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Spirit of Western States: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Carrie Meng
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.
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- 1 weeks ago1h 23m
Crewing & Pacing Western States: Trail Angels, Race Rules, and Stories from the Trail
Three weeks out from the 2026 Western States Endurance Run, Assistant Race Director Carrie Meng and board member John Trent dive deep into everything crews and pacers need to know before race day. They kick things off with a look back at the origins of crewing and pacing — all the way to Gordy Ainslie's first unofficial run in 1974 — and share memorable stories from board members Mo Livermore and Charles Savage that capture the unpredictable, adventure-filled spirit of Western States. Carrie'...
- May 1, 20261h 0m
Eight Weeks Out — Canyons Golden Ticket Recap, Trail Report, Course Conditions, Waitlist Update, Pacers, and a Major 2026 Entrant Announcement
With eight weeks until the 2026 Western States Endurance Run, Carrie Meng is joined by John Trent and special guest Race Director Craig Thornley for a packed update. The crew shares advice for runners in this critical training stretch — heat prep, quad work, long-run nutrition, and how to push without breaking down. Craig recaps the Canyons 100K Golden Ticket race, including Adam Peterman's win, Zach Miller & Hayden Hawks's gritty finish, and the chain of events that sent Riley Brady, Sar...
- Apr 4, 202641 min
The Heart of the Run: Highlighting Volunteers & Important Race Updates
Episode 4: Spring Updates & The Road to Western States Welcome back to The Spirit of Western States, the official podcast of the world’s oldest and most iconic 100-mile trail race. In this episode, Assistant Race Director Carrie Meng and Board Member John Trent shake off the "lost month" of March to bring you a packed agenda of essential race updates. As the calendar turns to April, the energy is ramping up for the Western States Endurance Run. We’re diving deep into the logistics and com...
- Feb 18, 20261h 5m
Golden Ticket Double Weekend Recap + WS100 Updates
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 tr...
- Jan 18, 20261h 15m
The History and Evolution of Western States Aid Stations
Aid stations are the heartbeat of the Western States Endurance Run. In this episode of the Western States Podcast, we dive into the history of aid stations and the critical role they’ve played in shaping the race since its earliest days. From the evolution of aid station operations to the leadership of aid station captains, we explore what it takes to keep runners moving safely through the canyons and high country. We’ll talk about the responsibilities of aid station captains, the coordinatio...
- Dec 12, 202547 min
Western States Lottery
Welcome to our very first episode! John Trent and Carrie Meng sit down to talk all things Western States, including the opening of lottery registration for the 53rd running. We chat about how the lottery came to be, the story behind the iconic 369-runner field size, and some noteworthy updates starting in 2026. This was recorded in November, 2025.
- Dec 9, 202557 min
Western States Lottery Recap
We dive into all of the details and behind scenes planning of the Western States Lottery held this past Saturday, December 6.
About 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.
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