The 37th Western States Endurance Run

Hey to all my fans in Blogland!  Richard and I just got back from a fantastic weekend in Auburn where we participated as spectators of the 2010 Western States Endurance Run!

100 miles in 24 hours earns you a silver buckle.   If you do it in 30 hours you earn a bronze buckle.  Of course you also get to say you did it!

This isn't a race on a track or on a road.  This is on a trail through the wilderness.  It starts at Squaw Valley in Tahoe and ends in Auburn.  The first 10 miles was in SNOW.  You drop 22,000 feet and climb 18,000 feet during the run.

(All comments will be below the pictures.)

I had to put in this picture showing some of the terrain. 

Runners must ford the American River.  This year the water was so high they had to ferry people across on rafts!

There are 12 Checkpoints throughout the course. Some you can hike to and others you can drive to. It is mandatory for each runner to be weighed at each Checkpoint. If anyone loses 7% of their body weight cumulative during the race they have to quit. Each Checkpoint has fruits and foods, water, restrooms, first aid stations, etc., for the runners. The two we visited had booths where you could "Find Your Runner." Lots of spectators, music, cheering, and concessions were in abundance.

This information was at one of the Checkpoints we visited.

Spectators!  Wherever there was shade, there was a crowd.

My Awesome Hubby

The Two of Us

On our quest for our own spot of shade on the trail, Richard ran into an old friend from Finland he hadn't seen for 15 years.  His name is Jussi Hamalainen.  What are the odds?!

Our trail-side seats.

Richard cheering on the first runner we saw.

Had to get a picture of these two!

The orange containers contain water for the runners to splash on themselves and dip their hats into!

Here is a runner receiving the royal treatment! 

Most runners have friends who "pace" them.  The pacer  runs along side the runner guiding, assisting with water, encouragement, whatever is needed.  Those from foreign countries usually don't bring along a pacer.  There are volunteers who do this.  Of course you have to place a fast pacer with a fast runner!  Runners over 60 can have a pacer for the entire race.  Under that age, they can only have a pacer after 62 miles.

This is in the stadium where the race ends.  Some of the runners came in after 15 hours!!!

We stayed until about 10:30 at night to see the fast ones finish.  The others are running all night long and into the next day.

This is in Auburn High School Stadium in the daylight.

These tents are where some of the runners stay after the race.

At each Checkpoint runners can access bundles they have previously prepared.  After Rucky Chucky where they ford the river, they will have dry shoes they can change into.

Here is a finisher in the center.  The runner on the left is his pacer.  She's carrying a backpack with things he might have needed along the course.  The pacer ran at least 42 miles during this last leg of the race.

The runner goes left and the pacer goes right.

This is Cowman Shirk who has run the race every year.  He ran in it this year but stopped after 30 miles as he is 66 and didn't want to injure himself.  He's a legend because he wore a buffalo hat with horns during the race for most of those years.  Richard knew of him and was thrilled to meet him.

Another friend, Lou Martin, that Richard knew--it was a great reunion.

Jackie and Ken Oyer joined us for the weekend.

It was a GREAT trip!!!