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.
The Western States Lottery, Explained: History, Qualifiers & FAQs with Tropical John
Over 11,000 runners entered last year’s Western States lottery, holding more than 93,000 tickets. How did it get this competitive, and how do you make sure your entry counts? Carrie and co-host John Trent sit down with longtime Western States board member and qualifying-race guru John “Tropical John” Medinger to cover the lottery from start to finish. They trace its history, from the 250-runner cap in 1980 to the first lottery in 1981, the days of “buddy” entries and automatic spots for two-t...
11 Sept 2026
2027 Season Kick-Off: Running OCC, CCC Golden Tickets & Lottery Season Ahead
Carrie and John kick off Year Two of the Spirit of Western States podcast with a first-hand recap of UTMB week in Chamonix — Carrie's experience running OCC, the operational details behind Europe's biggest trail race, and the CCC Golden Ticket results as top finishers decide whether to accept their spots at Western States 2027. They also cover progress on the four-year Granite Chief trail reroute, break down exactly how the WSER lottery works ahead of November registration, and reflect on rac...
10 Jul 2026
2026 Western States Recap: Records, Record Crowds, and the Sphere of Influence
Carrie Meng and John Trent recap the historic 53rd running of the Western States Endurance Run, from flag raising at Emigrant Pass to the Golden Hour finish. They break down the numbers behind the fastest Western States ever — Vincent Bouillard's sub-14-hour men's course record and Jennifer Lichter's women's course record in her 100-mile debut — plus the third-coldest, arguably best-ever race conditions and a record 87% finishing rate. They also dig into what it took behind the scenes: record...
6 Jun 2026
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'...
1 May 2026
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...
4 Apr 2026
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...
18 Feb 2026
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...
18 Jan 2026
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...
12 Dec 2025
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.
9 Dec 2025
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.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
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