For several years now #seeyouinsquaw has been a popular hashtag for the Western States Endurance Run. Thus it’s easy to see why we started to use #7inSquaw to talk about all of our shop regulars, employees, sponsored runners or Team 7hills members who will be down at Western States. This year we have 3 sponsored runners–Jon, Dave, and Jodee–and 2 shop regulars–John and Ian–who made it into the lucky field of 400ish runners who will start their 100 mile journey in Squaw Valley, CA.
The race begins Saturday, June 25th at 5am. Track their progress here.
Thanks so much for Kay at the shop for putting this blog post together!!
First 100. Second golden ticket. The first ticket was at Lake Sonoma in 2014 but I wasn’t ready to try 100 then. [Golden Tickets are won by extremely fast runners like Jodee, thus giving fast runners a way to earn entry into this prestigious race.]
2) What’s been the highlight of your WS training buildup so far?
Gorges Waterfall 100k and Transvulcania (50m) have been my big training (and racing) days. A few 4 hour runs in the Chuckanuts and on Blanchard and connecting the two have been the base of home training as well as steep logging roads with the pack of dogs who run with me- Pablo, Cedar, Dog and Vena. They are so wonderful.
I’ve also mixed in some long bike rides including a car free Ski to Sea last weekend. Team Slug Army bikes from Bellingham to the mountain and back and races our respective leg of the relay along the way. My leg was the road bike portion- 40 miles from Silver Fir to Everson on 542 and the stunning South Pass road.
And YOGA.
3) What shoes do you plan on wearing for the big day? Multiple options or just one go-to?
Not sure. Need to figure that one out. Something fresh…
4) What notable runner would you spot and most likely ask for an autograph if you saw them hanging out at Squaw?
Forest Gump
5) Will you sightsee around Tahoe before or after the race?
I’m leaving the great Northwest wood for the central coast of Cali on the 12th and want to get to Tahoe Before the 20th where our van party will hike, hotspring and get into a Tahoe-state-of-mind. Supposedly there is a stone tea house on the island in Lake Tahoe. I hope to get there…
6) Have you started a playlist or podcast list to listen to during the big day? What are some of the things on it?
I prefer the music of the nature.
7) How many times have you watched Unbreakable? How many more times will you watch it before June 25th?
I’ll try to! Is it online? I just watched this gem of a flash from the past:
YOUTUBE: A Race For The Soul
The Western States Endurance Run 100 Miles (WS100)
2001
This will be my first shot at States. Ooh! I get a little tingly just typing that.
This was my 3rd lottery experience but none of my 4 tickets were picked. Instead I ended up gaining entry via a secondary lottery held by the aid station I have been a part of for the past 3 years. Since 2013, every June I’ve donned a wet-suit and waded the American River to assist valiant runners crossing at Rucky Chucky – mile 78. In fact, I was talking to Rucky Chucky Co-Captain Jose at the WS100 training runs this past weekend and with me running this year there are some gaps in the team, so anyone interested should contact him at ws100rcc@gmail.com. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
2) What’s been the highlight of your WS training buildup so far?
The highlight of my training thus far has to be the Memorial Day Weekend training runs. Over 3 days you run 70+ miles of the course from Robinson Flat all the way to Auburn (although everyone is too superstitious to run the track until race day, and rightly so!). Having never run on those trails it was a perfect opportunity to get feet-on course intel and enjoy the support of fully stocked aid stations while doing it. It will be invaluable to come into those trails, probably at night and have that familiarity. There’s also a ton of schwag and a great group of runners to train with (and for the starstruck a lot of the elites and legends are in attendance – fancy a chiropractic appointment with Gordy? You got it, and a tale or two for good measure). It was also a high point as I felt my training finally coming into its own at this point after some rocky outings.
How about a low point?
The low point of my training was probably returning from Japan and trying to slip back into training mode as though nothing had happened. My wife and I were there for most of April and between the distance and the time-difference, when I came back I was a mess running-wise. Down was up, up was down; day was night and East was bedtime. I tried to crank it the first week back with a moderate 13 mile day at Tiger Mountain and just crumbled. Never before in my life have I so honestly considered laying down on the trail just calling it a day. But the following week I managed a trail marathon on Orcas and since then haven’t looked back. Going into the trip I actually had some Achilles tenderness which seemed to resolve itself with a strict diet of honeymooning, ramen and sushi so really it was probably for the best that I took it easy that month.
3) What shoes do you plan on wearing for the big day? Multiple options or just one go-to?
Pearl Izumi M2. I think I have a mix of v1 and v2, but nothing else has served me as well for the long haul. I’ve taken my licks in trying out new shoes in races and there are others I like well enough. But for States I’ll be playing it safe and going with what works. I’ll have 3 pairs so I can change if they get too wet (i.e. at Rucky Chucky) but I don’t want to trust my feet to anything else this June.
4) What notable runner would you spot and most likely ask for an autograph if you saw them hanging out at Squaw?
I’m a sucker for the legends but I haven’t gotten an autograph in probably 23 years. If I had to pick one I would probably say Ann Trason, I chatted with her a little at the training runs and obviously she has a wealth of experience and info. Also she seems like an all around nice person. I bet Tim Twietmeyer would also have a thing or two share, I guess he has a couple decent finshes under his belt ;). [Ann may be in the shop this August for an event!]
5) Will you sightsee around Tahoe before or after the race?
Some years, before my volunteer shift I’ve gone into Tahoe to check out the scene and some of the shops and restaurants. This time me and my crew are staying at the Village in Squaw and it’ll be my first time being part of the race week as a runner so I’ll probably be pretty dialed in. Maybe we’ll do dinner there Friday, I always feel pretty relaxed by the lake.
6) Have you started a playlist or podcast list to listen to during the big day? What are some of the things on it?
This is an interesting one for me as I’m strictly no headphones when running. I used to run with music and it ended up that I would adjust my cadence to match whatever happened to come on, which could be pretty disastrous. I could probably have gotten over than but I also love being plugged into my surroundings and hearing the great outdoors. That doesn’t mean that music isn’t important to me in running though. Since becoming a trail runner I have actually flipped the script somewhat and now the pace dictates the song. I’ll hear my cadence crunching through the forest and my brain will reach this meditative state where before I know it I’ll be singing a totally random song (mostly in my head). Yesterday I was at Orcas Island tearing it up and down Mt. Constitution to Enya – “Sail Away” but some other highlights of late have been Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil, Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance With Somebody and Prince – Let’s Go Crazy. Its kind of a double edged sword because the play-list is virtually limitless, but if it gets stuck on repeat there is really nothing you can do.
7) How many times have you watched Unbreakable? How many more times will you watch it before June 25th?
I have Unbreakable on DVD and digital download (one time I was on the road en route to States and had to lay some education down). I’m pretty sure I’ve watched it at least 8 times. And I’ll be sure to squeeze in at least 2 before race day. I kind of get goosebumps just talking about it.
Yep first stab at states. I think this was my third year in the lottery.
2) What’s been the highlight of your WS training buildup so far? How about a low point?
Highlight I would say was a couple of good runs up in the foothills with Jon and Dave. Low point was the final 15 miles of gorge 100k. I slowed down a bit more than I expected but would’ve still been comfortably on pace for a sub 24 hour finish if the distance had been 100 miles. So it was a low point…but also gave me some confidence that I could probably slog out a silver buckle if necessary.
3) What shoes do you plan on wearing for the big day? Multiple options or just one go-to?
Altra Lone Peak 2.5. I might change out somewhere on the course….to another pair of Lone Peaks.
4) What notable runner would you spot and most likely ask for an autograph if you saw them hanging out at Squaw?
Seth Swanson. That dude is rad. Either an autograph or maybe our kids can play together while he and I have a beer.
5) Will you sightsee around Tahoe before or after the race?
Yeah my daughter and I are heading down a few days early. Going to stick around until the Monday after the race. Will do most of our site seeing around the valley in the days leading up to the race.
6) Have you started a playlist or podcast list to listen to during the big day? What are some of the things on it?
I don’t listen to music during races. I have been listening to some stuff on training runs. Lady Gaga, Rush, Freedom Call…pretty weird mix.
7) How many times have you watched Unbreakable? How many more times will you watch it before June 25th?
A lot. I have multiple monitors so sometimes I’ll just turn it on while I’m working and let it run in the background. It’s got a good soundtrack so even when I’m not watching it I can at least be entertained by the tunes.
First Western States after 7 attempts in the lottery.
2) What’s been the highlight of your WS training buildup so far?
Highlight – no injuries or significant illnesses that have laid me out.
How about a low point?
Low point – getting off course with less than 4 miles to go in the Tillamook Burn 50 mile. I was comfortably in 2nd place and followed ribbons to the finish line to eventually learn I DNQ’d. It was a nice reminder that I have a tendency to be off course – fortunately Western States is well marked!
3) What shoes do you plan on wearing for the big day? Multiple options or just one go-to?
4) What notable runner would you spot and most likely ask for an autograph if you saw them hanging out at Squaw?
Phil Kochik. I heard he once ran away from the competition for an easy 5th place. Legendary stuff.
5) Will you sightsee around Tahoe before or after the race?
I wish. I have to get back to sea level to start acclimating to altitude.
6) Have you started a playlist or podcast list to listen to during the big day? What are some of the things on it?
I always run with music but won’t decide on a play list until race day. Probably lots of mid tempo rock music with a little Merle Haggard thrown in to embrace the surroundings.
7) How many times have you watched Unbreakable? How many more times will you watch it before June 25th?
I recently picked it up on Amazon. My wife and I have got through it once. It’s not likely she’ll tolerate another 90 min of running, aid stations and gear talk.
Yes, first Western States, second time in the lottery. 8% chance!
2) What’s been the highlight of your WS training buildup so far? How about a low point?
Highlight was finishing Sun Mountain 100k feeling strong and healthy.
Lowpoint was getting injured right before Chuckanut and missing about a month of training.
3) What shoes do you plan on wearing for the big day? Multiple options or just one go-to?
The Altra Olympus and then *maybe* the Hoka Clayton or Clifton later on. I really love the Altras, can’t imagine wanting to change out of them.
4) What notable runner would you spot and most likely ask for an autograph if you saw them hanging out at Squaw?
Magda Boulet, she’s an Olympian. Sage Canady because he seems like a cool dude and Ann Trason because she’s a legend.
5) Will you sightsee around Tahoe before or after the race?
Probably a little. We’re renting a house in Truckee with @7SilentAssassin [Jon Robinson] and some other friends.
6) Have you started a playlist or podcast list to listen to during the big day? What are some of the things on it?
Beastie Boys “Check your Head”, it’s loud and confusing the way I imagine the Canyons will be. I’ve also been really getting into Anderson Paak.
7) How many times have you watched Unbreakable? How many more times will you watch it before June 25th?
I own it, I’ve watched it probably 5-10 times. I’m definitely going to watch it again before race day, hopefully with my wife again b/c she’s pacing me.
Comments are closed.