran a sub 15 hour race (14:46:44) and in the process, broke the previous course record that was set by Geoff Roes in 2010.

In 2016, Andrew Miller, 20, became the youngest male winner of the Western States 100 after newcomer Jim Walmsley, the forecasted winner, took a wrong turn approaching the north fork of the American River near mile 95.

For the 2018 year, Jim Walmsley broke the course record and ended a streak of failed attempts with a 14:30:04 finish. Jim was reportedly delayed by a few minutes at 95 miles by a mother bear and cubs on the trail.[8]

In 2019, Jim Walmsley broke his own record from 2018 with a time of 14:09:28.

In 2020, the race was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]

In 2023, Women's winner Courtney Dauwalter broke the women's course record set in 2012 by Ellie Greenwood of 16:47:19, with a new record time of 15:29:34.

Men's Winners[10]

YearWinnerTimeAgeCountry
2023Tom Evans14:40:2231 United Kingdom
2022Adam Peterman15:13:4826 United States
2021Jim Walmsley14:46:0131 United States
2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019Jim Walmsley14:09:2829 United States
2018Jim Walmsley14:30:0428 United States
2017Ryan Sandes16:19:3835 South Africa
2016Andrew Miller15:39:3620 United States
2015Rob Krar14:48:5938 Canada
2014Rob Krar14:53:2237 Canada
2013Timothy Olson15:17:2729 United States
2012Timothy Olson14:46:4428 United States
2011Kilian Jornet15:34:2423 Spain
2010Geoff Roes15:07:0434 United States
2009Hal Koerner16:24:5533 United States
2008Cancelled due to poor air quality caused by 2008 California wildfires
2007Hal Koerner16:12:1631 United States
2006Graham Cooper18:17:2836 United States
2005Scott Jurek16:40:4531 United States
2004Scott Jurek15:36:2730 United States
2003Scott Jurek16:01:1829 United States
2002Scott Jurek16:19:1028 United States
2001Scott Jurek16:38:3027 United States
2000Scott Jurek17:17:2426 United States
1999Scott Jurek17:34:2225 United States
1998Tim Twietmeyer17:51:2039 United States
1997Mike Morton15:40:4125 United States
1996Tim Twietmeyer17:42:0637 United States
1995Tim Twietmeyer18:34:5836 United States
1994Tim Twietmeyer16:51:0135 United States
1993Tom Johnson17:08:3434 United States
1992Tim Twietmeyer16:54:1633 United States
1991Tom Johnson15:54:0532 United States
1990Tom Johnson16:38:5231 United States
1989Mark Brotherton16:53:3932 United States
1988Brian Purcell16:24:0032 United States
1987Herb Tanzer17:41:0635 United States
1986Chuck Jones16:37:4727 United States
1985Jim King16:02:4428 United States
1984Jim King14:54:0027 United States
1983Jim Howard16:07:0029 United States
1982Jim King16:17:0025 United States
1981Jim Howard16:02:3727 United States
1980Mike Catlin18:35:4228 United States
1979Mike Catlin16:11:5627 United States
1978Andy Gonzalez18:50:0023 United States
1977Andy Gonzalez22:57:0022 United States
1976Ken Shirk24:30:0023 United States
1974Gordy Ainsleigh23:42:2026 United States

Women's Winners[10]

YearWinnerTimeAgeCountry
2023Courtney Dauwalter15:29:3438 United States
2022Ruth Croft17:21:3033 New Zealand
2021 Beth Pascall 17:10:42 33  United Kingdom
2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019Clare Gallagher17:23:2427 United States
2018Courtney Dauwalter17:27:0033 United States
2017Cat Bradley19:31:3125 United States
2016Kaci Lickteig17:57:5929 United States
2015Magdalena Boulet19:05:2141 United States
2014Stephanie Howe18:01:4230 United States
2013Pam Smith18:37:2138 United States
2012Ellie Greenwood16:47:1933 United Kingdom
2011Ellie Greenwood17:55:2932 United Kingdom
2010Tracy Garneau19:01:5541 Canada
2009Anita Ortiz18:24:1745 United States
2008Cancelled due to poor air quality caused by 2008 California wildfires
2007Nikki Kimball18:12:3836 United States
2006Nikki Kimball19:26:5135 United States
2005Annette Bednosky18:39:0138 United States
2004Nikki Kimball18:43:2533 United States
2003Ann Trason18:36:0342 United States
2002Ann Trason18:16:2641 United States
2001Ann Trason18:33:3440 United States
2000Ann Trason19:44:4239 United States
1999Suzanne Brana21:23:3941 United States
1998Ann Trason18:46:1637 United States
1997Ann Trason19:19:4936 United States
1996Ann Trason18:57:3635 United States
1995Ann Trason18:40:0134 United States
1994Ann Trason17:37:5133 United States
1993Ann Trason19:05:2232 United States
1992Ann Trason18:14:4831 United States
1991Ann Trason18:29:3730 United States
1990Ann Trason18:33:0229 United States
1989Ann Trason18:47:4628 United States
1988Kathy D'Onofrio-Wood18:52:4023 United States
1987Mary Hammes21:23:3727 United States
1986Kathy D'Onofrio-Wood20:58:1621 United States
1985Terri Gerber20:30:0336 United States
1984Judy Milkie-West20:04:0034 United States
1983Bjorg Austrheim-Smith19:11:0040 United States
1982Bjorg Austrheim-Smith18:23:0039 United States
1981Bjorg Austrheim-Smith18:46:0038 United States
1980Sally Edwards22:13:4432 United States
1979Skip Swannack21:56:2737 United States
1978Pat Smythe29:34:0035 United States

References
  1. "Seven Finish Trail Ride". Reno-Gazette Journal. August 3, 1972.
  2. Crockett, Davy. "The 1977 Western States 100". Ultrarunning History. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  3. Crockett, Davy. "The 1978 Western States 100". Ultrarunning History.
  4. "Altra Golden Ticket Races – Western States Endurance Run". www.wser.org. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
  5. "Weather – Western States Endurance Run". www.wser.org. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
  6. Western States 100 Record Holders
  7. Associated Press (2008-06-28). "Wildfires' smoke, ash chokes Northern Californians". CNN. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
  8. Jim Walmsley, 2018 Western States 100 Champion, Interview
  9. "2020 WSER and Training Runs Cancelled – Western States Endurance Run". www.wser.org. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
  10. Western States 100 Results 1974-present
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