Explore
Destinations, athlete stories, and field reports from every corner of the globe.
Browse by Sport
Foresthill to Auburn: Running the Decisive Last 23 Miles of Western States
The Western States course ends with 23 miles from Foresthill through the American River canyon to the Placer High track in Auburn — the most accessible and consequential stretch of the hundred, and one you can run independently any weekend of the year.
By ZealZag TeamBouillard Rewrites the Clock at Western States: All Three Men Under 14 Hours
Vincent Bouillard ran 13:46:16 to shatter Jim Walmsley's seven-year course record at Western States 100, while Jenn Lichter set the women's mark in her 100-mile debut — the first time in the race's history that three men broke the 14-hour barrier on the same day.
By ZealZag Team
Western States 100 Course Guide: 100 Miles Through the Sierra Nevada
Everything you need to tackle the legendary 100.2-mile route from Olympic Valley to Auburn — key segments, logistics, gear lists, heat training advice, and how the lottery actually works.
By ZealZag Team
Western States 100 2026: Bouillard and Lichter Shatter Course Records
Vincent Bouillard destroyed Jim Walmsley's 2019 course record by 23 minutes as Jenn Lichter won her 100-mile debut in a historic performance at the 2026 Western States Endurance Run.
By ZealZag TeamWestern States 100: Running Olympic Valley to Auburn on the World's Most Famous Trail
One hundred miles from the Tahoe basin to the California Gold Rush foothills. A practical guide to the Western States 100 course — the high Sierra traverse, the American River canyons, Foresthill at mile 62, and the Placer High School track finish in Auburn — for athletes who want to run this race, crew it, or understand it.
By ZealZag TeamWestern States 100 in Three Days: Walmsley, Lichter, and the Deepest Field the Race Has Seen
The 2026 Western States 100 starts at dawn on Saturday, June 27, from Palisades Tahoe. The elite field assembles in Olympic Valley this week — Jim Walmsley chasing a fifth win, Jennifer Lichter entering as the women's favorite with a course-record Black Canyon performance behind her, and Molly Seidel making her ultra debut on the most demanding 100-mile course in North America.
By ZealZag TeamWestern States 100: Four Days Out, Heat Strategy Becomes the Race
Four days from the 53rd Western States 100, the heat strategy conversation has taken over race week — 92°F canyon forecast holding, sauna protocols entering their final week, and the contender field arriving in Olympic Valley.
By ZealZag TeamRunning the Western States 100 Trail: Olympic Valley to Auburn
The 100 miles from Olympic Valley to Auburn traces the oldest 100-mile footrace course in North America — through Sierra Nevada high country, across the American River canyon, and onto the finish-line track in Auburn. A practical destination guide for runners who want to run the route.
By ZealZag TeamOlympic Valley's Race Weekend: Broken Arrow Records Fall as Western States Week Begins
Philemon Kiriago and Mădălina Florea shattered Broken Arrow Skyrace 23k course records at Palisades Tahoe last weekend — and today the same valley fills again as Western States 100 runners arrive for mandatory check-in, four days before the deepest 100-mile field in the race's history.
By ZealZag TeamRace the Western States 100: Sierra Nevada Trail Running Guide
How to run the iconic 100-mile Western States course — Olympic Valley to Auburn — in training segments, the practical permits, the lodging logistics, and the heat training that race day requires.
By ZealZag Team
Western States 100 2026: Race Week Begins in the Sierra Nevada
The 53rd Western States Endurance Run is one week away — 100.2 miles from Olympic Valley to Auburn, the original 100-mile trail race. Here is what the 2026 field, the trail, and the week look like.
By ZealZag Team
The Price of Wonder
How 170,000 Kilometers on Unconventional Roads Taught Stefano Scapitta What It Means to Have Everything While Possessing Nothing
By ZealZag Team
Running Western States 100: The Sierra Nevada to Auburn Trail Guide
Olympic Valley to Auburn: 100.2 miles, 18,000 ft of climb, 23,000 ft of descent through the Sierra Nevada. Everything an endurance athlete needs to know before attempting the Western States 100 course.
By ZealZag Team
Western States 100 2026: Deepest Elite Field in Race History Set for June 27
Jim Walmsley ends his Western States sabbatical. Kilian Jornet returns to avenge 2025's near-miss. Courtney Dauwalter defends her course record. The 2026 Western States 100 elite start list is the most stacked in the race's history.
By ZealZag Team