As late June approaches, so many people are once more drawn again to the uncooked, unyielding problem of the unique 100-mile odyssey from Olympic Valley to Auburn, California — the Western States 100.
A decade in the past, I wrote a two-part collection for iRunFar, “The Western States Killing Machine,” capturing the essence of a race that’s as a lot a legend as it’s a check of human limits.
In Half One, I dissected the course’s uniquely brutal components — high-altitude climbs, scorching canyons, quad-busting descents, and relentless runability that may punish, if not taunt, even the world’s strongest runners. Ann Trason, the 14-time champion, put it bluntly: “When you combat this course, it’s going to eat you alive.”
Half Two, “The Marble within the Groove,” contained distilled knowledge from veterans like Trason and Tim Twietmeyer, whose 5 wins and 25 sub-24-hour finishes embody the artwork of reverence, self-discipline, and steeled grit wanted to tame the beast.
Ann Trason on the 1994 Western States 100. Photograph: Western States 100
The collection has been extensively embraced by ultrarunners for its vivid depiction of the Western States 100’s challenges and sensible methods, by each mid-packers and elites alike. Many top-10 finishers and several other podium runners over the previous decade, together with Tyler Inexperienced (2nd, 2021 and 2023), Adam Peterman (1st, 2022) have cited the knowledge of “The Killing Machine” as essential to their preparation and technique on the granddaddy of 100-mile path races.
However whereas starkly dissecting its formidable and tough challenges and brutal punishments, the cautionary tales of Western States inside “The Killing Machine” have, through the years, had an inadvertent impact: they’ve led many runners to race with extreme warning, gripped by worry, timidity, and inflexible pacing.
Spooked by tales of blow-ups from reckless early efforts, quite a few runners — particularly rookies — adopted overly conservative methods, tiptoeing by way of the early miles at paces even slower than their coaching. Whereas this strategy ensured survival and earned them a end, it induced many to fall properly in need of their race-day potential in each efficiency and delight. At worst, it backfired: working too slowly disrupted educated biomechanics, inflicting muscular tissues and joints to stiffen and fatigue prematurely, whereas the nervous system, unaccustomed to such restraint, grew frazzled and ballooned fatigue.
This fear-driven rigidity dulled efficiency and robbed runners of the enjoyment and move that outline an awesome Western States expertise, leaving them battered reasonably than buoyed on the end line.
A decade after “The Killing Machine,” this text introduces three advanced ways to assist runners not simply survive, however thrive, at Western States:
Discovering ease with a sustainable, environment friendly stride;
Sustaining a versatile fueling plan with backup choices; and
Harnessing the reward of runnable downhills.
Gleaned from a decade of contemporary insights, these approaches — rooted in steadiness, adaptability, and strategic aggression — empower runners to maximise efficiency and pleasure, remodeling the cherished alternative of racing Western States right into a transcendent journey from Olympic Valley to Auburn.
Kuni Yamagata ending the 2021 Western States throughout the Golden Hour earlier than the cutoff, as photographed within the e-book “Second Dawn.” Photograph: Gary Wang
Tactic #1: Plan Your Race, and Then Race Your Plan — With out Concern
“The Killing Machine” laid naked the teasing and punishing nature of the 100-mile Western States course. It contained first-hand tales of runners — together with future cougar winners (1) — charging out too onerous, quick, and undisciplined, solely to spectacularly implode within the Sierra Nevada’s unforgiving canyons.
These tales of blow-ups, from runners ignoring tempo to crumbling below warmth and hubris, have been meant to warning, not paralyze. Understandably, the overwhelming takeaway for a lot of has been worry.
And whereas a very good serving to of worry is beneficial to mood the ambitions of the game’s elite professionals, most rookie amateurs, spooked by visions of their very own meltdowns, typically arrive at the beginning in Olympic Valley “scared gradual.” A considerable variety of runners — lots of whom have endured a virtually decade-long lottery wait — tiptoe by way of the early miles at a tempo far beneath their coaching.
Whereas disciplined pacing is crucial, this overly timid strategy can backfire. Muscle mass, joints, and nervous programs conditioned for months if not years in a cushty and sustainable working stride in coaching aren’t used to this sluggish crawl.
There was nothing overly timid in Katie Schide’s strategy to successful the 2024 Western States 100. Photograph: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Once we run too slowly, two issues typically occur. First, we take up an excessive amount of vitality. Environment friendly working entails a push-off, adopted by a touchdown, the place vitality is absorbed and held within the tissues for a fraction of a second. When snug and relaxed, that vitality is returned to the bottom to propel. But when we run too conservatively, that restraint typically ends in absorbing that affect vitality into the physique’s muscular tissues, bones, and joints. Paradoxically, working too slowly can really feel extra fatiguing to the tissues than working sooner utilizing a extra snug and environment friendly stride.
Secondly, hyper-conservative working adjustments working mechanics in a approach that decreases tissue mobility. Working too slowly decreases knee and hip movement. Misplaced is the pure stretching that happens from a fluid and open stride.
Billy’s Bane
A strong story from the mid-pack got here from budding ultrarunner and filmmaker (and future Western States Board Member), Billy Yang. Working his first Western States in 2015, he got here into the race match, robust, and skilled. Along with a string of robust 100-kilometer finishes, Yang had lately conquered the grueling, unforgiving Angeles Crest 100 Mile — an occasion usually considered slower, if not even more durable and warmer than Western States — in a formidable 24 hours flat.
On race day, his personal race-day movie documented his early race strategy by way of the excessive nation, which he famous was “very simple and really conservative.” Based on his account, he entered Duncan Canyon help station at mile 24 in 5 hours, 25 minutes elapsed, and in 215th place. Mathematically, this equates to exactly a 24-hour tempo: a practical purpose.
Billy Yang filming Dean Karnazes on the end of the 2018 Western States 100. Photograph courtesy of Billy Yang.
The one problem was that Yang didn’t practice to run this slowly. Biomechanically, it appears, he was holding again.
At Duncan, he famous to his crew that his “hamstrings are feeling twingy.” A mile exterior the help station, he started to really feel quadriceps ache. By mile 37, he mentioned, “I’m fearful about my quads … and we haven’t even gotten to the Canyons but…”
Yang was robust. He educated and ready fantastically, and he approached the run with reverence and respect. However what might have induced his battle was not hubris however, presumably, overabundant warning. I think his tempo plan was a lot slower than standard, leading to altered working mechanics that absorbed an excessive amount of vitality into his quads and failed to supply stress-free mobility to his hips and hamstrings.
Yang slowed and struggled. Whereas he finally endured, when he crossed the end line at Placer Excessive Faculty in Auburn, his silver ambitions needed to accept bronze.
A relieved Billy Yang is introduced along with his medal on the end of the 2015 Western States 100. Photograph is a screenshot from the movie “From [Olympic Valley] to Auburn”
Technique 1: Discover Ease
I gravitate to this two-word phrase discovered inside Hal Koerner’s “Area Information to Ultrarunning,” the two-time cougar-winner’s useful e-book: “discover ease.”
It’s a beautifully-simple-yet-holistic pacing technique he recommends that encompasses two components: working with minimal effort, and feeling good.
Certainly, many runners bent on “conservative” pacing might discover their effort simple, however merely not really feel good. This was the overwhelming suggestions from Billy all through his 2015 race: conservative working, but his legs have been unusually stiff and painful early.
Discovering ease is about discovering each a sustainable effort in addition to essentially the most fluid, gentle and fast, feel-good stride doable: a stride honed not simply the previous a number of months of coaching, however over years of working. Discovering ease ought to start in coaching, discovering and grooving at a sustainable “all-day” effort and stride biomechanics. By doing so you possibly can set up — then practice for — a race-day tempo and stride that’s each sustainable and environment friendly.
And whereas race-day self-discipline is essential, “super-conservative” working can simply stiffen joints, overly fatigue muscular tissues, and frazzle a nervous system unaccustomed to extended, unnatural restraint.
“The Killing Machine” doesn’t simply punish the reckless; it additionally grinds down those that let worry dictate their tempo, leaving them battered and discouraged once they might have thrived with balanced confidence.
Discovering ease takes a each self-discipline and a wholesome dose of braveness and religion. To take what the physique and course, in unison, is keen to provide. No extra, however as importantly, no much less.
From left to proper, Leah Yingling, Eszter Csillag, and Meghan Morgan discover ease collectively at Robinson Flat on the 2023 Western States 100. All three would end robust, throughout the high 10. Photograph: iRunFar/Jaja Ferrer Capili
Tactic #2: Have a Diet Plan, and a Again-Up Plan
Diet and hydration are make-or-break components in enduring “The Killing Machine.”
Half One underscores the race’s brutal calls for — excessive warmth, altitude, and relentless terrain — that quickly deplete vitality shops, making constant calorie and fluid consumption important to keep away from bonking or dehydration.
Half Two emphasizes sensible methods, like Trason’s relentless vitamin plan, noting: “You’ve received to eat early and sometimes. Don’t wait till you’re hungry, as a result of by then it’s too late.”
Certainly, one of the crucial strong research of Western States finishers, the Stuempfle et al. research (2011) discovered that the strongest affiliation to ending was the amount of energy ingested early and sometimes. Conversely, those who under-fueled have been extra more likely to drop earlier than Auburn (2).
Little doubt, having a rock-solid vitamin plan of what, how, and when is essential. However as many runners over 50-plus years of Western States have found,”The Killing Machine” cares little about even the perfect laid vitamin plans. Apart from the enormity of the gap, Western States presents a novel panorama of untamed variation, not simply in heights and depths of the canyons, however profound extremes of elevation, temperature, and humidity — all in sooner or later. All of those variables can wreak havoc on even essentially the most strong, iron-clad stomachs.
Present vitamin traits at main occasions like Western States are seeing a full pendulum swing from comparatively low- to astonishingly high-carbohydrate fueling. Some athletes, notably the reigning Leadville 100 Mile champion and course report holder, David Roche, at present promote fueling upward of 150 grams of carbohydrates per hour or extra.
You gained’t discover Western States legends — lots of whom raced carrying maple syrup bottles, a few of which I’m certain contained precise maple syrup — splitting hairs about what, or how one can gasoline. Merely, you will need to gasoline early and sometimes to run your greatest.
However what ought to occur in case your abdomen begins to outright reject your gasoline sources of alternative? In case your favourite race gasoline instantly turns into your most hated, what do you do?
Didrik’s Digestive Dilemma
Within the 2016 Western States, I paced Didrik Hermansen, a Norwegian ultrarunner who — coming off wins on the 2015 Lavaredo Extremely Path and a record-setting 2016 Transgrancanaria earlier that spring — entered Western States as a robust contender for the cougar.
I used to be slated to tempo him from the American River at mile 78, excited to run a contender to the end. To my elation he arrived on the river in third place, simply minutes behind then-second, and eventual winner, Andrew Miller (3).
Didrik Hermansen having fun with the sauna that’s the climb to Michigan Bluff throughout the 2016 Western States 100. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
But as we ready to cross the river, he confided some troubling information: “I’ve been vomiting.” As we crossed the American River by rope, I advised that he abstain from stable meals, and change to ginger ale diluted with some water. On the far aspect of the river, he grabbed a handful of fruit — honey dew and watermelon — and gulped it down.
We began up the climb to Inexperienced Gate help station. A minute later, he doubled over, vomiting. I stood beside him, each empathetically and impatiently. After a minute of retching, he was transferring once more. I handed him again his bottle of ginger ale, and implored endurance.
He hiked and ran strongly up the two-mile climb to the Inexperienced Gat. However as soon as on the help station, extra melon. A mile later, a tough cease on the path, doubled-over, vomiting once more. One other minute misplaced in standing. Then, to his credit score a gradual shuffle progressively ramped again to a top-10 tempo.
5 miles later, we arrived on the Auburn Lake Trails help station, at mile 85, and I swear each the ghost of Wendell Robie and his horse rolled of their graves when he reached for an additional handful of blended fruit and downed it! And you already know what they are saying about madness? Simply previous the creek crossing: one other wretched cease.
Owing to Walmsley’s flawed flip and subsequent DNF, he was at present in second place, however at this level, listening to a distant cheer for third place behind us — a hard-charging Jeff Browning — was impending and inevitable.
Lastly, with the type, visiting stranger clinging to second place, I misplaced my endurance:
“Dude, you HAVE TO STOP EATING THE FRUIT!”
I implored him to solely drink the ginger ale. He relented. Taking small sips, he stabilized. And, like a giant rig semi-truck, he progressively gained steam till he was cruising the ups and flats, and flat-out crushing the downhills. All this on roughly 50 energy per hour.
By the point we arrived on the Freeway 49 help station (4), he had a full head of steam so robust it was disgrace we needed to cease. I commandeered his bottle and fetched one other ginger ale refill. In the meantime, Hermansen stumbled towards a big crowd, assembled on the help station perimeter. Behind the rope was François D’Haene, on the time a two-time (and future four-time) UTMB champion, who simply days prior withdrew from Western States resulting from damage.
Bottle stuffed, I approached the followers to fetch Hermansen for the homestretch, once I heard Hermansen inform D’Haene about his nausea. “It is best to eat one thing,” D’Haene began. I whisked the M2 hopeful out of the help station and up the path earlier than he might put something in his mouth.
Hermansen as soon as once more sipped ginger ale, gained gradual steam as much as Pointed Rocks, then flat-out obliterated the descent to No Fingers Bridge, at mile 97, working so rapidly it required a Zone 3 effort for his pacer to maintain up.
Yet one more up and over at Robie Level, mile 99, and it was a triumphant second-place victory lap for the Norwegian runner, who fervently favored fruit, however settled for a gradual drip of corn syrup to earn a podium end.
Didrik Hermansen cruising at Foresthill throughout the 2016 race. Photograph: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Technique #2: Practice and Race with A number of Diet Choices
Diet choices fall roughly on three axes:
stable and liquid
candy and savory
slow- and fast-digesting
Practically all Western States veterans interviewed for “The Killing Machine” leaned on a number of choices alongside all three spectra. All used some form of sweets: often gels, which teeter on the border between stable and liquid, however many use an electrolyte beverage containing carbohydrates. Conversely, practically all runners famous leaning on a back-up of savory, stable, and slower-burning vitamin choices, with salted potatoes being a preferred possibility.
Above all, any viable vitamin possibility must also be clean-burning — simply digested with out problem early (indigestion or heartburn) or late (diarrhea or constipation) within the system.
Tyler Inexperienced has emerged as one in every of Western States’ most clutch rivals up to now decade. After a dipping his toe into the occasion with a 14th place end in 2019, he tamed “The Killing Machine” within the ensuing 5 runs, ending second in 2021, fourth in 2022, second in 2023 — in 15:04:09, a private greatest and at present the Eleventh-fastest end in race historical past — and seventh in 2024, elevating the masters male course report to stratospheric heights in 15:05:39.
Cole Watson (left in orange) and Tyler Inexperienced (proper) working by way of Robinson Flat on the 2024 Western States 100. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
His vitamin and hydration technique for the occasion is each dialed, diverse, and versatile.
“The inspiration of my vitamin technique is at all times gels and an electrolyte drink with carbs as properly,” Inexperienced notes. Having each high-density gel and dilute carbohydrate permits periodic dumps of vitality, whereas offering a gradual drip from his electrolyte bottle.
He’s at all times cautious to maintain gasoline consumption constant and keep away from overload. He accomplishes this by at all times working with a bottle stuffed with water solely.
On his numerous runs on the course, Inexperienced additionally ate stable meals. “Cantaloupe and watermelon added a couple of energy to the plan, however I additionally simply favored them as a result of they have been refreshing.” In doing so, he used small doses of stable meals not solely to reinforce fueling, however to provide each his digestive system and palate a break from the sugar monotony, thus serving to forestall overload or rejection of his key fuels.
Have a vitamin plan, however have as many choices as you possibly can deal with. And know in what circumstances — cold and hot, excessive and low, and quick and gradual pacing — that sure fuels work greatest.
Tactic #3: The Downhills Are a Present
“The Killing Machine” supplies crucial recommendation for tackling the punishing downhills of the Western States course and its formidable 22,000 ft of descent, together with the torturous sawtooths of the excessive nation, the deceptively simple however sneakily punishing “downhill half marathon” from Little Bald Mountain at mile 32 to Deadwood Canyon at mile 45, and, after all, the famed canyons.
Certainly, aggressive downhill working, particularly early on, can shred quadriceps, spawn blisters, and blow toenails. Western States legends all agree, survival requires downhill self-discipline to protect the quads for the latter, flatter levels of the race.
But, very like pacing, true success at Western States — past mere survival — calls for greater than inflexible self-discipline and worry. It requires a balanced, fluid strategy to working — in significantly the downhills, and later within the race.
Courtney Dauwalter rolling downhill into the Duncan Canyon help station early within the 2023 Western States 100. Photograph: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Navigating the steep and relentless descents of “The Killing Machine” requires not solely coaching preparation and race-day self-discipline, however two different elements: an environment friendly downhill working stride and a dedication to efficient downhill utilization, significantly within the second half of the race, when a lot of the downhills are very runnable.
Navigating the steep, relentless descents of Western States calls for extra than simply punishing coaching and race-day self-discipline. Success hinges on mastering an environment friendly downhill stride and strategically leveraging the extremely runnable descents within the race’s second half to shut onerous and quick to attain your dream end.
Elite Runners’ Downhill Sprint
Within the 2016 run, Hermansen held onto second place amidst nice gastric misery with elite-level downhill working expertise. Whereas his flat and uphill velocity, extremely depending on gasoline, was modest, on each downhill, he merely flew. For him, downhills have been computerized: quick, gentle, environment friendly, and regardless of fueling.
It was clear he had educated and raced that approach for years. And assertive late-race downhill working was a acutely aware technique for Western States.
If you end up educated and ready, execution turns into computerized. You recognize nothing else.
Whereas not each runner can crush the descent to No Fingers Bridge like Hermansen in 2016, or Jim Howard in 1983, each runner can — with targeted preparation and race-day execution and dedication — benefit from the “downhill items.”
Technique #3: Practice to Race the Downhills as Rapidly and Effectively as Potential
A number of years in the past, whereas working the aggressive Lake Sonoma 50 Mile, I discovered myself reeling in a star-studded discipline over the ultimate 12 miles, which have been suffering from extended and runnable downhills.
And whereas my legs have been screaming from the extraordinary early season effort, I developed the mantra: “The downhills are a present!”
That mantra jogged my memory that descents supply free vitality from gravity. Or, to place it extra precisely, vitality I’d already earned by working uphill. To harness this earned vitality for propulsion, I need to run effectively, keep away from wasteful vitality absorption with braking, and as a substitute channel it to maneuver sooner.
Environment friendly downhill working is certainly a ability. You possibly can learn some nice suggestions from the game’s greatest runners and coaches and you can too digest these sensible suggestions for bettering downhill working to keep away from blisters and toenail issues.
Western States incorporates lots of magic. However atop that listing, skilled by a small handful of us who’ve completed the occasion in daylight, with out using a headlamp, is just not merely working on the finish. However working properly, transferring swiftly. and feeling good — or pretty much as good as you may presumably really feel after working all day.
We will’t all count on to really feel pretty much as good on the end as Tom Evans successful the 2023 Western States 100, however ending robust continues to be one thing everybody ought to aspire to. Photograph: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
However you don’t should be elite to complete robust whereas feeling nice at Western States. Whereas the cougar-earning legends might run each step from Inexperienced Gate at mile 80 to the end, essentially the most distinguishing high quality between a mediocre, painful end and a triumphant one is one’s capacity to run the mild flats and downhills, successfully and with function.
Implicit within the message of “The Killing Machine” and the legends who’ve tamed it isn’t merely to outlive, reasonably, to do what it takes early on so to thrillingly thrive in these ultimate wonderful miles into Auburn.
An efficient downhill coaching technique, disciplined vitality, leg preservation early, and a dedication to robust late-race working is the true distinction between a survivor and a transcender.
Conclusion
The Western States 100 is a novel, if not sacred, occasion that calls for respect. However the sacred occasion and race-day expertise deserve greater than timid survival. By crafting a fearless tempo plan that embraces ease, sustaining a versatile vitamin technique with backup choices, and coaching to harness the “reward” of runnable downhills, runners can remodel “The Killing Machine” right into a stage for his or her greatest, most transcendent race, crossing the end line not simply as survivors however as thrivers.
Name for Feedback
Are you racing the Western States 100? Will you place these ways to good use?
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Notes/References
The female and male winners, along with having their names engraved on the perpetual trophy, are awarded bronze cougar sculptures.
Stuempfle KJ, Hoffman MD, Weschler LB, Rogers IR, Hew-Butler T. “Race food regimen of finishers and non-finishers in a 100 mile (161 km) mountain footrace.” J Am Coll Nutr. 2011;30:529-35.
A number of miles later, Jim Walmsley would take his flawed flip and fail to complete, facilitating Miller’s win.
The mile 93 help station earlier than it was moved a mile up the course to Pointed Rocks.
