The Western States Endurance Run 100-Miler is often called the Super Bowl of ultramarathon trail races.
It began in 1977, missed two runnings (2008, wildfire smoke; and 2020, Covid), and takes place this year for the 47th time on Saturday, June 28. It’s not, however, the first 100-miler or even the first 100-mile trail race. It can most accurately be termed the “first 100-mile mountain trail race.”
From historic firsts and top runners to course details just some plain quirky facts, here’s what makes the Western States Endurance Run unlike any other race.
How a 100-Mile Horse Race Became the World’s Most Iconic Ultra
It didn’t begin as a race for runners but for horses (and riders), starting in 1955.
In 1974, one of those riders, Gordy Ainsleigh, decided to see if he could run the full distance on foot. He succeeded, finishing in 20:42, thereby proving that a runner could beat the 24-hour time limit that had been established for horses.
The course at the time measured 89 miles.
The First Official Western States 100
In 1977, 14 runners started the first official WS100, and three finished.
Andy Gonzales, 22, took first in 22:57. Peter Mattei and Ralph Paffenbarger, in their mid-50s, finished together in 28:36 (which led to the famous-30 hour award). Paffenbarger was one of the world’s most famous epidemiologists, having founded the Harvard Alumni Study 17 years earlier.
How To Get A Belt Buckle
All runners finishing in under 30 hours receive a highly coveted bronze belt buckle. If you can break 24 hours, you get a silver buckle.
All male and female runners must meet the same time standards. There is no gold buckle. The male and female race winners receive handcrafted bronze cougar sculptures.
The First Woman Who Conquered Western States
In 1978, Pat Smythe became the first female to complete the course, finishing in 29:34. It was still 89 miles long. It was lengthened several times in subsequent years until reaching its current 100.2 miles in 1985.
The Current Course Records
The course records are held by Jim Walmsley (14:09:28, 2019) and Courtney Dauwalter (15:29:34, 2023).
Winning Streaks That Made History
Ann Trason holds the WS100’s most unbeatable record. She won 10 in a row (1989 through 1998), and four more in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. Grand total: 14 victories.
Scott Jurek has the most men’s victories with seven in a row from 1999 through 2005.
The record for the most total finishes is held by Tim Twietmeyer with 25. He broke 24 hours on all his runs, meaning he has a collection of 24 silver belt buckles. Twietmeyer won outright five times, and holds the masters division course record of 17:17
Ageless Grit
The oldest-finisher record belongs to Nick Bassett, who completed the 2018 WS100 in 29:09 when he was 73.
Last year Gene Dykes, at 76, attempted to erase this mark. Dykes holds the Boston Marathon records in the 70-74 and 75-79 divisions. However, Dykes was forced to stop running when he missed the cutoff time at the 94.3-mile checkpoint by one minute.
Who Are The Favorites This Year?
Four time winner Jim Walmsley was considered a strong favorite this year, and Hayden Hawks (third last year) a contender. However, both disappeared from the start list the last week of May, and are apparently not running.
The top picks now include Kilian Jornet (a mountain running legend, and winner of the WS100 in 2011, his last appearance in the race), Rod Farvard (second last year), Vincent Bouillard (surprise winner of last year’s UTMB), and David Roche (the upstart) in the men’s race.
Lacking both Courtney Dauwalter and Katie Schide, the women’s race is less scintillating, but includes a top international field.
Start To Finish: The WS100 Route
The course begins in Olympic Valley, California (which was called Squaw Valley when the 1960 Winter Olympics were held there), and finishes on the Placer High School track in Auburn, California.
After starting at 6,200 feet of altitude, the course climbs approximately 18,000 feet and descends 23,000 feet before finishing at 1,200 feet.
Hills, Snow, Heat, and A River
The steepest part of the WS100 is the first 4.5 miles to Emigrant Pass, which climb to 8,750 feet. Runners might run through snow at the higher elevations. Later, after descending into the lower canyons, they could experience temperatures well above 100 degrees.
At the Rucky Chucky checkpoint at 78 miles, runners must ford the American River with a guide rope. (When the river is running fast and deep, they are carried across in boats.)
Mandatory Medical Checkups
When the WS100 was a horse race only, the horses received mandatory veterinary exams to monitor their health. The tradition was later extended to WS100 runners, who must pass several medical checks, including weigh-ins.
The race and its runners have served as the subject of nearly 100 published studies.1About Our Research Program – Western States Endurance Run. (2025). Wser.org. https://www.wser.org/research/ The most important have dealt with: hydration, hyponatremia, NSAIDs, Female and Male Athlete Triad, potential cardiac damage from high volume running, bone health, GI distress in ultra running, and best pacing strategies.
The Role of Pacers
All runners are allowed to have a pacer with them from the Foresthill aid station (62 miles). A runner can have several different pacers, but only one at a time. Pacers are prohibited from carrying fluids, packs, or anything else for their runner.
This year Kilian Jornet put out a public Internet request2Registration Form. (2022). Typeform.com. https://nnormal.typeform.com/ws-100-pace for a pacer. This served also to promote his sporting goods line, NNormal.
Western’s Epic Rival: Meet the UTMB
The European counterpart to the WS 100 is the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), held in late August or early September. It starts at a lower elevation than the WS100 (at approximately 3,400 feet in Chamonix, France), has a similar high point (about 8,400 feet), and includes much more climbing (almost 33,000 feet) and descending (also 33,000 feet).
Vive la différence
The UTMB course loops around the Mont Blanc massif, passing through parts of France, Italy, and Switzerland before finishing at the start point in Chamonix. The course changes slightly from year to year, but generally covers about 106 miles.
The constant and steep Alpine terrain make the UTMB less “runnable” than the WS100. The course records (Jim Walmsley, 19:37:43, 2023; and Katie Schide, 22:09:31, 2024) are roughly five to six hours slower than the WS100 records. Excessive heat is generally not a problem.
Double Trouble: Conquering Western States and UTMB in One Year
The following runners have won both the WS100 and the UTMB in the same year: Nikki Kimball (2007), Kilian Jornet (2011), Courtney Dauwalter (2023), and Katie Schide (2024). Dauwalter also won the Hardrock 100 in 2023, giving her an unprecedented “triple.”
Good Luck Getting In
The field size at the WS100 is capped at 369 runners according to U.S. Forest Service regulations established by Congress. The previous year’s top 10 men and women receive an automatic entry, as do “Golden Ticket” winners at a handful of the most competitive 100K and 100-mile races. Others mostly gain entry through a lottery process that selects about 270 runners among 10,000 applicants.
How to Watch the WS100 Live (From Anywhere)
The WS100 starts at 5 a.m. California time and ends at 11 a.m. the next day (30 hours later). It is streamed live and free at the Western States website. Since the elite races last 14 to 16 hours, East Coast viewers can begin their day at 8 a.m. and follow the competitive action until 10 p.m. to midnight the same day. Others will have to check their time zones.
