For readers who are new to long distance trail running, the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run is the granddaddy of 100-mile runs.
Practically-speaking, I don't get very excited about trail races I'm not running in. There are so many of them. If I'm not a participant in a race, I'm probably running somewhere else, so my attention is more focused on not falling over a root-ball or getting lost.
Western States, however, gets me going.
To my knowledge, it was the first "100-miler". It's the race that made big belt buckles something that trail runners covet. As the most hyped of the many trail ultras worldwide, 'States draws a very competitive crowd that very often includes close friends. Given that I have participated in the event both as a pacer and a competitor (yup... I earned one of those coveted silver belt buckles the hard way), I have a gut understanding of the trails, the heat and the landmarks that makes this particular race resonate in a way others don't.
There are 458 registered starters this year. In a typical year, somewhere between 30% and 60% of those who toe the line in Squaw Valley at 5:00 am on Saturday will not finish 100-miles down the trail in Auburn within the 30-hour time limit. Clearly, it's a long way to run! The heat, the competition, the pressure of the race and a raft of other obstacles are also there to overcome.
I'll be closely watching the following friends, Canucks and fellow members of Club Fat Ass live on the WS100 webcast:
0 - Gordy Ainsleigh
00 - Cowman
71 - Tamsin Anstey
209 - Nicola Gildersleeve
25 - Ryne Melcher
287 - Baldwin Lee
23 - Gary Robbins
98 - Mary Betts
22 - Tracy Garneau
305 - John Machray
441 - Peter Watson
To generate support and recognition for these fine folks, I contemplated hosting a betting pool with Las Vegas odds and so on. On second thought, I figured that might be bad karma, as several of the above-mentioned competitors objectively have a crack at top finishes.
So, to all 2010 WS100 competitors (and especially the ones noted above!), eat lots, drink lots, make sure your pee is always clear and copious, enjoy the run, may you do your best on the day... and I hope you come home with hardware!
