The Tiger Fat Ass was today at Tiger Mountain in Issaquah. I didn’t do it this year–but fifteen years ago I did.
I ran the first 25k loop with Scott McCoubrey and his dog Jack. I was working at Sound Sports at the time, another shoe shop in downtown Seattle, and wouldn’t start working for him at Seattle Running Company for another 7months. I knew Scott from having done the White River 50miler in ’03 and ’04. Everyone knew Scott: Trail Runner Magazine had dubbed him the “Everywhere Man” for good reason.
As we were cruisning along, we talked about running and racing and somehow the conversation got to Western States. He talked about Scott Jurek, and I remember one thing in particular. McCoubrey said that Jurek probably ran about 98 miles out of the 100miles, which he explained was pretty unusal as most people walked more than that.
I hadn’t done a 100 miler at that point. Having done a couple 50milers, the 100 still seemed a bit far-fetched.
Somewhere along the trail, Scott told me that he thought I’d do well at Western States. I hadn’t really thought about doing one before–or if I did it was when I was “older.”
But the way Scott talked about Western; the lore of it–and that simple off-the-cuff compliment put Western States on my radar.
One month later I was at the Lord Hill 50k and again McCoubrey was there. In the parking lot we were talking and I asked him one or possibly both of these questions: How do you get into Western? Can you get me in? (McCoubrey knew everyone so it seemed reasonable that he could pull some strings.)
He replied. There’s no way to get in now for this year…well…you could win the American River 50 miler. One spot goes to the winner of that race.
In that moment I remember thinking: Ok, I’ll just win that race.
Luckily 2 months later, I had a good day and did in fact win the 2005 American River 50 miler, catapulting me into the 2005 Western States Endurance Run.
But it all started at the Fat Ass.
Here’s hoping all the runners out there today had equally inspiring days!
Thanks Scott
–7inSquaw
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