This was the experience of a lifetime. I'm so grateful to have been able to participate in this race, and for the incredible volunteers, and for the support and encouragement of friends and family, and for my training partners, and for a wonderful coach, and to my two pacers, Rachael and Lauren. I'm grateful that my wonderful wife supported my training and was my one-woman crew. I'm grateful to have been physically able to take on and overcome this epic challenge. And I earned that silver belt buckle, by finishing in under 24 hours! It took me 23 hours 19 minutes 17 seconds to cover the 100.2 miles, with 18,000' of gain, 23,000' of descent, rocky terrain, and near hundred degree heat. I didn't get injured or go off course or trip and fall. Mostly, the race went really well.
This was my 8th hundred miler, and 42nd ultramarathon. (I have also run 33 road marathons and many other shorter races.)
Why?!
Western States Endurance Run -- it's not just the oldest 100 mile foot race in the world. It's a prestigious, competitive, and incredibly well-supported event that covers beautiful and difficult trails, with steep ascents and steeper descents, and often very warm weather in the canyons, from Olympic Valley to Auburn, California. It has an incredibly loving running community that supports it, with 1,500 volunteers who do everything from clearing the trail in the months beforehand, to organizing aid stations, to ensuring our safety.
Getting into this race is difficult, as there are many more accomplished runners who wish to enter than are allowed. Only 369 runners, on average, are allowed and in the most recent lottery, there were 6,208 applicants. I managed to get into the race in 2013, but was injured when I started. It took years of qualifying and applying before I got in again. This was possibly the opportunity of a lifetime! So, I did everything I could think of to make this race a success.
Training is more fun with friends and a coach!
Considering the importance of this race to me, I hired a coach for the first time. I wanted to be as well-prepared as I could while still staying healthy. I happened to have four friends who have all used Maxx Antush as their coach. My friend Alan credited Maxx with preparing him for an amazing improvement in the hundred mile distance, and that pushed me to reach out to Maxx. Maxx is selective about taking on new clients and he asked mutual friends about me. I'm glad I passed the test! I felt highly-motivated, healthy, and with a good "base" of miles, having run my fastest hundred milers the year before, as well as my fastest 5 km races. Also, I had the time and family support to train hard. My daughter was off to college and I only work 30 hours a week from home, so I felt like I could give the training the priority that I wanted to.
Just as importantly, I had some friends who I convinced to join me for many of these runs. We started a WhatsApp group to coordinate the five of us -- me, Lauren, Ross, Justin, and Aaron. We were all of similar ability and could push each other. Between them and the coach, this was the most fun I've had training for a race, and I have run a lot of races! Thank you, all! And thank you for listening to weeks and weeks of talking about Western States -- if I was relieved to no longer need to talk about it, I can only imagine your relief!
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| Ross, Lauren, and me |
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| Lauren and me |
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| Justin, Lauren, and me |
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| Tuesday Night Run Club, shirtless division |
Race Week
I stayed in South Lake Tahoe for 8 days prior to the race, to help acclimate to the altitude, but mostly because I had a credit at an Airbnb and I love Lake Tahoe in the summer.
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| The view near Tahoe City |
Jennifer (my wife) joined me two days before the race, taking a bus from Sacramento, so that we would only have one car in the area.
The day before the race is exciting, with so many accomplished runners checking-in and getting their bibs. I felt like a VIP! I met with the organizers of two medical studies that I was participating in, and had a detailed heart analysis done. Everything is fine and I show heart adaptations of a typical endurance athlete. My resting heart rate was 46 beats per minute, which I think is good.
We grabbed some food for dinner at a grocery store. Bran muffins looked appealing, so I had 3 of those plus a handful of Pringles for dinner. I had been trying to avoid fiber for the two days prior to the race, in order to reduce the likelihood of needing to poop during the race. I've been informed that bran muffins have lots of fiber, but somehow it all worked out!
3 water bottles or a hydration pack? This was the last big decision, the night before the race. I asked Jennifer to please help me go over the pros and cons. I ended up choosing to take a lighter-weight running vest (Ultimate Direction AK) because it covered less of my back and I thought it might breathe better, and the 3 bottles would be enough for the longest two sections between aid stations -- 10.3 miles from the start to Lyon Ridge, and 8.6 miles between Red Star Ridge and Duncan Canyon. This proved to be a life-saver of a choice, but not for the reasons I thought!
2:45am, the alarm went off. I was sleepy. I had tossed and turned it seemed, most of the night. I wasn't anxious, but my legs were restless and had been for 4 or 5 days. I suspect that the taper was responsible and that my legs were complaining that they were not getting beat-up enough!
I quickly ate breakfast -- 8 oz instant coffee (sweetened), small bowl of oatmeal, large chunk of bread, and maybe 5-6 Pringles chips.
Soon, I was at the start area in Olympic Valley! It was hard to believe that the race was finally really happening! After one last bathroom break, and a last couple of photos, an announcer started the countdown.
I positioned myself about in the middle of the pack. I didn't want to start too fast! But then I saw that my watch had timed-out, waiting for me to start recording the run. So, in the final seconds before starting the race, I had to quickly get my watch to sync with the GPS satellites and select the Western States course (so that I would automatically be alerted if I went off course), and start recording my position with GPS. Crisis averted. I jogged across the start line and the race was on!
The Race
The first four miles are a steep climb underneath ski lifts, mostly on a gravel road. Artificial lights lit our path until the pre-dawn light appeared. Headlamps were not necessary. Towards the top we got onto a single-track trail that had the steepest climb of the whole race, with the possible exception of the knotted rope at mile 78. This trail was as steep as the steepest trail I normally run or hike on at home, the Alta Vista Trail. This was quite the warm-up!
Wow, it was so beautiful in the dawn light. I glanced back at Lake Tahoe and took in the vistas. But the bright sunlight foretold of a very warm day ahead.
My pacing strategy was to feel at ease and to focus on getting towards the end in reasonably good shape. I wanted to address problems like blisters or chafing early on, and to do my best to stay hydrated and fueled. I had an aggressive 22 hour finish time break-down taped to two water bottles, that I could check when I entered aid stations. I used the site Ultra Pacer to do the predictions because their modeling seems very accurate and it worked well for me at Rio Del Lago the previous November.
Lyon Ridge aid station, mile 10.3 -- I was feeling good! I quickly got refueled. I was about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. The bright sunlight occasionally made my head feel warm. I thought about a race report I had read recently where a friend (Janeth Siva) had used a bottle of ice cold water to drip onto her head. Well, I had three 20oz bottles, maybe I should use one of them just for keeping my head cool? Sounds good!
Red Star Ridge aid station, mile 15.8 -- all systems "go"! I got one bottle just for cold water. I grabbed some food, too, like a handful of potato chips.
To help me remember to eat regularly, I pressed the lap timer on my watch each time I left the aid station. Since I always grab some food at the aid stations, I could easily check when 30 minutes had passed and then it was time for another 100 calories or so. I would drink sports drink almost exclusively.
Duncan Canyon aid station, mile 24.4 -- I was 36 minutes ahead of schedule, but I felt good. I think I got a sponge bath here and ice packed around my neck. They were so helpful and efficient! This is where I dropped out of the race in 2013, unable to run and unable even to walk without bad pain. Every step beyond this aid station was an accomplishment! I was so grateful to be healthy!
Miller's Defeat, mile 34.4 -- I was 38 minutes ahead of schedule.
Dusty Corners, mile 38 -- 35 minutes ahead of schedule. I heard my name being called. Alex!!! He lives near me and was here to pace a friend.
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| Photo by Alex Conrad |
I was feeling pretty good, but the miles were taking their toll. "Keep it together for Rachael. Finish strong with Lauren." This was my mantra, to remind myself to try to stay strong for the fastest easiest terrain of the race, for the last 38 miles, which I would run with my two pacers.
Last Chance, mile 43.3 -- 32 minutes ahead of schedule. The heat was severe, but thanks to being wet, my shirt was cool to the touch. I wasn't suffering.
The next climb up to Devil's Thumb was going to be the toughest in the race. It's super-steep, long, exposed, and hot. Right at the base of the climb, another runner and I recognized each other. Greg Miller!!! "Oh oh," I thought to myself, "if I'm seeing him here, he is not having a good day." Greg is a much faster runner than I am, but he had developed an ankle problem. I hiked past him on the uphill but I could sense that this climb was taking a lot out of me. My heart rate was getting high and I was probably getting dehydrated and depleted. Greg and I walked into this next aid station together.
Devil's Thumb, mile 47.8 -- I was 27 minutes ahead of schedule (when entering, I think). But I was not doing well. I decided to sit down just to try to recover somewhat and get some fluids in me and some food. I got moving again and left Greg behind in the aid station; I wouldn't see him for the remainder of the race.
Somewhere along the way I tried to fix up my feet again, by re-applying RunGoo anti-chafing cream.
El Dorado Creek, mile 52.9 -- I was about 14 minutes ahead of schedule. But I had another huge climb ahead.
Michigan Bluff, mile 55.7 -- I was about 12 minutes ahead of schedule. Coming into the aid station, I heard my name being called. Jo! Brady! Two friends from the Tuesday Night Run Club were there! Awesome!
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| Photo by Jo Ohm |
I met up and ran with Allen, the very last person off the waitlist. He booked flights and flew from Santa Fe, NM, to Oakland to Reno, without knowing if he would get into the race! He found out when he landed in Oakland that he was accepted! My friend Brady was apparently the 2nd-to-last runner off of the waitlist but he declined the entry since his training had not been sufficient. So, Allen was here running next to me because Brady had declined. When the race director told this story in the pre-race meeting, the whole crowd cheered for Allen.
I had a decent climb and a nice descent with good views and one more big climb. I was getting close to having my first pacer! Exciting! I thought I recognized a voice. Is that Rachael? Yes!!! At the top of this big climb that empties on to Bath Road, there she was! I think I was 4 minutes ahead of schedule.
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| Rachael is all official and ready to go, as pacer #1! |
I caught her up on how I was doing -- feeling OK, but getting dehydrated. We reiterated the goal for our time together -- to stay strong for Lauren who would bring me into the finish. I needed my drop bag at the Foresthill aid station which would have my headlamp and waist lamp.
Foresthill, mile 62 -- I was 7 minutes ahead of that aggressive 22 hour schedule. Not bad! As we approached the aid station, I recognized Kevin! Kelsey! Jon! Erika! The Belmont Runners were here! That was so awesome to see friends here. I think I got a little exuberant with my pace as we ran together into the aid station.
Only my pacer was allowed with me in the aid station and I tried to quickly get refueled. Then we all jogged to Jennifer at the car. I patched up my feet, drank a coffee drink (Starbucks mocha in a glass jar), said "hi" to my dad on the phone, re-applied sunscreen (wasn't necessary), and got going. My friends ran with me for as long as they were allowed, which is when the road ended in a trail.
I felt good, but was probably pushing the pace too hard. Rachael quickly did her job of getting in front of me and slowed me down. Soon, I would be the one slowing us down.
Cal-1, mile 65.7 -- I didn't need anything, so I kept moving.
Somewhere in the next section, I started falling apart. My heart rate was high and my breathing labored. I just couldn't keep up the same level of effort. I started walking gentle uphills. I kept eating and drinking, but at some point I had to pee, and my urine was a rather solid yellow.
Cal-2, mile 70.7 -- I was 18 minutes behind schedule. I grabbed some potatoes dipped in salt. Wow, I was falling apart. The shadows were long and it was getting harder to see in the forests. We turned on our headlights. Rachael played some music which was fun. She says:
🎶
So...we also listened to Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Maroon Five, and Britney Spears. Uptown Funk and Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars. Stay Stay Stay, Love Story, and Shake It Off by Taylor Swift. Born this Way by Lady Gaga. Moves Like Jagger by Maroon Five. Work B*tch by Britney Spears. Rise by Katy Perry.
🎶
Cal-3, mile 73 -- struggling. But we were getting it done! I grabbed some tater tots -- mmm! Rachael was very encouraging. Next stop was Lauren!
Rucky Chucky (near), mile 78 -- I was 33 minutes behind schedule. Jennifer! Lauren! Angelo! (Angelo is Lauren's husband and is also a runner.) I got refueled (quarter of a grilled cheese sandwich) and then it was time for the exciting challenging river crossing!
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| Lauren and Jennifer |
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| Jennifer and me |
A volunteer put a glow light around my neck, in case I got washed down the river, I think.
A volunteer warned me to put away any electronics around my waist. At first, I thought my waist light would be fine, but the connection to the battery pack isn't waterproof, so I'm glad I put that in my pack.
I was instructed to hold on the rope with two hands. Here we go, across the Middle Fork of the American River, at night!
Wow, the water was cold. Ouch, as I discovered some chafing on my thighs. The water was frequently waist-high and the boulders were slippery. There were glow sticks next to the rocks and holes.
Then we used a knotted rope to climb out of the river about 20'. Then I took care of chafing and changed out my headlamp batteries.
Lauren asked if I had dry socks in my drop bag. No, I did not. "I'm a minimalist!" I cheerfully replied.
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| A brave volunteer helps me with my feet |
I looked over, as I was sitting down, and there was elite ultrarunner Kaci Lickteig! She had won the race before. She got going before I did and I never saw her again. Maybe I should have ran with her early on and then I would be in better shape?
Green Gate, mile 79.8 -- I was a whopping 56 minutes behind schedule.
I was struggling with a high heart rate which I attributed to dehydration. My urine was a dark yellow. I was struggling with eating. I held a quarter of a grilled cheese sandwich for like 10 minutes and I just couldn't finish it.
Lauren started running quite a bit ahead of me, to encourage me to move faster. That helped! As we were getting closer to the finish, I could push harder, but 20 miles still felt like a very long ways to go.
Auburn Lake Trails, mile 85.2 -- Coastside Running Club's aid station! I was so happy to finally be here. I have so many friends who were volunteering. Jennifer was here, too!
Suki handed me some chicken broth soup with rice which tasted great and which I easily ate, and which settled my stomach. She also gave me a shoulder massage! Talk about service!
Onwards! Maybe it was my imagination, but I think I was running a little more frequently. I checked in with Lauren occasionally about our projected finish time; she assured me that we were on target for finishing in under 24 hours. I wanted that silver belt buckle! (A bronze belt buckle is awarded for finishers after 24 hours but within the 30 hour limit.)
Quarry Road, mile 90.7 -- 1 hour 15 minutes behind schedule. Scott Jurek was working this aid station! He's a 7 time winner of Western States and a popular author. He's great and very kind. I thanked him for his books.
Somewhere along the way, my Kogalla waist lamp died; the battery was unexpectedly dead. It was supposed to have lasted 6 hours. I realized later that I had put the light on "high" instead of "low" during the race because I had forgotten which setting to use for 6 hours. Oops. I still had my excellent headlamp, but I missed the wide bright light around the trail in front of me, to help see the rocks.
Pointed Rocks, mile 94.3 -- It's 3:01am. I was 1 hour 23 minutes behind schedule. I was tired and sleepy. This was getting really hard. Just keep up with Lauren.
My urine was a dark brown, like Coca Cola. I've never seen this before. Not good. I told Lauren this, and that I should stop by the medical tent after finishing. She agreed.
I picked up the pace a bit and passed a couple of runners. I was digging deep.
Robie Point, mile 98.9 -- 4:04am. It took over an hour for me to run and walk just 4.6 miles. Angelo! Lauren's husband had taken the time to get here super-early in the morning in order to run the last 1+ mile with me. It was very very likely that I would finish, but I was starting to feel the twinges of cramps.
I got some water and then we jogged / hiked up the last gentle uphill on the roads of Auburn and then we had a nice downhill descent. It was really happening! I was going to finish, and in under 24 hours! There was the high school! And there was the entrance to the track! Angelo pointed out the little step we had to cross, in case I tripped. That was very thoughtful, but I thought to myself, "I've probably encountered ten thousand tripping hazards in this race; I'm very accustomed to looking at the ground ahead of me!" Then we were on the track!
Jennifer! She was on the infield, taking photos and video.
I tried to run faster. In my mind, I was practically sprinting, but it was probably around 8 minutes a mile. The announcer called out my name and said that Jennifer was my crew and that I was a video game programmer and that Lauren was my pacer. The finish line is in sight!
Woo hoo! Hands in the air! I was so happy and relieved. I could hardly believe we had done it. I got my medal. The photographer motioned us to take a photo and I waived Lauren and Angelo over to me. Incredible!!!
I felt quite unsettled and then dizzy and so I lay down in the medical tent for like 30 minutes. Drinking a couple cups of chicken broth was very tasty and helpful and then Jennifer drove us to our hotel for a nap.
We came back a short while later, like at 11:30am, for the awards ceremony and so that I could get my Rucky Chucky Far drop bag and most importantly, so I could pick up my silver belt buckle!
I happened to sit next to Crispin, who I had met the week before. We had both volunteered at the same Tahoe 200 aid station.
Post Race
In the hours and days after the race, I felt immense happiness and gratitude and a sense of accomplishment. I think I basically executed the race as best as I know how. My training was excellent. This felt like an accomplishment of a lifetime.
It's a little scary how dehydrated I was. I've never seen my urine so brown/dark. After recovering and rehydrating for 48 hours, I was down 5.2 lbs from the week prior, and down 13.4 lbs since when I started training in earnest! The Tuesday morning after the race, at 154.0 lbs, was my lowest weight in my adult life!
What went well
- I successfully finished this race, in very hot weather, and ran about as well as I know how to.
- I didn't fall or go off course.
- I didn't get injured.
- I handled the heat surprisingly well. In training, I never ran in 90+ F weather, and my heat training consisted of warm baths, one hot car ride, and one hot nap in a tent in the afternoon sun. Yet I managed to keep myself cool enough in the race by staying wet and having ice in a bandana.
- Rachael, my first pacer, got me to slow down, which probably helped me from getting too depleted too quickly. She entertained me with conversation and music.
- Lauren, my second pacer, got me to speed up, which was probably a good strategy as I was nearing the finish, since taking risks then was safer. She ran a ways ahead of me which naturally pulled me along faster.
- My crew (my wife) did great with the driving and helping me get around and meeting me at Foresthill and Rucky Chucky Near, and the finish.
- Friends surprised me at several places along the course, which was a great morale booster.
- I never had to poop during the race! For one of the two medical studies I participated in for this race, one was a microbiome study and I asked the researcher how to avoid pooping in a race and he suggested avoiding fiber for the two days prior to the race. That seemed to have worked!
Things to improve
- I became dehydrated in the afternoon. I still felt the need to urinate every couple of hours, but my urine became a solid yellow and then a dark yellow and then brown. I felt forced to slow down, by labored breathing and a high heart rate. I started walking a lot of gentle uphills. I don't know how I could have handled this better. I took 3 salt pills throughout the day, to try to trigger a thirst response, but I was also getting a lot of salt by drinking sports drink almost exclusively plus eating salty foods. I was never thirsty.
- I lost my appetite for about 5 miles, between mile 80 and 85. I'm not sure why. After eating a cup of rice and broth at mile 85, I was able to eat regularly again.
- I accidentally set my Kogalla waist light to "high" mode at mile 78 (Rucky Chucky Far) and used up that battery much faster than expected, like in 3 hours instead of 6. So, running over rocks later on became more difficult. I still had a good headlamp.
- I should have changed socks at Foresthill (mile 62) and at Rucky Chuck Far (mile 78). I hadn't anticipated that my feet would be wet for almost the whole race, not because of river crossings, but because of all the water and sweat pouring down my body. My feet made it to the end, but they had big white patches of skin on the bottom from the skin being soaked for too long. I would have been more comfortable if I had changed socks. Also, perhaps I should have applied some kind of anti-chafing water repellant product to the bottoms of my feet; I've never done that before, I know that this is a technique that other runners have used successfully. A guy I volunteered with at Tahoe 200, Crispin, also ran Western States, and his feet were in much better shape than mine -- he told me he applied some kind of Squirrel Nut Butter to the entirety of his feet, plus he changed shoes and socks 2 (or 3?) times.
- I felt somewhat sleepy for a lot of the race. It's difficult to get a good night's sleep the night before, but I struggled somewhat the whole previous week because my legs were frequently restless.
Sleep notes
For the week leading up to the race:
- Monday night: slept well. I was exhausted from the Tahoe 200 aid station and slept for about 10 hours.
- Tuesday night: Slept well
- Wednesday night: terrible night's sleep. Tossed and turned it seemed for a couple of hours. Took a shower at 2:30am.
- Thursday night: Took 2 Benadryl and 1 Melatonin? Or was it 2 Melatonin and 1 Benadryl? My legs were restless and I had a hard time falling asleep. Woke up with the alarm at 7am, ate breakfast, got dressed for a run, but instead went back to sleep for an hour. I postponed my 10am morning science study appointment until 1pm.
- Friday night: Took 2 GABA, 1 Benadryl. Tossed and turned and slept poorly.
Gear
- Shoes: Hoka Tecton X. I wore these the entire time. It might have been wiser to swap out shoes once or twice, but I hadn't anticipated that my feet would be wet for almost the entire race. The shoes felt good and performed well. I wish they had a better grip, like the Speedgoat 5, but I liked how lightweight and springy they were. I imagined that the carbon fiber plates helped me with the uphills.
- Watch: Coros Apex Pro. I love this watch! For the first time, I had a GPS watch that could last for the whole hundred miles. My Garmin Fenix 3 can last only about 16 hours. I still had a lot of battery life left (50%?) after the race. It's also very lightweight and it charges very quickly and it has a faster processor than my Garmin. It latches on to the GPS satellites much faster. I love the course navigation feature which alerts me when I'm off-course. My main gripe with the Coros is how easy it is to accidentally press the main control knob, so I have to use the lock-screen feature, which then makes starting/stopping workouts more cumbersome.
- Socks: Injinji toe socks. They don't prevent blisters for me, but I think they reduce the chances of blisters, especially between toes.
- A small tube of RunGoo anti-chafing cream. I carried this with me the entire time and was a big win. I didn't have any nipple chafing, for example. I took care of other chafing problems early on, so that they never became a problem.
- A bandana, folded into a triangle, sewed with a terry-cloth inside and openings at two corners. This allowed ice to be easily added and then I tied it around my neck with a square not. The ice would last for over an hour and this kept me cool in 90+F heat, as the water slowly dripped down on to my shirt and evaporated. My shirt on my torso was cool to the touch, even in the warmest part of the day. I wish I had an easier way of fastening the two ends around my neck, like a velcro strip; it was sometimes a pain to untie and re-tie this knot.
- Headlamp: Zebralight H600w Mk IV. This has the best power-to-weight ratio I could find in a headlamp. It's easy to use, rugged, comfortable, light weight, and water-proof. It can output 264 lumens for over 6.3 hours, with a peak brightness of an incredible 1400 lumens for 2.8 hours in cool weather. (At the highest output, the lamp can overheat which causes the brightness to automatically dim.) Its magic ingredient is that it uses high-energy-density rechargeable 18650 Lithium-ion batteries. I bought these Sanyo batteries. I bought this headlamp and battery combo for Lauren and Rachael, too, and they used this while pacing me. This is the charger we all have.
- Kogalla RA light strip. I wore this on a very lightweight fanny pack. It's wonderful for seeing the rocky terrain in front of you and catching sight of flags on the sides of the trail or road. The battery connection is not waterproof, so be careful when crossing waist-deep rivers in the night! My main complaint with this light is that it's difficult to precisely set the light level so that the battery lasts a predetermined amount of time.
Random data
- Official results
- Weight on March 14, when starting a training plan: 167.4 lbs.
- Weight on June 16, before heading to South Lake Tahoe: 159.2 lbs.
- Weight on Tuesday, June 28, two days after finishing the race: 154.0 lbs.
- Weight on Friday, July 1: 160.0 lbs.
- Half Moon Bay Review article
- Video of my finish
- Strava
