Well, guess I should get it over with and say it . . . . . WE HAD SO MUCH FUN AT WESTERN STATES!!!!!!!  Karen and I have decided we need to hire ourselves out as professional WS crew people.  All we would require as payment is expenses paid.  And a root beer float.  That's all.

(Glenn, Kate, Karen, Me)

WESTERN STATES - 18,000 feet of elevation gain, 23,000 of quad-pounding elevation loss, over 100 miles through the Sierra Nevadas.  Starts at Squaw Valley and ends 30 hours later the Auburn High School track.

Kate did an amazing job, as always.  She is tough as nails, that girl.  It was the 2nd hottest race in the history of WS.  One aid station (I don't know which one) registered 106 at one point.  Yes, it was H-O-T.

Karen and I got hopped up on caffeine before going out to Green Gate/Rucky Chucky Far around 1:00/2:00 a.m. (?).  I don't remember.

I  know Kate came through around 4:00 a.m.  The water was low enough this year that all but the front runners crossed the river on foot as opposed to boat, which is what has had happened in the last few years because of high water.

Kate had one very brief breakdown at the Hwy 49 crossing (around 8:00 a.m.??), but it was only because she was pushing herself so hard.  But after a short, hard cry and some pizza, she got up and started marching out of the aid station before her pacer knew what was happening.

She crossed the finish line at the Auburn High School Track in 29:28:42.   A few seconds later, I hugged her and she just hung on and kept sort of sobbing over and over, "I'm so tired.  I'm so tired.  I'm so tired."  I just hung on to her real tight and told her it was going to be okay.  Again, it didn't last long, but it was well-deserved.  I still get goosebumps thinking about it.

What can I say about the awards ceremony?  It's L--O--N--G and H--O--T.  It's outside under a few tent so everybody is packed in tight and it's freaking hot and humid.  We ended up over by the tennis courts under a tarp the tennis folks had strung up and where we could hear the announcing.  Once they got around to the time when Kate came in, we all headed over and waited for her turn to get her buckle.  We had commandeered a young man who was having a hard time, Karen went and got him an ice-filled ice bandana from the ultra mobile, and we made him sit with us under the tarp.  It helped him a lot.  Also, a young girl at the tennis courts had a pump action water mister, and we all kept each other entertained/cooled by using her mister.  She was quite the sweetheart.

Re the heat - there was a guy going around (for what reason, I don't know) with some kind of gauge checking the temps.  The concrete was registering 136, and the tennis courts were registering 143.  Did I mention it was HOT?

Anyway, back to the young man.  He was from Pennsylvania and had decided to throw his name in the hat for WS. . . . . and he got pulled on his first try.  He was out here by himself.  He was very moved by what he had accomplished and teared up a bit telling us about it.  He kind of got embarrassed, and we told him he had every reason to get teary.  Cripes, WE got teary listening to him.

Kate's pacer, Glenn Pace, was da bomb.  He was her pacer three years ago, and again, did an excellent job.  Plus, he hung out with Karen and me all day and was part of the crew, which made it possible for me to take a ton of photos again.

(Glenn, Pacer Extraordinaire)

Anyway, I had SO much fun.  Western States is an experience like no other, and to have had the opportunity to watch those men and women struggle and succeed against extremely tough odds - it's humbling and I am very honored.  This race is one of those that I dream of being able to do some day.  Dream a little dream, eh?

If you want to see more pics, you can check them out at my Facebook page.

I was thinking a lot about the heat at the Western States over the weekend. It's great to see that Kate and you survived and had a good time.

That pacer looks a lot like mudrunner!

Great job fattozig, that was an awesome thing for you to do.

EXCITING!!!!  Congrats again to Karen and to her whole support crew! You are an AWESOME race supporter and your enthusiasm is infectious. I cannot even imagine that heat and the MENTAL strength it takes to keep pushing through when the body just wants to stop. It's amazing for sure!

Such a small world. 

From what I understand, crewing is hard work . . . .

Crewing is a blast . . . . so long as you have sufficient amounts of caffeine.

Plus, Kate has to be THE easiest person to crew for.  She never gets testy, she never complains if you forget something she said she wanted at that stop, nada.  She just says, "Oh well!" smiles, and gets going again, and at the end profusely thanks you over and over for being there for her.  Love that lady.