The Western States 100 starts this week—the oldest 100-mile race in the world and arguably the most prestigious event in ultrarunning. A select group of runners (most of who gain entry via a competitive lottery) will set off from Olympic Valley, California, on Saturday morning, finishing 100 miles away in the town of Auburn.
The race takes place across a remote area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and many of the trails the runners traverse are only accessible by “foot, horse, or helicopter,” according to the race website. But thanks to the power of drones and GoPros, viewers at home will be able to catch the action on the Western States YouTube page.
Now, I know what you might be thinking: Doesn’t watching a 100-mile race get boring?
My answer: Yes—sometimes—but give it a chance. Trust me.
Here are four reasons you should tune in this weekend.
Reason 1: It’s Free
In a world of pricey TV packages and convoluted streaming rights, Western States offers a reprieve—they’re providing uninterrupted coverage of the race completely free on their YouTube channel. From the starting gun at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday to the cutoff time of 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, there’s plenty of action to catch. Which brings me to my next point …
Reason 2: It’s Great Background Noise
No, I promise I’m not equating the best endurance athletes in the world with endless re-runs of “The Office.” But Western States takes anywhere from 30 hours to complete (the cutoff time) to 14 hours, 9 minutes, and 28 seconds (if you’re Jim Walmsey in 2019). Naturally, there’s some downtime.
Instead of setting your alarm to wake you up in the dead of night to catch every exciting move, consider throwing the stream on your TV or iPad throughout the day. Keep it on while you’re doing dishes or check in on the action at lunch. For the ultra-curious, it’s a great way to learn the idiosyncrasies of trail racing while not having to worry about catching every single thing. The vibes are mellow and it’s fun to see the race develop throughout the day.
Reason 3: Courtney Dauwalter
Courtney Dauwalter is to ultrarunning what Eliud Kipchoge is to marathoning: a virtually infallible titan of the sport. From her countless victories on the world stage to her laissez-faire spirit, the 38-year-old trail running superstar is can’t miss television.
Dauwalter last won Western States in 2018 and is coming off dominant wins this year at the Bandera 100K and the Transgrancanaria 128K. In fact, she’s undefeated in her last 15 ultras. But Emily Hawgood of Zimbabwe, 2022 UTMB winner Katie Schide, and ultrarunning legend Camille Herron—among others—will all look to spoil the GOAT’s party.
(If Dauwalter pushes herself hard enough, maybe she’ll hallucinate flying eels and giraffes again.)
Reason 4: The Scenery—and the Scene
I don’t think I need to convince anyone about the beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. You’ll see for yourself: sunrise views over the ridge, creek crossings, and rocks that you might find on the moon. The mouth-watering California trails will have you Googling “Airbnbs near Lake Tahoe” by the end of the day.
But beautiful views notwithstanding, watching Western States is a great way to learn about the trail scene. Like any niche sport, trail running seems odd and quirky at first glance, but once you spend some time with it (whether that’s following the enthusiastic live chat or lacing up yourself), you’ll soon learn that the ultra community is extremely supportive and optimistic.
Watching Western States just might be the catalyst for your next running adventure.
Theo Kahler is the news editor at Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
