Western States Images

There was a lot going on out on the course on Saturday, and a lot of folks got some neat shots that really help sum up the day.  Below are a few of my favorites.  Also, my race report is in the hands of the good folks at Running Times and should be posted in less than 24 hours.  I'll provide a link when it's up.

(Running up to Emigrant Pass out of Squaw Valley with Geoff, first thing in the morning. There was an incredible layer of fog hanging out in Squaw Valley and then the spectacular view of Lake Tahoe directly behind us. Photo: Luis Escobar)

(Geoff, Kilian and I as we were from miles 23-45--never more than a few feet apart. Photo: Salomon)

(Dusty Corners (38mi) pit-stop: it looks hectic, but my crew was perfect all day. Photo: Doug White)

(And away I go--leaving Dusty Corners. Photo: Doug White)

(Getting weighed at Devil's Thumb, mile 48.)

(Running into Michigan Bluff at mile 56. I'm obviously excited here because the major canyons are over and I still feel really good. Both of my empty bottles are stuck in the back of my shorts--I was definitely carrying water all day! Rickey Gates sneaks in there with a little video coverage, too. Photo: Glenn Tachiyama)

(Joe escorts me out of Michigan Bluff; still running calm and relaxed even though it's starting to get hot. Photo: Brett Rivers)

(Coming into Foresthill at mile 62 with Jenn.  Still feeling really good but pretty curious as to how I'm ever going to manage to break Kilian. Photo: Megan Zaranek)

(A short video clip at ~70mi on Cal St. I'd just gotten a ton of rocks in my right shoe and needed to stop briefly to get 'em out. This was the only time--other than the raft ride--that I got off my feet the whole race. We caught back up to Kilian and Rickey right after this.)

(Riding across the river at mile 78 with Joe, Rickey, and Kilian. I'm kind of losing it here a bit--just tired and hot. Photo: jLu)

(Emerging from a dunk in the river and preparing to run the hill up to Green Gate at mile 80. Photo: Glenn Tachiyama)

(From left to right: Rickey, me, Jenn, Jorge, and Kilian running up the climb from the River Crossing to Green Gate, ~79mi.  I think this picture shows pretty well why Geoff was able to catch and pass both Kilian and I--we'd been working each other pretty hard for the last 35mi and were hardly ever seperated by more than what is shown in this photograph.  At the top of the hill, Kilian would lie down in the shade and I wouldn't see him again until the finish line. Photo: Luis Escobar)

(Just before the mile 93.5 Highway 49 Crossing. I'm sure I'm looking for Geoff in this shot as I'd been within 50 yards of him just a few minutes earlier. Photo: Carl Costas)

(Running across No Hands Bridge at mile 96.8 with Jenn trailing me. Photo: Megan Zaranek)

(Wow. Pretty intense moment here at ~97mi. Jenn and I had just crossed No Hands Bridge where we were erroneously told that Geoff was only 3-4min up (it was actually 5 or 6min). I'm doing everything I possibly can to rally any kind of charge to make one final bid at the win. On the almost three mile descent to No Hands I knew I wasn't going fast enough to catch Geoff, but it's all my quads would allow, so I was just hoping that he would blow up a little on the Robie Point climb and maybe I'd be able to catch sight of him again like I had a half an hour earlier on the climb up to Highway 49.  Geoff closed extremely well and timed his final surge perfectly. Photo: Luis Escobar)

(Finishing 2nd, six minutes behind Geoff and 23min under Scott's old CR. I guess this picture shows why you run the WS100--the competition is top-notch and people get excited about it. In North America, probably only the Leadville 100 approaches the same level of interest at the finish line and along the course throughout the day, and it's not even nearly this high. Photo: Luis Escobar)

(Pretty happy to be done--Geoff is standing there to greet me. Photo: Carl Costas)

(Congratulations from the Sheltonator. Photo: Glenn Tachiyama)

(Five-time winner, 25-time finisher, and WSER Board President Tim Twietmeyer interviewing me moments after finishing.  I'm mostly just psyched to be off my feet! Photo: jLu)

(Media scrum: people get excited about this race! Photo: Luis Escobar)

(Rickey provided the contraband. Photo: jLu)

(Congratulating the man I ran with all day. Photo: jLu)