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July 28, 2009

Western States 100 – my thoughts from the race…

5am, 27 June 2009
Squaw Valley to Auburn
100.2 miles on a mixture of single track trails and fire roads
18,000ft up, 23,000ft down

Western States completely lived up it's reputation as the biggest and best 100miler in the US. It’s undoubtedly up there in the world standings too. Why? Because it has all the attributes of a great race and more; a historic route (it was used by prospective gold hunters to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains when they headed west in the mid 1800s), wild terrain, plenty of climb and descent, beautiful scenery, well-stocked aid stations with the most enthusiastic volunteers I have ever come across, a river crossing, extreme temperatures, a highly competitive field - the list can go on and on.

My race was like a dream. I took so much pleasure from actually being in the race - from taking part, from running the fabulous Western States trail - that despite all the low points I went through, I loved every single minute.

What I enjoyed most was the great sense of freedom that the wild surroundings provided. Most of the time I was running solo, it almost felt like I wasn't taking part in a race - just me, the trail and the environment, moving along as gracefully and efficiently as I could, enjoying the scent of the pine and the muted silence from the wooded surroundings.

The sense of freedom was helped by running lightweight. The Xenon double bottle waist pack was a perfect choice keeping bottles securely stowed and hands free to eat. The Voza trail shoes equally rose to the challenge, providing a great balance of comfort, lightweight speed and protection. It was a setup that worked well and allowed me to concentrate on running the race rather than worrying about kit and comfort. When I negotiated the notoriously hot series of canyons I also grabbed an E50 bottle holder. Filled with ice and water I used it to dowse myself down, keeping my core temperature as low as possible despite the soaring temperatures on the trail.

The race itself was an exciting affair. I paced it well, moving through the field consistently over the course of the race to a point where I could challenge for a top 3 spot in the last few miles. That I did, moving into 3rd place with a mile to go and ultimately finishing just 2minutes behind the 2nd place runner in a time of 16hours 54minutes.

The finish at Placer High School Stadium in Auburn made all the effort, all those long hard training runs and all the commitment worthwhile. It had been an incredible experience, one which I felt privileged to be part of.

- Jez Bragg

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