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Micah Ward · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 9:24 am Post subject: Western States 2003

The Western States 100 is only two weeks away. Unfortunately I will be on the road that weekend so there will be no progress reports like last year. But this should be an interesting race with two very big questions.

Can Scott Jurek make it 5 wins in a row?

Is this the year for someone to beat Ann Trason?

So far this year Jurek has been racing well and he is still in his prime. So he is the king until someone knocks him off. There are some good candidates entered though. Scott Peterson is the winner of last years Leadville 100 so count on him to be a strong runner on the elevations and trails. Serge England-Arbonna is a fast 100 miler who has run some impressive times on easier courses. He and Eric Clifton, Joe Kulak and Scott Eppleman ran 100 in under 15 hours last year but that was on courses without the hills and elevation. Another interesting entrant is Mark Godale who has 133 miles in a 24 hour and 50 miles in 5:56:06 to his credit last year. He has speed and endurance but not a lot of experience on the type of course that WS offers. And of course, Tim Twietmeyer, a 5 time winner will be back. But Tim is 43 so does he have one more win in him? Dark horses include Jorge Pacheco and Chad Rickfels.

Trason faded badly at the end last year and Emma Davies almost caught her. Davies is 5 years younger and has to be very hungry for the win. Plus she has the knowledge that Trason dropped out of the Rocky Racoon 100 earlier this year with ankle problems. Anthea Schmidt ran 3 very impressive races last year including a time at the Leadville 100 that is second only to Trason. Jenny Capel of Nevada has run a lot of good races on the Sierra Nevada trails and has the potential to be a surprise. Sue Johnston is another in that category of fast 100 mile times on an easier course with her 16:51 at Vermont last year. Jennifer Devine-Pfeifer had the fastest 50 miler among women last year with a 6:45:12 but can she carry that intensity all the way through 100? Dark horses for the women would have to include WS veteran Luann Park, Janice Anderson and east coast up and comer Francesca Conte.

The bottom line though is that Jurek is at the peak of conditioning and in his prime. Trason is the legend that has yet to be beat. So I would not bet against either of them this year.

Looking forward to a great race Exclamation

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Dan · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 9:48 am Post subject:

Micah Ward · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 11:15 am Post subject:

I wish I was running WS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No, that is the weekend I drive to Quantico.

Trason is an animal. One year (1998 I think) she won the 56 mile Comrades in South Africa and two weeks later won Western States....with a torn hamstring that was almost detached from the bone. I know it sounds incredible but it is the truth and not just legend.

On paper she appears to be vulnerable this year....but like I said....she is still the Queen until someone beats her.
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Paul · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2003 7:55 pm Post subject:

My opinion is Trason gets beat this year, but I don't think it will be Emma Davies.

Starts tomorrow at 5AM PDT. Here's the webcast link. For those who follow it, it really is pretty cool.

http://www.ws100.com/webcast/

Micah Ward · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2003 5:17 am Post subject:

I'm not leaving until tommorow so I will try to give some updates as I pack today. The only significant name on the did not start list is Francesca Conte.
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Micah Ward · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2003 7:39 am Post subject:

First reports in. Jurek is behind the leader by 8 minutes but that is no big deal. All the contenders for the men are there except Twietmeyer, but again that is no big deal. He is known for coming on strong as the race progresses.
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Paul · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2003 6:55 pm Post subject:

Way past the 70 mile mark now, and both Jurek and Trason have decent leads. Unless he falls and hurts himself, I don't see Jurek losing. Trason ran into trouble last year after this point. With about ten miles to go each runner gets a pacer. In another hour and a half it will be dark.

Paul · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2003 10:42 pm Post subject:

Jurek wins it. Finished at 21:01 PDT. This means he ran it in 16:01, 18 minutes faster than his 16:19:10 last year.

Paul · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2003 10:45 pm Post subject:

Wow, I must have let that last post sit for almost 2 hours before submitting it. Surprised

Paul · Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2003 11:26 pm Post subject:

Trason finishes at 23:36 PDT about 20 minutes slower than last year. Again, she really slowed down in the last segment, covering 6.7 miles in 97 minutes.

Dan · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2003 3:05 am Post subject:

Was that good enough for the win for Trason?

Dan
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Paul · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2003 9:55 am Post subject:

Yes, by a wider margin than last year. Emma Davies was 2nd again, 56 minutes back. Luanne Park was 3rd again, 38 minutes behind Davies.

Micah Ward · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2003 4:39 pm Post subject:

Hey guys, first chance to get back on line since getting to Quantico.

So where to start? Jurek is still the king and Trason is still the queen. I should have known better than to speculate this might be the year for someone to beat Trason. Ward's Worthless Prediction, Trason will get beat somewhere else before anyone beats her at WS. She simply owns that course. And she was in the top 10 overall again!

Dean Karnazes had a great race in 4th. That is his highest ever. Twietmeyer is still in the top 5 and Davies and Park held off the two women that I thought might make noise this year...Schmidt and Capel.

I haven't had time to study the split times to see how things unfolded but it looks like Jurek will be the man for a long time and who knows just how long Trason can go.
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