Here are Gordy and Cowman from long ago. Wistful sigh.
Bhearn, were those the best aid stations ever? You are greeted by someone as soon as you run in, and they are all yours for the extend of your visit.
Yes. Totally amazing. At Devil's Thumb I had a blister treated, and was hovered over by three people, one of whom was just holding my bottles and my jacket. (That would be the Sweet Jacket, which I had just finally removed, at M48.) I told her, you don't have to just stand there holding my stuff, you can put it down! "Oh, no, here, you are royalty."
Ellie was intense, and strangely unlike *anyone* else that came through, even the other intense people. It was very interesting. Her own league indeed.
Yeah. I think I handed her Gatorade at about M8 of the Vancouver Marathon this year. I didn't recognize her at first, and was totally shocked that a woman was so close to the male leaders.
I happened to be sitting in front of her at the WS pre-race briefing this year. She had a curious habit of sort of snickering all the time, at things that I didn't quite see a reason to snicker at. Maybe it was some sort of vocal tic.
At the awards ceremony, she was quite eloquent accepting her trophy. I can't really even convey the sense of what she said, but she managed to transfer a big sense of accomplishment to everybody else. After that it was poor Timothy Olson's turn. He said, literally, "Uh, ditto". After that it was more embarrassing, because he tried to elaborate, but it sounded very trivial compared to Ellie. I think most of us would have been similarly tongue-tied.
cool, I love things like that
Imminent Catastrophe
Wrigley said: "Bhearn, were those the best aid stations ever? You are greeted by someone as soon as you run in, and they are all yours for the extend of your visit." (Sorry, about the formatting, iPad doesn't do it right.)
Haven't done WS100 of course but many of the same people were working the aid stations at another trail run (ends at No-Hands Bridge) and they were awesome.
"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"
"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain
"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.
√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015
Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016
Western States 100 June 2016
Kalsarikännit
It really was the coolest thing about WSER. They say you will have a volunteer to yourself, but I never has less than two. I stupidly wore gore-tex shoes during the snow crossing and received many shoes full of water at the stream crossings in that section. The feet were the worst they were for any race. The 3-4 times they were fixed up, I was in a reclining chair with the feet up, which were being attended to by volunteer doctors. Crazy.
My WSER complaint: I can't believe these experienced ultrarunners littered so much. The trail was covered with gu tops. How was it this year bhearn?
I want to do it because I want to do it. -Amelia Earhart
I didn't see any gu tops on the trail, but I can be oblivious to what's under my nose sometimes. We were lectured more than once about littering, particularly gu tops, so maybe they made more of a preventative effort this year.
Actually at many of the later aid stations, where they gave us soup in cups, they told us "take it with you, we'll come down and clean up the trail". And there were piles of cups down the trail.
It really was the coolest thing about WSER. They say you will have a volunteer to yourself, but I never has less than two.
I felt like a rock star at Ice Age with all the attention I got at aid stations as a mid-packer. I couldn't imagine more attention. Hell, at some point I think it would get to be over kill?
Either way, all this is good stuff and makes me want to take a shot at WS100. Did I read it right that all I needed to do to enter the lotto is finish one of the qualifying races within the time limit, e.g. like IAT 50 in under 11 hours or one of the 100s within the cutoff time?
GreyBeard
I felt like a rock star at Ice Age with all the attention I got at aid stations as a mid-packer. I couldn't imagine more attention. Hell, at some point I think it would get to be over kill? Either way, all this is good stuff and makes me want to take a shot at WS100. Did I read it right that all I needed to do to enter the lotto is finish one of the qualifying races within the time limit, e.g. like IAT 50 in under 11 hours or one of the 100s within the cutoff time?
That and cross your fingers. I've entered 2 years with no luck and hope for next year.
2020
Do you feel lucky ... punk?
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
I was looking into the Montrail races and thinking if any are easier to win than others - But sadly, even if I was in fantasy shape, I still could not finish in top 2. But, thinking about it I think on average - IA50 is probably the easiest. Typically, less competition and it is not at altitude, with stuff I am used to running on.
So - I might as well start entering the lottery ... maybe in 3-4 years I can run it.
But, thinking about it I think on average - IA50 is probably the easiest. Typically, less competition and it is not at altitude, with stuff I am used to running on.
Sigh, yeah when I first started thinking about running IAT about 4 years ago, I remember looking at past results. Most years a sub <7:30 would put you in the top 5, maybe not get into WS100, but top 5 in a 50 miler would be cool for me.
Too bad they didn't have the guaranteed WS100 entry in 2008!
I think WS should require a previous 100 finish to narrow pool... flame away
I agree. It isn't an intro to 100 running kind of a race. Give more people a chance to finish.
They tried to make it so you could qualify with a mountain 50 miler by having an eleven hour cut-off, but all that means is you can come to Chicago, run 50 miles over flat, paved bike path in 11 hours and still get into WSER. It doesn't set someone up for success there.
I read an old article by Laz (Barkley RD). He made a good point about not making WSER your first. He pointed out that both your first and WSER are really special moments. Why combine two special moments into only one?
If they did - I would have finished 10th or 15th or 20th.
Knowing the course and my "Fantasy shape" = Both weighing @ 170 pounds and being is perfect trail running shape ~ Maybe I could be @ 6:30-6:40 at IA50 with good weather ... and that would not get it done.
Sigh, yeah when I first started thinking about running IAT about 4 years ago, I remember looking at past results. Most years a sub <7:30 would put you in the top 5, maybe not get into WS100, but top 5 in a 50 miler would be cool for me. Too bad they didn't have the guaranteed WS100 entry in 2008!