Pre-WS100

Well, what a race.  I'll post an in-depth race report for this past weekend's Western States 100 sometime in the next few days, but for now I'll just say that it was the most fun I've had probably in any race ever.  True head-to-head competition is a blast and I think the sport of mountain ultra running--both the fans and competitors--would benefit from more situations like what materialized Saturday in the Sierras.  It'd be exciting if more events provided the requisite incentives to make it happen.

In the meantime, below are the (belated) final two weeks of my training leading into the big race, an article I wrote for Running Times more generally chronicling my training philosophy for the event,  and then a few photos from the days leading up to the race.

06-14-2010
Mon-AM: 50 miles (7:48) 2xGreen-Walker-Eldo-2xGreen, 13000'
Still a bit rainy, but I did about 5hr of this run with Scott. Easy effort all day.

06-15-2010
Tue-AM: 15 miles (2:22) Green Mt., 3000'
PM: 10 miles (1:21) Streets+Sanitas Valley w/ Joe, 800'

06-16-2010
Wed-AM: 18 miles (2:55) Green Mt. & Bear Peak, 4200'
Nice easy effort with Scott.
PM: 6 miles (:47) Skunk Creek+barefoot

06-17-2010
Thu-AM: 15 miles (2:15) Green Mt., 3000'
PM: 8 miles (1:03) Creek Path+barefoot

06-18-2010
Fri-AM: 16 miles (2:19) Green Mt. w/ Scott, 3000'
PM: 8 miles (1:03) Creek Path+barefoot

06-19-2010
Sat-AM: 15 miles (2:10) Green Mt. w/ Scott, 3000'
PM: 8 miles (1:02) Creek Path+barefoot

06-20-2010
Sun-AM: 15 miles (2:14) Green Mt., 3000'

Total
-Miles: 184
-Hours: 27h 14min
-Vertical: 33,000'
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06-21-2010
Mon-AM: 8 miles (1:00) Creek Path

06-22-2010
Tue-AM: 8 miles (1:00) Kokopelli Trail

06-23-2010
Wed-AM: 8 miles (1:00) Tahoe Rim Trail

06-24-2010
Thu-AM: 7 miles (1:00) Volcano Canyon from Bath Rd, 1500'

06-25-2010
Fri-AM: 4 miles (:36) Truckee River

06-26-2010
Sat-AM: 100 miles (15:13:53) Western States 100, 18000'
2nd Place

06-27-2010
Sun- an appropriate amount of hobbling

Total
-Miles: 135
-Hours: 19h 50min
Vertical: 19,500'

(Designer extraordinaire jLu in her Boulder sweatshop putting some crucial finishing touches on the race shorts.)

(Relaxing through the taper with some slacklining in North Boulder Park.)

(In jLu's office, going over some final logistics with 2/3rds of my crew.)

(Geoff and I at the pre-race check-in in Squaw Valley.)

(Rickey Gates interviewing me after the pre-race meeting.)

(Where's the Mt. Dew? The final 1/3 of my crew, clearly psyched to be awake at 4am.)

(Last minute gel-stashing on race morning. Also, the last time my new pink kicks would look so sharp.)

(I had the most dialed crew on the course: Jenn, Joe, and jLu.)

(Getting some last-second rest, just moments before the start...)

(All photos: jLu)