In as well. I just completed my first 50 miler a few weeks ago (Pilot to Hanging Rock, great race http://pm2hrultras.com/)

I am contemplating a 40 miler after first of the year and then 100k in the fall with the leap to 100 miles next spring.

The 50 miler beat me up pretty good after a nasty tumble at 4 miles and now a recurring calf/achilles issue.

Count me in. Doing my first 100 miler in April! Could use the sounding board for advice and motivation.

Count me in for when the 2017 thread starts.

I have a 40-miler at the end of April, and maybe a second ultra in the back half of the year.

Definitely interested in ultra ideas for 2017 - looking for a destination race. I did Bryce Canyon 50k in June this year and it was incredibly beautiful, though brutal and hot. Watch the Ultra Adventures video on Bryce and you won't be able to resist. I'm waiting to see if the 50s for Yo Momma in Ohio is going to happen next year, no date set but it's close, a fun local event, and I did the 50k as my first ultra a few years ago.

I'll just mention that it's hard to get elevation training here, but my coach had me do the Stairmaster working up to 30 min twice a week to prep for Bryce and that was a huge help.

How many of you guys have done Western States? Is it like the Kona of ultra running, or just another race?

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Brian

It is probably the most well-known 100 in the US (oldest too, I think?). If there is one in the US with name recognition (like Kona), I think this would probably be it. But also like Kona, you don't just sign up and show up. There is a lottery for the 270-ish participants. Last year a 1st time applicant had a 3.7% chance of being drawn. You double your number of lottery tickets for each successive year that you are not drawn. But each year the number of applicants goes up (2017 = 4300, 2016 = 3524, 2015 = 2566), so comparatively, odds also decrease every year.

When you say "...just another race" - what are you looking for? There are definitely harder races, longer races, higher races, etc. What floats your boat?

Oh, full disclosure - I've never done WS100. I am 0-for-4 in the lottery. I should be up to about a 20% chance of getting drawn this year.

Also should have mentioned that you have to have completed a qualifying race (they're listed on their site, usually 100mi, but there are a handful of 100K's) before you may enter their lottery.

For those that can make it north of the border, Sulphur Springs Trail Run has a 200 mile option in addition to many other distances. It's not for the faint of heart though. It's a loop structure, with 1740 feet elevation gain per 20km lap. I subbed in for an injured runner & did a leg of the 100 mile relay (8 runners x 20km each) 2 years ago. I was out for about a week afterwards - I ended up losing both big toenails too.

Link

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I just did my first 100. Trying to decide what's next. Everyone is telling me to try to get into WS, but I'm not sure more 100's are in the future though. I am very glad I did it. Incredible experience. It's been 3 days, so I have time to ponder such things with all the time I am not running now. :)

200 miles... No thanks.

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Brian

5x 100 miler finisher (4x WS100) and paced at several other 100s. I have been at the race every year since 2002 as racer, pacer or crew. I would equate Western States to Kona (still have to do Kona though) in terms of notoriety, attention, crowds and how runners are treated. There are tougher courses and some would say more beautiful, but I still want to run WS again although it might take several years to get back in. Thinking of getting a qualifier done in 2017 and throw my name in the bucket for 2018. There are many 100s out there that I want to run, but there is something about WS100 that keeps me coming back.

Finished my first trail ultra (VT50, 50 miler) in September. Lots of lessons were learned.

I was good through mile 31. The wheels came off for miles 32-38. Luckily, my neighbor was doing the race with me (and he started off more cautiously). He caught up with me at mile 38, and I was able to re-focus and stay with him for the next 8 miles. Then, he started to fade, and I had regained some momentum, so I was able to pull him along for the last 4 miles. During that last 10 miles, we swore to eachother we wouldn't do this race again.

The next day, we texted back and forth committing to sign up for 2017. Our wives are still baffled.

We are now setting our strategy for 2017 so that we will get in a few practice trail races (30k and up) earlier in the year so we can be ready for VT50 in September.

Coree Woltering, ran the tunnel hill 50 miler in Illinois this last weekend in 5:30:15. My math may be off a little bit but I think that is better than 9 miles per hour for 50 miles straight. I don't think it is a very hilly race but that is some seriously fast running for a long time.

Crazy.

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Jason
None of the secrets of success will work unless you do.

Sorry to hear this. I remember that aid station well. The stomach and foot issues were difficult. Best of luck in January!

I think he did it in a speedo too.

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I know he did it in a speedo. He blew up last year trying to go about that time and *only* ran 6:18. Maybe if he had the speedo last year he would have made it. :)

There were a few kids out there for the 50M. I don't know if they stopped at 26.8 (start/finish) area or what. Two of them were with an adult. One was alone, with a phone from what I could tell.

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Brian

0-4 as well. and yes, about 20% this year, compared to about 18% last year when we had half the tickets.

brief RR from JFK50, as once in a lifetime experience for me.
It was my first ultra. I was aiming for under 9 hours. I'm a 3:09 marathon runner, so I figured I could run 50 miles slower, but longer. The race is very well organized and has a great small town vibe. The aid stations were great, lots of voluteers. They did need more bathroom access at the start. Weather was perfect to start, 45ish and getting sunny. We ran 2.5 miles on the road then turned right onto the Appalachia Trail for 12.5 miles. That section was tough, lots of climbing and difficult footing. I had started at the back of the field due to waiting in line at the bathroom (see above). So I got stuck in the crowd. We walked most of the climbs and even some of the descents b/c of footing. The trail is narrow, so passing was difficult without being an ass. I did think that was probably good because it prevented me from going out too fast in the beginning and I didn't trip and fall. I finished the AT section a little past 3 hours. I have no concept of how the winner went so fast on such a technical trail. I guess that skill is part of the "elite" status of those folks. I had planned 3 hours for the AT, so I was a bit behind, but not in any rush.

Then we turned right onto the C&O canal for 26+ miles. The canal is a dead flat gravel tow path The aid stations were about every 4 miles. I hit the canal and immediately felt good and settled in at 9:00 pace. I'd thought I'd start feeling the race by mile 30. At 28 miles my hamstring seized up for no apparent reason. I walked for 5 minutes and it magically went away. Now my pace slowed to 10 min pace and I was taking walk breaks every 2 miles to eat. Definite mental issues from 30-42. I didn't feeling like quiting, but I was not feeling the joy of running, to say the least. By now the weather was turning. It was 75 and sunny, then a cold front came in. The temp dropped to the 50s, strong winds, leaves blowing everywhere and sticks falling from the trees. I sensed an "epic" day was in hand. I hit the aid station at 42 miles, exited the canal and went up a big ass hill. I walked the hill then started running. I actually felt good, ran the first 4 miles at 9:45ish. The last 4 miles were a struggle. I had left my arm warmers and gloves with a friend on the trail and needed them, a rookie mistake. The temp dropped to the 40s with hail and then rain. I slogged out the last miles dreaming of a hot bath. At the finish I went straight to medical for hot packs and 20 minutes on a cot wrapped in blankets. I think if I'd kept my cold weather gear I'd have run 1-2 min faster and I know I'd have felt 100% better. Overall I finished at 9:31. Much slower than I'd hoped for, but fast enough.

Fuel: camelbak marathon pack with water. I refilled it maybe 3 times. I didn't want to run out of water but didn't want to carry more than I needed to. I erred on more water and finished with it 1/2 full
Salt: I like salt sticks. It wasn't hot , but I like their chews, the crunch and taste appealed to me. I ended up eating 1-2 salt stcik capsules with caffiene every hour and maybe 1 chewy salt every hour.
CHO: for the first 3 hours I ate 1 bonk breaker every hour, then ate something every 2 miles for the rest (every 20 minutes). I took a lot of the on-course gu gels or 1/2 of a clif bar each time.

Post race: food at the finish then dinner at home of hamburger , FF & goose island bourbon co stout that I've been saving for months and the right occasion.
post-race: still tired and sore. I'm glad I did it. I know that mile 25 of a marathon will not feel so bad next time. I'm not planning on another ultra though. I miss riding my bike too much.

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Brian
“Eat and Drink, spin the legs and you’re going to effin push (today).” A Howe

Congrats! Just finishing is a great accomplishment.

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Brian

I'm pretty sure Walmsley is not human.

Good luck in the lottery. Doesn't look good for those of us with one ticket. http://www.wser.org/lottery2017.html

Total Tickets: 11022 Total Entrants: 4259 Last Updated: 11-22-2016 09:10:42 PST Ticket Count (Years) Entrants Tickets 64 (7) 2 128 32 (6) 31 992 16 (5) 112 1792 8 (4) 256 2048 4 (3) 396 1584 2 (2) 1016 2032 1 (1) 2446 2446

Just registered for the Squamish 50/50 again!!

2016 I entered it to see if I could survive, having never done trail running before,but was able to stumble my way through the full distance Challenge Penticton in 2015 after a short reverse build coming off of half marathon and 10 mile tt style fitness.

This time I have a much better base, and I can handle a much higher training load, it will be interesting to see how 2017 shapes up as I will be seeing how fast I can go, rather than just trying to survive.

Or at least that's the hope!

Jim is a stud for sure. From being a sub-4 guy in college to absolutely dominating Western States up until the wrong turn at mile 93. I lost quite a few Strava KOMs when he moved to my hometown during his time with the Air Force.

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Matt

After just completeing my first 100 I really didn't plan on doing another. And certainly not soon.. I completed enjoyed it and it went almost perfect, even though not as planned. I am going to put into the 2018 WS lotto, but that is a loooonnngggg shot. The Tahoe 200 seems like a good challenge in 10 years or so. Or maybe Canadian death race...

Happy running fellas.

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Brian

nice job.

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Brian
“Eat and Drink, spin the legs and you’re going to effin push (today).” A Howe

On my short list!