We ie Running Experiments!

With the running of this year’s event, the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run completed its 40th year as the premier 100-mile race in the sport. From the humble beginnings of one runner participating in a 100-mile horse race to this year’s lottery of more than 2,000 hopeful entrants, the race has been a constant presence in developing the sport of ultrarunning. From training to aid-station standards and medical care, the race has been instrumental in shaping how 100mile races are managed—there are now more than 100 of them.

Within the nonprofit organization that is responsible for Western States, there are three main areas of focus. The first is to conduct an unparalleled 100-mile run for every runner who chooses to participate, from the 15-hour record holder to the very last finisher. Second is the preservation and maintenance of the historic trails on which the race is conducted. These include the Tahoe National Forest and the Auburn State Recreation Area. The third is to invest in research to advance the knowledge of how ultradistance running affects the body and how to care for it along the way. From the original medical studies and standards established by Dr. Bob Lind to the medical research team (led by Dr. Marty Hoffman, a four-time Western States finisher) that is now part of the race, the event continues to probe the inherent medical challenges in an effort to better understand the demands on the body during a 100-mile effort.

The following series of articles includes a selection of research conducted over the last several years. This includes insights into the growth of the sport and the makeup of its participants, how the heart adapts to the stresses of prolonged running, proper fueling and hydration, and hyponatremia (low blood sodium) and rhabdomyolysis (rapid muscle breakdown) leading to renal failure. These research efforts bring light to some of the most talked-about topics in running—specifically, how extended exercise affects the body and how to avoid some of the most common mistakes that plague athletes in endurance sports.

Whether you’re an athlete preparing for your first ultramarathon, a seasoned veteran of many ultra runs, or an aid station or medical volunteer at an event, this research will be invaluable in helping you understand the demands of a 100-mile run and might possibly save a life. The more we understand the demands on the body during these “crazy” efforts, the more we can prevent some of the consequences that seem to be part of many current ultrarunners’ histories.

PSV U Ue Talim TOMAS middle of my fourth decade of running, I’m extremely grateful to the doctors for providing these recommendations. Ionly wish I had had them 35 years ago when Iran my first ultra. That would have saved me quite a bit of trial and error and a few epic meltdowns on the trail. We thank all the runners who have been gracious enough oF ara ob letecKonmiicte race in the pursuit of medical research and to all the doctors and assistants who have od ioemepeoerl enn eue evolve. We are 40 years into this, but we still have much Tun} Kem Co Cer-tun

_ Tim Twietmeyer cresting the climb to Watson Monument

FY nail eel UMASS Eton) Toes Wicm sale Ule-lalqcu ela

© Glenn Tachiyama