Spirit of Western States
Step into the world of the Western States Endurance Run, the crown jewel of ultrarunning. This podcast explores every angle of the race—lottery and entry, history, training, volunteers, crewing, pacing, and the trail itself. Hear voices from across the community who bring the event to life and keep its enduring spirit strong.
Spirit of Western States
Golden Ticket Double Weekend Recap + WS100 Updates
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In this episode, we break down the excitement from last weekend's double Golden Ticket races, where 10 coveted automatic entries to the Western States 100 were handed out. We dive into the results, standout performances, and what it took to earn those golden tickets on a high-stakes weekend.
We then take a step back to explore the origins and evolution of the Golden Ticket system—its when, how, and why it was created to give elite ultrarunners a direct path into the world's oldest 100-mile trail race, bypassing the traditional lottery.
Plus, we share the latest organizational updates from the Western States Endurance Run team, including:
- Volunteering opportunities at WS
- Current snow levels on the course
- Ongoing trail work progress
We also look ahead to key upcoming events: details on the Western States Medical Conference and the ever-popular Training Run Weekend (Memorial Day), where runners get a chance to experience sections of the iconic course firsthand.
Whether you're chasing a ticket, crewing, volunteering, or just passionate about ultrarunning history and logistics, this episode has you covered.
Tune in for insights, updates, and the latest from the Western States world!